Chip Honcho the one to catch in Jim Dandy

Chip Honcho has been inconsistent this year but has several factors going for him in the $500,000 Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga on Saturday.

Unlike his four rivals in the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy, Chip Honcho is coming off a win, albeit against the maiden Ocelli, in the Ohio Derby (G3). The Steve Asmussen trainee has also outrun dual classic winner Golden Tempo once this season, which Renegade and Commandment failed to do twice during the Triple Crown series.

Perhaps most importantly, Chip Honcho has the best early speed of the Jim Dandy contenders, thus is a threat to take them all the way.

Renegade was beaten only a head by Golden Tempo in the Kentucky Derby (G1) after taking the worst of it from post 1 passing the stands for the first time. Favored to avenge that loss in the Belmont (G1), Renegade instead saw his relative stamina exposed that day by both Golden Tempo and Commandment.

Commandment, the Florida Derby (G1) and Fountain of Youth (G2) winner, made little noise finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby, but fared much better in the Belmont, though he, too, was no match late for Golden Tempo. Commandment  will race with blinkers on for the first time in the Jim Dandy. 

A lingering foot bruise kept Silent Tactic out of both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness (G1). The Mark Casse trainee has a solid turn of foot, which he used to good effect winning the Southwest (G3) in February. But the son of Tacitus was outdueled in the Rebel (G2) and finished four lengths adrift of Renegade in the Arkansas Derby (G1).

The maiden Asked and Answered completes the Jim Dandy field of five.

Booked, a six-length winner of the Sanford (G3) on July 4, will look to fare the same in the $250,000 Saratoga Special (G2) over 6 1/2 furlongs. His main rivals appear to be Flight Command, a son of Flightline who won debut by 10 lengths at Aqueduct, and Churchill debut winner Twinkle Town.

Amberglen, an impressive allowance winner at Churchill Downs for Brad Cox last time, will look to outrun graded veterans Lion Lake, Ultimate Love, Time to Dream, and Deep Learning in the $225,000 Lake George (G3), a 1 1/16-mile grass test for three-year-old fillies.