Saratoga Springs, NY (My Sportsbook) - Belmont Stakes champ Da' Tara returns to the racetrack Sunday in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga where he will face seven rivals. The Jim Dandy is the traditional local prep race for the $1 million Travers on Saturday, August 23.
Da' Tara, winner of two of eight career starts, has drawn post six and again will have Alan Garcia in the saddle. Garcia was the jockey when the 38-1 longshot pulled the upset in the Belmont Stakes.
Owned by Robert LaPenta and trained by Nick Zito, Da' Tara has earned $664,067 in his career. Earlier this year the three-year-old colt was ninth in the Florida Derby, fifth in the Derby Trial and second in the Barbaro Stakes.
Nick Zito will also have Anak Nakal in the race. The colt will start from post two with John Velazquez riding. Anak Nakal's last race was also the Belmont Stakes in which he finished third.
Anak Nakal is winless this year after winning two of three starts in 2007. His lone stakes victory came in last year's Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. He has earned $328,416 in eight career starts for owner Four Roses Thoroughbreds.
Former leading three-year-old Pyro has drawn post four in the Jim Dandy and will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan. Steve Asmussen trains Pyro for Ron Winchell.
Pyro began the year with wins in the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds. In his only start on a synthetic surface, he finished tenth to Monba in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. Pyro then failed in the Kentucky Derby when he finished eighth.
He is coming off a victory in the Northern Dancer Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 14. Pyro, second to War Pass in last years Breeders Cup Juvenile, has won four of nine career starts for $1.17 million.
Here is the complete field for the Jim Dandy in post position order: Tiz Now Tiz Then, Miguel Mena; Anak Nakal, John Velazquez; Mint Lane, Eibar Coa; Pyro, Shaun Bridgmohan; Tale of Ekati, Edgar Prado; Da' Tara, Alan Garcia; Macho Again, Julien Leparoux and Alaazo, Kent Desormeaux.
Post-time for the 45th Jim Dandy Stakes is set for 5:53 p.m. (et).
