Anyone who liked the first meeting between Creator and Destin should check out the rematch Saturday.
Noses apart in the Belmont Stakes, two of the nation's top 3-year-olds square off in the Grade 2 $600,000 Jim Dandy, Saratoga's main prep for the Grade 1 $1.25 million Travers Aug. 27.
Not to be forgotten is Mohaymen, whose only defeats (Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby) have come in Grade 1 races won by champion Nyquist. Mohaymen races for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, whose horses won six races from eight starts on opening weekend in upstate New York.
The Jim Dandy also drew Governor Malibu, fourth in the Belmont Stakes June 11 for trainer Christophe Clement; stakes placed Race Me Home, trained by Dale Romans; and likely pacesetter Laoban, fifth in the Dwyer at Belnont Park three weeks ago for trainer Eric Guillot.
Creator keeps Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle after winning the Belmont by a nose over Destin. Ricardo Santana Jr. rode Creator to his maiden and Grade 1 Arkansas Derby victories at Oaklawn Park but was replaced after Creator finished 13th of 20 in the Kentucky Derby May 7 at Churchill Downs.
Creator, by supersire Tapit, split horses in the stretch and ran down Destin for trainer Steve Asmussen's first Belmont Stakes victory and third in the Triple Crown series.
"(Ortiz) saved yards and won by inches," said Asmussen, who conditions Creator for Kentucky-based WinStar Farm and celebrity chef Bobby Flay.
Creator has trained at WinStar since the Belmont, Asmussen saying the turnback from a mile and a half in the Belmont to a mile and an eighth in the Jim Dandy should suit the late-running colt.
"It's exciting to be running him here at Saratoga, and he's doing really well," said Asmussen, who receives induction to the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame next month. "Obviously the Travers is the major goal for him here this summer, but I think he'll represent himself well in the Jim Dandy."
Trainer Todd Pletcher says Destin, with his Belmont second, "solidified his status as one of the top colts in this crop. He gives us the impression he's in the process of taking that step to the next level, and we've always felt like he's the kind of horse that's going to improve once he gets a little older. Being a (son of) Giant's Causeway, they tend to improve with experience and age.
"The Travers at a mile and a quarter should suit him well, so we're hoping to win the Jim Dandy, but we've kind of got our eye on the Travers as well," Pletcher said.
Javier Castellano rides Destin, who like Mohaymen gets 2 pounds (123-121) from Creator. The others carry 117, Junior Alvarado named aboard Mohaymen, Jose Ortiz on Laoban, Joel Rosario on Governor Malibu and Luis Saez on Race Me Home.
Set for 5:18 p.m., the Jim Dandy is third leg of a late pick-4 with a $500,000 guaranteed pool.
* The weekend's other big race for 3-year-olds received a dream matchup when Exaggerator was entered against Nyquist in Sunday's Grade 1 $1 million Haskell Invitational at New Jersey's Monmouth Park.
Nyquist beat Exaggerator in the Kentucky Derby, then finished third to Exaggerator in the Preakness after chasing a hot pace. Trainer Doug O'Neill passed on the Belmont with Nyquist, whose only defeat came in the Preakness. Exaggerator, trained by Keith Desormeaux and ridden by brother Keith, finished a disappointing 11th in the Belmont.
Exaggerator was pointed to the Jim Dandy before co-owner Matt Bryan called an audible.
"If we really want to compete for 3-year-old colt of the year, we need to race Nyquist ... and the Haskell sets up. It's a grade 1 worth a lot of money, so it's very exciting," Bryan was quoted on bloodhorse.com.
With the Asmussen-trained Gun Runner also entered, the top three from the Kentucky Derby are reunited in the nine-furlong Haskell, which Triple Crown winner American Pharoah took last year before a record Monmouth crowd. Also in the race is Brody's Cause, who like Nyquist and Exaggerator is a multiple Grade 1 winner.
The Haskell, set for 4:49 p.m., airs live on NBC (Resort Channel 4).
Sports on 07/28/2016