Repole Stable’s Kentucky homebred Fierceness made a triumphant return to the winner’s circle with a compelling victory in the nine-furlong Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy, presented by Mohegan Sun, at Saratoga Race Course. Trained by the Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt showcased his exceptional prowess under the guidance of Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
Fierceness executed a flawless race strategy, stalking the pace before pouncing to the lead at the top of the stretch. Despite drifting out to the center of the course in the final strides, the colt displayed unwavering determination to hold off a late charge by Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone, who had been last early on, made a strong inside run, earning a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure (BSF) for his effort, but could not surpass the Champion. Fierceness crossed the finish line one length ahead, clocking a final time of 1:49.15 and earning a 103 BSF, his third triple-digit figure to date.
The Jim Dandy is a pivotal prep race for the prestigious 10-furlong Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers Stakes, scheduled for August 24. However, Pletcher remained non-committal about Fierceness’s participation in the “Mid-Summer Derby.” He noted the challenges of keeping two top dirt routers separate, as Fierceness shares the spotlight with Mindframe, another Pletcher-trained star who finished runner-up in both the Grade 1 Haskell and the Belmont Stakes.
Fierceness’s victory in the Jim Dandy adds to an already impressive resume, which includes a win in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Park in November and a dominating 13 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in March. With this latest triumph, Fierceness now holds a lifetime record of 7-4-0-1 and career earnings of $1,978,850.
The decision regarding Fierceness’s next move, whether it will be the Travers or another high-stakes race, remains to be seen. For now, the colt’s stellar performance in the Jim Dandy reaffirms his status as one of the leading contenders in the division, promising exciting prospects for the remainder of the racing season.
