SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) — It’s been a year of extreme highs and extreme lows for three-year-old colt Fierceness. A two-year-old champion and winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 2023, Fierceness was victorious in the Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in March. But just over a month later, finished 15th in the Kentucky Derby.
In his first appearance since a disappointing showing at Churchill Downs, Fierceness, jockeyed by Saratoga Race Course veteran John Velazquez, reminded the racing world just how dominant he can be, winning the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes Saturday night in convincing fashion for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Fierceness is now two-for-two in starts at Saratoga. He made his first career start there – a Maiden Special Weight race last season that he also came out on top in.
“Really happy for the horse,” said Pletcher. “He’s a very talented horse. Sometimes I think he’s a little underappreciated. Champion two-year-old, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, Florida Derby winner and now Jim Dandy winner; [this was] kind of a coming home party for him maybe.”
Pletcher also trained last year’s Dandy winner, Forte. He’s the only trainer in the race’s history to win in back-to-back seasons, and he three-peated from 2003-2005.
“It’s a race that we’ve had good fortune in over the years,” said Pletcher. “It’s kind of a favor race of ours. And we’re happy to get the job done here.”
It’s a repeat victory for Repole Stable as well, which owns both Fierceness and Forte.
“It’s Saratoga; it’s a big stake,” said Mike Repole. “My joke today was, “I haven’t won the Jim Dandy in almost 12 months.” So, it’s nice to win it back-to-back.”
Fierceness, going off at 9-to-5 odds, emerged from a stacked six-horse field that included Preakness winner Seize the Grey and 4-to-5 favorite Sierra Leone, trained by Mechanicville native Chad Brown. Sierra Leone placed second in the Derby and third in the Belmont Stakes.
“When Fierceness is on his game, there probably isn’t a more talented horse than him,” said Repole. “His numbers, his speed figures say it every time. He was a two-year-old champ for a reason, and I think he’s got a great shot to still be three-year-old champ.”
The Dandy wasn’t the only stakes race on the card, nor was it the highest graded. The Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap for three-year-olds and upward was held in Race 6.
The 1-horse, Nakatomi, going off at 7-to-2 odds, passed the even-money favorite, Skelly, around the 1/16th pole, and beat Skelly to the wire for trainer Wesley Ward – Ward’s first victory of the meet. Nakatomi was ridden to victory by jockey Tyler Gaffalione.
“We were lucky that he was fresh, and he showed speed today because of that; he’s a come-from-behind sprinter,” said Ward. “But he hadn’t raced in several months. He was up close to the pace – the track was playing speed today – and when Tyler eased him {Nakatomi} out; here he came, and everybody was all excited.”
The Vanderbilt marked the second straight victory at Saratoga for the five-year-old gelding after he took an Allowance Optional Claiming last season.
“He loves Saratoga,” said Ward. “Certain horses do, and certain horses don’t. But this horse ran a big race last year, and…ran even bigger today.
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