Jim Dandy Odds: Disarm Should Be Primed for Top Performance

Check out our predictions and odds for the 2023 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga!

Odds provided by author Brian Zipse.

Jim Dandy Picks and Best Bets

Here are my plays ($50 in total)

$25 Win and Place - Disarm = $50

If you're playing only to win, go with my top pick Disarm (4/1).

Check out our Horse Racing Calculator to ensure your bets!

The champion juvenile male of 2022, Forte looks to return to his winning ways when he headlines a small but strong field of five set for Saturday’s Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the son of Violence had a five-race winning streak snapped last out when he finished second to Arcangelo in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. 

Before that Forte had won both the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby (G1) to begin the season, but had to be scratched out of the Kentucky Derby with a hoof bruise. Overall, he has won 6-of-8 career starts.

Chief among the challengers in the $500,000 prep for the Travers Stakes (G1) is the two-time graded stakes winner Angel of Empire. 

One of three from the barn of Brad Cox, the son of Classic Empire won both the Risen Star (G2) and Arkansas Derby (G1) before finishing third in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Belmont.

All three of the remaining entrants bring solid credentials to the 9-furlong affair. Disarm won the Grade 3 Matt Win last time after finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby. 

Hit Show romped in the Grade 3 Withers earlier this year and was beaten only 2 1/4 lengths in the Belmont. The once-beaten Saudi Crown lost the Grade 3 Dwyer by a nose last time.

Jim Dandy Predictions and Race Analysis

Forte

The deserving favorite won the Grade 1 Hopeful over this track last summer. That victory started a run of five straight impressive victories. The 2-year-old champion was set to be the Kentucky Derby favorite, before having to scratch due to a hoof bruise. 

Trained by Todd Pletcher, this son of Violence recovered quickly and ran a very good race in the Belmont Stakes when second to Arcangelo. With the Travers as the main summertime goal, this tricky spot will be his prep.

He is the one to beat, but I think he will be bet heavily in this spot, and with four tough challengers, I do not believe he will be worth his low odds. I will take a shot to beat him in the Jim Dandy.

Angel of Empire

It’s hard to knock this son of Classic Empire. Other than his lone try on the grass nearly a year ago, all he does is run good races. Even when dead-heating for fourth in the Belmont with Hit Show, he was not far away from the win. 

He was closer to the pace that afternoon, but I look for him to be a bit more relaxed early and back in last in the short field. That’s more his style, but it won’t necessarily be easy to pick up all the pieces in this tough field. 

The decisive winner of both the Risen Star (G2) and Arkansas Derby (G1) earlier this year for trainer Brad Cox is dangerous as always, but probably more likely to rally up for a second or third-place result.

Disarm

This chestnut son of Gun Runner is familiar with the Saratoga oval, having romped home to break his maiden here last summer by more than six lengths. After a sizable layoff, he has been steadily improving this season at 3. 

Two starts back, the Steve Asmussen-trained runner ran a very good race to finish fourth in the Kentucky Derby. Much closer to the pace last time, he showed his sharpness by stalking and getting by Verifying in the Grade 3 Matt Winn. 

At the same distance as the Jim Dandy, he should be primed and ready for a top performance on Saturday. He is the top pick to pull off a minor upset on Saturday.

Saudi Crown

The second from the barn of Brad Cox, this one is the speed of the race. Though inexperienced, he has shown plenty of talent in his first three career starts. 

A son of Always Dreaming, he nicely won a maiden race at Keeneland and an allowance race at Churchill Downs, before running a very game second in the Grade 3 Dwyer last time at Belmont Park. 

He’s never been this far or faced this type of competition before, but his talent and speed could carry him a long way on Saturday. If left alone for too long on the lead, he will be dangerous.

Hit Show 

The final of the three from the Cox barn, this son of Candy Ride cannot be dismissed on Saturday. A romping winner of the Grade 3 Withers back in February, he has not run a poor race since. 

Unlucky when beaten just a nose in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, he then ran solid races to be fifth in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Belmont. 

He has enough speed to stay in touch of Saudi Crown early and has been working well since the Belmont. If he loves the Saratoga surface, he could surprise.

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