Jim Dandy 2026: Morning Line Odds As Commandment And Renegade Toe Off

To understand the import of Saratoga’s August 1 kickoff Jim Dandy Stakes this Saturday, we should statesman by noting the astir important absence from the field, that of Kentucky Derby and Belmont victor Golden Tempo, pictured apical near arsenic he won the May 2 Derby pinch his regular rider Jose Ortiz up. Late successful June, and training successful his record-breaking trainer Cherie DeVaux’s autochthonal Saratoga while being aimed for the Jim Dandy and yet the Travers Stakes, Golden Tempo came down pinch a lawsuit of pneumonia. It was caught early capable to person been kept mild by DeVaux and her squad truthful that the champion missed conscionable 10 days of training. But it scratched him from contention successful this weekend’s Jim Dandy.

Specifically, what will beryllium missed this Saturday is greater than conscionable the horse, Golden Tempo. Midsummer is that lovely, and fabulously uncertain, clip of twelvemonth successful American racing erstwhile campaigns for the Breeders’ Cup races are being tweaked and re-tweaked astatine tracks crossed the country. What we mightiness telephone the “eastern” way of Breeders’ building blocks is made of the Haskell astatine Monmouth, the Jim Dandy and the Travers astatine Saratoga.

Without further ado, present is the five-horse section for the 2026 Jim Dandy.

(Post Position, Trainer, Jockey, Morning Line Odds)

1. Chip Honcho, Steve Asmussen, Jose Ortiz,

2. Asked and Answered, Antonio Arriaga, Jaime Rodriguez

3. Renegade, Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz Jr.

4. Silent Tactic, Mark Casse, Luis Saez

5. Commandment, Brad Cox, Flavien Prat

(Source: New York Racing Association, 7/29/2026)

It’s not to beryllium contested that having the Florida, Arkansas and Ohio Derby winners successful Commandment, Renegade and Chip Honcho successful Saturday’s cardinal Travers prep – and among those three, 2 Triple-Crown placers and a Triple Crown show-horse successful the tight five-horse section – makes for a good race. Though Golden Tempo will miss this Saturday showdown, that won’t impact his Travers bid, but his absence will formed a greater protector complete Saturday’s moving because we won’t person the luxury of watching him spell up against his reliable rival and the Derby’s beardown spot runner Renegade, pictured apical centers conscionable a stride down Golden Tempo, aliases against his adjacent Belmont rival Commandment.

Outside the hysteria of the Triple Crown play itself, it’s useful successful respective ways to person these Triple Crown re-matches – peculiarly Churchill re-matches – arsenic the trainers and owners crippled their charges Breeders’ campaigns. Certainly not least, a rematch gives each trainer a image of wherever the title is, but arguably much important is the friendly barometric unit reference specified a rematch provides of immoderate runner’s ain information arsenic put up against that of his aliases her rivals.

We shall, however, beryllium treated to the 4th title successful which Renegade and Commandment person competed, and that is plentifulness complex.