THE Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty begins his late summer quest to seal the champion three-year-old male and possible Horse of the Year titles in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga tonight.

The son of Into Mischief faces four good quality rivals as he bids to follow up his chief rival for top honours, Journalism, who won the Haskell last week, and as he preps for a bigger test in the August 23rd Travers Stakes.

Trainer Bill Mott reported his colt as doing very well this week: “He’s a little more relaxed going into this one especially with his works.”

The Jim Dandy has several familiar rivals from the Triple Crown races, topped by Baeza, who was third in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, and Sandman, who was third in the Preakness.

Baeza has just one win in six career starts but has placed in three Grade 1s. Second to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby, the son of McKinzie will get a chance to improve his status but his Belmont run wasn’t a huge step up from the Derby.

“I didn’t think he ran his best race in the Belmont. Talking to (jockey Flavien Prat) after the race, he said it took him a long time to engage down the backside. I think he can run better than that,” trainer John Shirreffs was quoted by Blood-Horse this week.

Sandman was fancied for the Derby, following his Grade 1 Arkansas Derby win, and finished seventh but has not raced since he finished two and three-quarter lengths behind Journalism in the Preakness in late May.

Trainer Mark Casse had been planning to return with the son of Tapit in this race and runs with blinkers for the first time which could keep him closer to the pace. He could take a step up.

Amo Racing USA’s former Irish-raced Hill Road was fifth in the Belmont Stakes, is another late closer.

Trainer Chad Brown said this week about the son of Quality Road. “He’s going to be at the mercy of the pace and how the track is playing on these big days, which is usually not good for closers.”

The speed in the race comes from Mo Plex who won the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on his last start and has never finished worse than third in eight career starts.

SELECTION: Sovereignty

Next best: Sandman

Del Mar

The other big contest tonight is the Del Mar Grade 1 in the six-furlong Bing Crosby Stakes with a field of nine headed by the top two from the June 28th Kelly’s Landing at Santa Anita, Roll On Big Joe and Dr. Venkman.

Dr Venkman has the best record at Del Mar, winning three of four races there.

With a good record in the race, Bob Baffert’s Hejazi is also in the mix, with a second placing the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes early last year.

Also on the card, Baffert’s talented four-year-old Nysos lines up in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap. With four wins from five outings and a narrow second in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes, he could still have a big say in the Grade 1s over the late season.