Saratoga Notebook: Sandman Will Add Blinkers For Jim Dandy

[Wandering Eyes]

SARATOGA SPRINGS – After seven weeks of going back and forth, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse has made his decision. When Sandman (Tapit) runs in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on July 26, he will be wearing a hood.

The popular gray, owned by D. J. Stable LLC, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables, looked striking Saturday morning when he hit the main track wearing black blinkers.

Sandman worked five furlongs in :59.40 (1/9) and Casse is comfortable saying that Sandman will have the equipment change at least for the Jim Dandy.

He had said he was going to make the change after Sandman finished third in the GI Preakness at Pimlico on May 17, but has gone back and forth since then.

“My thought right now is that he is a couple lengths behind some of those better horses,” Casse said on the Saratoga backstretch Saturday morning. “We have to come up with a plan to see him improve. Maybe the blinkers will work, it could also backfire. We will see.”

Casse said he had conversations with jockey Jose Ortiz about the pros and cons of putting the hood on Sandman. Ortiz, who has ridden Sandman five times in his 10-race career, will be back on board for the Jim Dandy.

Ortiz rode the colt to a victory in the GI Arkansas Derby and was also the pilot when he finished seventh in the GI Kentucky Derby. Ortiz opted to ride Clever Again (American Pharoah) in the Preakness; they finished last after Ortiz eased the colt after being bumped in upper stretch at Pimlico.

Sandman finished 2 3/4 lengths behind Journalism (Curlin) in the Preakness and was beat a quarter of a length for second by Gosger (Nyquist).

“He had some excuses in the Preakness,” Casse said. “He could hardly open his eyes from all the kickback. When we scoped him afterwards, they said he had more racetrack in him than on the outside of him. He inhaled it. I don't know if that made him lose a little focus–it would make me lose focus.”

Casse said Saturday's work was just what he wanted.

“We wanted to put a pretty good work into him, and he got it,” he said. “I could have made him work faster if I gave him company, but I thought this was good. This was his big work (for the Jim Dandy).”

Sandman will have the blinkers on in a race for the first time in his career. It remains to be seen if they will stay on.

“The Jim Dandy is an important race,” Casse said. “But it's not as important as the Travers.”

Casse also worked La Cara (Street Sense), who won the GI Acorn in her last start and handed Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) her first loss in eight starts. La Cara, who is being pointed to the GI Coaching Club American Oaks July 19, had a bullet four-furlong work Saturday in :46.00 (1/85) on the main track.

Rodriguez Soaking Up The Glow After First Graded Stakes Win

Early Saturday morning, a visitor to trainer Gustavo Rodriguez's barn on the Saratoga backstretch was treated like family. A request to see Phileas Fogg (Astern {Aus})? No problem.

Rodriguez pointed out the 5-year-old gelding, who was being walked outside the barn. Even stopped him, allowed a few pictures to be taken.

Phileas Fogg holds off Antiquarian | Sarah Andrew

Life is good when the big horse rolls and the big horse rolled on Friday when he won the GII Suburban Stakes at Saratoga going gate-to-wire in the 1 1/4-mile race. It was the first graded stakes win for the 54-year-old Rodriguez, who has been training horses on his own since 2021.

“We had a little wine, had a nice dinner,” Rodriguez said of the post-race activities. “I watched the replay a few times–I would say maybe four times.”

And every time, the result was the same, Phileas Fogg, who Rodriguez claimed last year at Saratoga, upset the Suburban, holding off the fast-closing Antiquarian (Preservationist) by a head. The 4-5 favorite Locked (Gun Runner) was another 6 1/4 lengths behind in third.

“Before the race, I said to myself, 'we are going to be alright,'” Rodriguez said. “The only horse I was afraid of was Locked. If he ran like he did at Santa Anita (an 8 1/2-length winner in the GI Santa Anita Handicap), we would be in trouble.”

Phileas Fogg, who was coming off a second-place finish in the GIII Pimlico Special in his last start, will now be pointed to a Grade I in his next race.

Rodriguez said it won't be the GI Whitney Stakes on Aug. 2, but probably the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup on Aug. 31.

“I want to give him more time,” Rodriguez said. “I will discuss it with the owner (Steve Shapiro of Jupiter Stable LLC). I think we have a nice horse. I know the division has a lot of good horses. We've just got to deal with them.”

For now, Rodriguez will work with his 15-horse stable and enjoy, at least for a little while longer, the Suburban win. He was getting some brotherly love from his 53-year-old sibling Rudy Rodriguez, who has been an established trainer on the New York circuit for years. Gustavo worked for his brother for 10 years before going out on his own.

“I'm very happy for him,” Rudy Rodriguez said Saturday outside his office at the Oklahoma Training Track. “He works very hard; he always has. When I was handicapping that race, I thought they would have a tough time beating him … the way the track was playing, he had the inside post and Kendrick (jockey Carmouche) is one of the best riders out of the gate. When he has the lead, he is very, very, very dangerous. Thank God he got the win!”

Conditions Were Right For Coppola … Finally

Trainer Dale Romans kept waiting for the sun to shine on his 6-year-old Coppola (Into Mischief). That day came Friday, and the speedy horse took his cue on the way to a record-setting performance at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Coppola set a track record for five furlongs on the turf when he won the $100,000 William Garrett Handicap in a time of :54.39.

In his previous three starts, including the GI Jaipur Stakes at Saratoga last month, he faced turf courses labeled as “good.” He finished fifth in the 5 1/2-furlong Jaipur, fourth in the five-furlong Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes at Pimlico and sixth in the GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs.

“Five eighths on firm ground; that's Coppola's gig,” Romans said outside his barn on the Saratoga backstretch Saturday morning. “He finally got firm ground, and he ran like he was supposed to. I have been frustrated that his last three races were all on rainy days. He is hard to beat going five eighths on firm ground.”

The old Horseshoe Indianapolis record for five furlongs on turf belonged to Oxford Comma (Majesticperfection), who went the distance in :54.57 in 2018. Coppola also won the William Garrett Handicap last year, but it was taken off the grass.

Romans said that Coppola, owned by Hammer Time Stable and Sport of Kings Racing Partners, probably won't run back at Saratoga, but he's looking for a race at either Del Mar or Ellis Park.

“We will find a good spot for him,” Romans said. “He is fast, and he is the barn pet. Everyone loves Coppola. Tammy (Fox, Romans' partner and top exercise rider) gets on him every day.”

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