When horses obtain greatness, or accomplish notably memorable feats, it’s customary for stakes races to be named of their honor. Throughout the nation, there are races the bear the names of legends like Man o’ Struggle, Secretariat, Kelso, and Cigar; much more current greats like Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra, and Sensible Dan are remembered with stakes races.
Each summer time, Saratoga Race Course in New York hosts the Jim Dandy Stakes, a significant prep for the celebrated Travers Stakes later within the Saratoga meet. It is just becoming that the Jim Dandy Stakes is a prep for the Travers, because it was within the 1930 Travers that an unassuming 3-year-old chestnut colt pulled off probably the most astonishing upsets within the historical past of horse racing to make sure that his identify would by no means be forgotten.
His identify, naturally, was Jim Dandy. His sire (father) was Jim Gaffney, winner of the 1907 Hopeful Stakes and a profitable stallion who had already sired the 1923 Preakness Stakes winner Vigil. Jim Dandy’s dam (mom) was Thunderbird, a daughter of the very profitable sire Star Shoot, and additional again in Jim Dandy’s pedigree had been the names of many different well-known horses, together with Epsom Derby winner Bend Or, English Triple Crown winner Isinglass, and the outstanding U.S. sire Lexington.
But regardless of his spectacular pedigree, Jim Dandy was comparatively unaccomplished throughout his first 12 months of racing in 1929. Working 9 instances, he received simply two races, together with a 50-1 upset within the Grand Union Resort Stakes at Saratoga, which was performed on a sloppy monitor that Jim Dandy appeared to relish. However after that race, Jim Dandy misplaced his subsequent 4 begins, and 1930 was no higher, as he began the season with 10 consecutive defeats in races that had been removed from prime class.
This was a outstanding distinction to main 1930 3-year-old Gallant Fox, a seemingly unbeatable colt that had received the Wooden Memorial in his seasonal debut earlier than including the Preakness Stakes, Kentucky Derby, and Belmont Stakes (sure, in that order) to brush the Triple Crown. Exhibiting no indicators of slowing down, Gallant Fox received the Dwyer Stakes by 1 ½ lengths so simply that his Each day Racing Type previous performances embrace the notation “loafed,” and two weeks later, he received the wealthy Arlington Basic — then value greater than any of the Triple Crown races — by a neck after a protracted stretch battle.
Very like 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Gallant Fox was a rising star making historical past with each begin as he headed to Saratoga for the celebrated Travers Stakes on Aug. 16, and there have been few those who believed Gallant Fox may very well be crushed. He had all of it — glorious early velocity, a strong ending kick, and confirmed skill on each quick and moist tracks. He can be going through solely three rivals within the Travers, and just one — Whichone, the main 2-year-old of 1929 and a winner of three straight races at Saratoga — was anticipated to have an opportunity of pulling off an upset.
The chances mirrored this confidence. Gallant Fox was made the heavy favourite at 1-2 whereas Whichone was despatched off at 8-5 and third selection Solar Falcon was 30-1. Jim Dandy? Nobody thought he had an opportunity, and his odds had been a staggering 100-1.
However then two elements mixed to dramatically change the complexion of the race. First, rain diminished the monitor to a muddy, moist mess formally labeled “heavy,” a situation deeper and wetter than Gallant Fox was used to encountering.
Secondly, when the horses had been despatched on their approach firstly of the race, Whichone confirmed extra early velocity than prior to now and engaged Gallant Fox in an amazing battle for the lead. Instantly, a velocity duel was underway.
Sonny Workman, the jockey of Whichone, believed that the surface a part of the monitor is likely to be sooner than the rail, and allowed Whichone to run many paths off the rail all through the race. Gallant Fox, drawn exterior of Whichone, had no selection however to go even wider, and each colts misplaced an amazing quantity of floor whereas setting quick fractions of :25 flat, :49 2/5, and 1:13 3/5. Within the meantime, a number of lengths behind them, Jim Dandy hugged the rail in third place, splashing fortunately via the muddy situations that he cherished.
Because the race went on and Gallant Fox and Whichone continued their intense battle for the lead, there was a sudden flash of motion alongside the rail. Because the leaders started to tire from their exhausting efforts, a longshot was rallying quick on the within. Turning for dwelling, with Gallant Fox and Whichone on the far exterior, the unbelievable … the unattainable … the unthinkable out of the blue unfolded earlier than the eyes of the 30,000 followers in attendance.
Gallant Fox, the Triple Crown winner and seemingly unbeatable champion, had misplaced the lead. And the brand new chief was a chestnut blur named Jim Dandy.
Not content material to merely pull off one of many largest upsets in historical past, Jim Dandy selected to make his efficiency as memorable as potential. With full ease, he bounded away from Gallant Fox, main by two lengths, then three, then 5, then six, and eventually eight lengths as he crossed the wire alone. The ultimate time for 1 1/4 miles was a really gradual 2:08 flat, an extra demonstration of the monitor’s very gradual and muddy situation.
For Gallant Fox, the Travers would mark his solely lack of the season; after his stunning defeat, he rebounded to win the Saratoga Cup, Lawrence Realization, and Jockey Membership Gold Cup to retire with document earnings of $328,165. In distinction, Jim Dandy would by no means win one other stakes race, and he finally retired on the age of 12 with a document of simply seven wins from 141 begins. In his final 4 seasons of racing, he by no means even completed within the trifecta.
Sure, for almost all of their careers, there was no evaluating Gallant Fox and Jim Dandy. However on one summer time day at Saratoga, it was Jim Dandy who reached the winner’s circle and achieved immortality in his personal approach.
