Post Time: Forte ready to step forward in Jim Dandy

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Forte returns to stake a claim in the 3-year-old division Saturday in the $500,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, the local prep race for the $1.25 million Travers.

Fellow Grade 1 winner Angel of Empire will join Forte and two of the top-five finishers in the Kentucky Derby in the nine-furlong race for sophomores.

Hit Show and Disarm finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Derby behind Angel of Empire and add to the depth of quality in the field.

Newcomer Saudi Crown rounds out the field and adds a twist to the race as the lone early speed.

Forte, who was scratched the morning of the Kentucky Derby by the track veterinarian, ran well in his comeback race in the Belmont Stakes, finishing second. He returns for meet-leading jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and trainer Todd Pletcher. The hope is by sweeping the Saratoga 3-year-old races, Forte could have a chance for the divisional title.

With three separate Triple Crown winners and Geaux Rocket Ride winning the Haskell last weekend, the division is wide open and could be settled in the Midsummer Derby on Aug. 26.

The major prep race for the Travers has produced 19 Travers winners, of which 13 completed the Dandy-Travers double.

The race is named in honor of the 1930 Travers Stakes winner who defeated Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox at odds of 100-1.

Post time for the Jim Dandy is 5:45 p.m. and is slated for Race 10 on the 12-race card, which also features the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap in Race 8. The Vanderbilt features a big matchup between the talented Elite Power and Gunite.

Fox Sports (Channel 29) will have a three-hour broadcast starting at 3 p.m. EDT and FS1 will broadcast the undercard from 1:30 to 3, and FS2 will pick it up at 6 p.m. after the Jim Dandy.

Race 5 on the Jim Dandy undercard is the fourth annual John G. Cansdale Memorial, a 1 1/16-mile race on the inner turf course named after the Buffalo native and former executive director of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board who died in October 2018.

Let’s take a look at the field from top to bottom (post position, trainer, jockey, morning line odds in parenthesis):

1 – Disarm (Asmussen, Rosario, 6-1). Backed up his fourth-place finish in the Derby with a win in the slop in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Matt Winn at Ellis Park. Chance the track does come up wet based on the forecast, so this one would move up if we get a sloppy track. Son of Gun Runner has moved forward in every race during his 3-year-old campaign and might be ready to explode on the scene. Trainer Steve Asmussen won his first Travers last year with Epicenter and is seeking a back-to-back sweep of the Saratoga pair of races. The pick.

2 – Forte (Pletcher, Ortiz, Jr., 7-5). It’s put-up time for the son of Violence. Tabbed morning-line favorite by line maker David Aragona, he will try to use the solid Belmont outing to vault back into the divisional picture. Last victory was in April in the Florida Derby and has only ran once since, so he should be fresh coming into the Spa. Last year’s 2-year-old champion is the class of the race and the horse to beat.

3 – Hit Show (Cox, Saez, 6-1). Ran a very good race in the Derby and backed that up dead-heating with Angel of Empire in the Belmont, only 2½-lengths behind the winner. Tenacious colt fought on in the Derby and Belmont to finish strong. Son of Candy Ride won the Grade 3 Withers and finished second by a nose in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct heading into the Derby. Contender.

4 – Saudi Crown (Cox, Geroux, 5-2). Lone speed could prove dangerous and the other four horses are off-the-pace types. Lightly raced son of Derby winner Always Dreaming was a late entry and the third Brad Cox horse entered. Is in deeper waters with the four horses that spent the spring on the Derby trail, but it feels like he will either win or come in last, going with the latter.

5 – Angel of Empire (Cox, Prat, 5-2). My Derby and Belmont top selection isn’t getting it here. His running style doesn’t set him up for the big close with little speed in the race. Flattened out in the Belmont after looking like a million bucks at the top of the stretch. More usable in the Travers if he runs well here. Using him to round out the super.

Post Time Outlook: 1 – Disarm; 2 –Forte; 3 – Hit Show; 4 – Angel of Empire

Gene Kershner, a Buffalo-based turf writer, is a member of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association, and tweets@EquiSpace.