Dandino overcomes traffic in American St Leger

Even a traffic snarl in the stretch of Saturday's $400,000

American St. Leger couldn't derail 4-5 favorite Dandino at Arlington. After being

shuffled back and having to alter course for jockey Ryan Moore, the Melbourne

Cup prospect delivered a powerful late rally to prevail by a half-length over

Suntracer. Dandino thus preserved Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock and trainer

Marco Botti's perfect record in the turf marathon, one year after stablemate

Jakkalberry took the inaugural running.

An English shipper who was coming off a runner-up effort in the June 22

Hardwicke at Royal Ascot, Dandino was installed as the 9-5 favorite on the

morning line. His odds shortened further after the injury-induced withdrawal of

America's leading hope, Dark Cove, and he did not disappoint.

In the early going, Ojos de Hielo went forward through slow fractions of :26

1/5 and :53 4/5 on the firm course. Ioya Bigtime, who had set the pace in last

year's American St Leger, then moved up alongside, and the pair matched strides

through splits of 1:18 and 1:42 2/5. Code of Conduct was parked in third,

followed by the rail-skimming Dandino and Najjaar. Suntracer and Wigmore Hall

were content to lag in the rear.

Ioya Bigtime took over as Ojos de Hielo abruptly gave way on the final turn

and reached the 1 1/4-mile split in 2:07 1/5. Code of Conduct commenced his bid,

flanked by Najjaar, and they loomed large at the top of the stretch.

Meanwhile, Dandino tried to get through between horses, but had no room. The

favorite was forced to steady off heels and come around Najjaar, in a

potentially-costly change of plan. By that point, Suntracer was closing stoutly

widest of all.

Despite the initial loss of both ground and momentum, Dandino regrouped in

short order and quickened smartly in a few strides. Outkicking Suntracer to the

wire, Dandino completed 1 11/16 grassy miles in 2:50 3/5 and compensated his

many backers with $3.60, $3 and $2.40 for their brief scare.

Suntracer checked in three-quarters of a length clear of Najjaar, who edged

Code of Conduct by a head for third. Wigmore Hall and Ioya Bigtime concluded the

order of finish. Ojos de Hielo was distanced.

Dandino's third career stakes victory improved his record to 25-8-8-1,

$985,670. Originally trained by James Given for breeder Elite Racing Club, the

son of Dansili compiled a four-race winning streak as a sophomore, capped by a

major handicap -- the King George V -- at Royal Ascot. His skein ended with a

near-miss second in the 2010 Gordon at Glorious Goodwood, and he went on to

finish off the board in both the St Leger and Japan Cup.

Dandino scored a stakes breakthrough in the 2011 Jockey Club at Newmarket,

but his form tailed off in three subsequent starts at four. Transferred to James

Fanshawe for 2012, the dark bay placed in the Further Flight, Fred Archer and

Glorious Stakes before capturing the September Stakes over Kempton's Polytrack.

Invading Woodbine for last October's Canadian International, Dandino was a

fast-finishing second to Joshua Tree, with the wire coming a fraction too soon

for him. He next tried the Hong Kong Vase, where he was beaten 3 1/4 lengths in

seventh.

Dandino was purchased by his Australian connections over the winter. In his

debut for Botti, the six-year-old was outdueled by Universal by a neck in the

May 4 Jockey Club. Dandino had raced once n the interim, finishing second to the

ill-fated Thomas Chippendale in the Hardwicke, but turning the tables on

third-placer Universal.

Stablemate Jakkalberry went on to place third in the 2012 Melbourne Cup after

his Arlington heroics. Plans call for Dandino to go Down Under for the Caulfield

Cup en route to the Melbourne feature.

The British-bred was produced by the winning Generous mare Generous Diana.

Dandino's second dam, Lypharitissima, is an unraced full sister to 1985 French

Oaks heroine Lypharita.

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