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Bernardini buries Jim Dandy rivals

Bernardini returned in a big way in the Jim Dandy (Joseph DiOrio/Horsephotos.com) Unraced since a convincing 5 1/4-length victory in the Preakness S. (G1), Darley Stable's homebred BERNARDINI (A.P. Indy) made a smashing return in Saturday's $500,000 Jim Dandy S. (G2), winning off by nine lengths at the wire. With jockey Javier Castellano sitting motionless throughout the bay colt's spectacular stretch run, Bernardini relished the sloppy conditions at Saratoga and clearly established himself as the one to beat in the $1 million Travers S. (G1) on August 26. Like everybody else watching the three-year-old, trainer Tom Albertrani came away impressed by the wire-to-wire score. "I was very pleased with his race today," the conditioner said. "He ran pretty easily and came back with something left. I guess there was a lot of doubt in people's minds with the Preakness victory. He showed today what a really good horse he is." Now four for five in his career, Bernardini hasn't lost since breaking his maiden second time out in early March, and his four wins have all come by daylight margins. The scary thing is that the lightly raced colt has plenty of room for improvement. "I think we are going to see better things from this horse later on," Albertrani said. "I don't think we are going to be fearing anyone in the Travers. If he stays at this level, he is going to be a very tough horse all year."

Despite being noticeably lathered up during Saturday's post parade, Bernardini was on the top of his game when the gates opened, immediately grabbing control of the pace and leading his closest rival, Minister's Bid (Deputy Minister), by a narrow margin into the first turn. After turning the first quarter-mile in :23 4/5, Bernardini remained in complete control the rest of the way while racing on a clear lead, clicking off the next splits in :47 1/5, 1:11 1/5 and 1:37. With Castellano sitting up in the saddle, the 1-2 favorite was under wraps and moving beautifully in the final furlong, eventually finishing the 1 1/8-mile event in 1:50 2/5.

"He did it so easily," Castellano explained. "I was worried about saving him for the Travers. I didn't want to beat him up. It was just perfect. He is such a classy horse. He felt just like he did in the Preakness. After the race, he was so calm and he wasn't blowing."

The battle for second provided the only suspense in the race. Hemingway's Key (Notebook) came up the rail to wrest away second from Minister's Bid at the top of the stretch, but the previously unbeaten Minister's Bid battled back gamely for runner-up honors in his stakes debut, nipping Hemingway's Key by a head in the final strides.

Bernardini returned $3.10, $2.40 and $2.10 for his third stakes victory, and the 7-2 Minister's Bid, who was coupled with Dr. Pleasure (Thunder Gulch), was good for $3.10 and $2.60. Hemingway's Key, the longest shot on the board at 24-1, gave back $3.50. The exacta paid $8.20, and the 4-1-5 trifecta $48. Dr. Pleasure, Oh So Awesome (Awesome Again) and Sunriver (Saint Ballado) completed the order of finish.

"Bernardini is one nice horse," said John Ward, trainer of Minister's Bid and Dr. Pleasure. "We really liked (watching) Bernardini coming down the lane. He was balanced and his ears were pricked."

Hall of Famer Nick Zito, trainer of Hemingway's Key, added, "I'm disappointed he didn't win, but he got beat by a great horse. We're real happy with (Hemingway's Key's) effort, but the winner is a great, great horse."

Out of Grade 1 winner Cara Rafaela (Quiet American), the Kentucky-bred Bernardini counts the Grade 1-placed Ile de France (Storm Cat) as an older half-sibling and has an unraced two-year-old half-sister named Blue Tigress (Storm Cat) and a 2006 half-sister by the same sire. Cara Rafaela captured the 1995 Hollywood Starlet (G1) and finished second in that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), eventually earning $884,452 from three seasons of racing. She's a half-sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Abaginone (Devil's Bag).

Bernardini, who also owns a victory in the Withers S. (G3), has now earned $1,010,480.

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