The road to the Travers runs straight through the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), and Racing Dudes’ Jim Dandy Betting Bible is your ultimate wagering weapon for the summer showdown at Saratoga!
Headlining the $500,000 feature is Sovereignty, Godolphin’s homebred superstar and reigning Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner. With over $4.8 million in earnings, this Bill Mott-trained Into Mischief colt is already a two-time Grade 1 hero this season and continues to look the part.
“He’s doing good,” said Hall of Famer Bill Mott. “His work went well. He looked good after. We haven’t had any major issues at all.”
The Derby and Belmont finishes both saw Sovereignty defeat Journalism and Baeza in the same order—and he’s done it on fast tracks and sloppy ones. His 109 Beyer in the Belmont leads the field, and his recent half-mile breeze in 49.82 over the Oklahoma track shows he’s locked and loaded.
But this isn’t a walkover—not even close.
⭐ Meet the Challengers:
🟥 Baeza (Post 1, Hector Berrios):
Named after Hall of Famer Braulio Baeza, this colt closed late in both the Derby and Belmont but hasn’t quite put it all together. Trainer John Shirreffs believes the best is yet to come:
“I didn’t think he ran his best race in the Belmont… I think he can run better than that.”
⬜️ Sandman (Post 2, Jose Ortiz):
The Preakness third-place finisher gets blinkers for the first time in a move trainer Mark Casse hopes will ignite a new gear:
“Obviously, Sovereignty is going to be tough to beat, but we are going to give it a try.”
“We are looking for a good effort in the Jim Dandy—something to propel us to the Travers.”
🟦 Mo Plex (Post 3, Manny Franco):
Fresh off a Grade 3 Ohio Derby win, this versatile New York-bred could be the wildcard.
“I thought he ran well, obviously, but I was even more impressed with his gallop-out,” said trainer Jeremiah Englehart.
“Now he has this test of taking on the top 3-year-olds… If he’s good enough, he’s good enough.”
🟨 Hill Road (Post 4, Irad Ortiz Jr.):
Trained by Chad Brown, he’s coming off a fifth in the Belmont and has been working in company with Breeders’ Cup champ Sierra Leone:
“He’s worked really well the last two times with Sierra Leone,” said Brown. “He’s coming into this in good form.”
With top trainers like Mott, Brown, Shirreffs, Casse, and Englehart, elite 3-year-olds, and major Travers implications on the line, the Jim Dandy sets up as one of the must-bet races of the Saratoga summer.
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Jim Dandy 2025 Betting Bible
Dominate Jim Dandy Day on July 26 with the Racing Dudes’ 2025 Betting Bible at Saratoga!
Get race-by-race bets, Pick 4 and Pick 5 strategies, pace projections, AI-powered picks, and expert insight from Jon White. Bet smarter. Win bigger.
