Sprinters in the Spotlight on Both Coasts Saturday

[Wandering Eyes]

Male sprinters take their shot at Grade I glory on both coasts Saturday with the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. at Saratoga and the GI Bing Crosby S. at Del Mar, which is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) is four-for-four at Saratoga, capped by a gritty victory over MGISW Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in last year's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. A perfect three-for-three this year, with his most recent victory being in Belmont's GII True North S. June 10, the bay is the heavy favorite at 1-5 on the morning-line against five quite overmatched competitors.

The next closest on the morning-line is 6-1 shot Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic), who enters off wins in the state-bred Affirmed Success S. at Belmont Apr. 29 and the Chocolate Town S. at Penn National June 17.

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, a more evenly matched field of 10 seek a spot in the Breeders' Cup starting gate in the Bing Crosby. Bob Baffert has won this event three times, but not since Lord Nelson in 2016, and he saddles the lightly raced Shaaz (Uncle Mo) Saturday. The $1.1-million EASMAY acquisition has won two of his four starts and enters off a third in the GIII Steve Sexton Mile May 30 while under the temporary care of conditioner Sean McCarthy.

Last term's GI Woody Stephens S. winner Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music) avoids rival Jackie's Warrior by making his first start on the West Coast Saturday. He enters off a fourth-place finish in the GIII Smile Sprint S. July 2.

The top three finishers from Santa Anita's GII Triple Bend S. also resurface here: American Theorem (American Pharoah), Principe Carlo (Coil) and Get Her Number (Dialed In).

While this race has been won by some very talented horses, it has not produced a Breeders' Cup winner since Kona Gold in 2000. The last Alfred Vanderbilt winner to score at the World Championships was Speightstown in 2004.

Short, But Sweet Field Set For Jim Dandy

There may only be five colts set to line up for Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S., the local prep for next month's GI Runhappy Travers S., but it's quite a talented quintet.

The field is led by Epicenter (Not This Time), who went off as the Derby favorite after dominating the Fair Grounds preps. He was a valiant second beneath the Twin Spires after being run down late by longshot Rich Strike (Keen Ice) and rallied to fill the same spot last out in the GI Preakness S. May 21.

Preakness winner Early Voting (Gun Runner) also returns here, hoping to give his sensational young sire his second Grade I winner in as many Saturdays following Cyberknife's Haskell score. He is joined by stablemate Zandon (Upstart), who completed the Derby trifecta after winning the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. in April.

GIII Ohio Derby winner Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile) and recent Churchill allowance winner Western River (Tapit) round out the field.

Country Grammer Returns in the San Diego

Country Grammar (Tonalist) makes his first start since upsetting the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 26 Saturday in Del Mar's GII San Diego H. John Velazquez ships in from Saratoga to ride for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. It is the bay's first start on American soil this year, having kicked off the season with a second in the G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 26.

Mandaloun (Into Mischief), named GI Kentucky Derby and GI Haskell S. winner last year via DQ, ships west to run in this spot rather than facing the aforementioned Life Is Good in the GI Whitney S. next weekend. He enters off a well-beaten fourth in the GII Stephen Foster S. July 2.

There Goes Harvard (Will Take Charge), the Baffert-trained Defunded (Dialed In) and Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman), who finished one-two-three in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita May 30, rematch in this event.

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