Saratoga Picks for Jim Dandy Stakes Day, 8/1/2026

Key Takeaways:

• Jim Dandy Day features a loaded Saratoga card of upcoming races, highlighted by the Jim Dandy alongside the Saratoga Special and Lake George.
• Dry weather is expected, but bettors should still monitor scratches since late changes can reshape pace and betting value.
• How's Al Today & Booked: How's Al Today should benefit from a contested pace, while Booked's tactical versatility keeps him a major threat.
• Iron Dome & Pagode: Iron Dome gets back to his preferred distance, and Pagode could improve in his second start off the layoff for a new barn.
• Ultimate Love & Deep Learning: Ultimate Love gets class relief and a favorable pace setup, while Deep Learning returns fresh with proven course form and Chad Brown's strong layoff record.

The card Saturday, August 1 at Saratoga features the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes: a $500,000 race that always draws top three-year-olds, as the premier local prep for the Travers Stakes. This year’s edition is no different – the race features Belmont runner-up Commandment, Kentucky Derby runner-up Renegade, and Preakness Stakes third-place finisher Chip Honcho, all fighting for the right to be Golden Tempo’s leading foe in the Travers.

However, that’s not the only action happening at the Spa on Saturday. The card also features two other graded-stakes races: the Saratoga Special (G2) for two-year-olds on the dirt as well as the Lake George (G3) for sophomore turf fillies. With big fields and classy groups all day long in maiden and allowance company as well, make sure to tune in all day and bet the races with FanDuel! First post is at 12:30 p.m. EDT, and there are 12 races on the card.

Also, don’t forget to check the weather and the scratches before placing your bets. Though Saturday is supposed to be a dry day with warm but not overwhelmingly hot temperatures, weather can always change closer to the time, and scratches can happen for any reason. So, make sure to check whether any changes will affect the class and pace balances of the race – after all, an informed bettor is far more likely to be a winner as well.

Horse Racing: Saratoga Race Course Free Picks

These are three best bets on Saturday’s card at Saratoga:

Race 6 - Saratoga Special (G2), 6 ½ furlongs on the dirt - How’s AI Today, Booked

FanDuel odds: 6-1 and 7-5

Bet now at FanDuel

The Saratoga Special this year drew a field of six horses – all of them have broken their maidens, though only Sanford (G3) winner booked is a two-time winner so far. He and Flight Command, a son of buzz sire Flightline who won first out in June at Aqueduct, are likely to vie for favoritism.

Several horses in this field are likely to vie on the pace. That’s good news for How’s Al Today (6-1), a Riley Mott trainee coming out of a debut maiden win at Churchill Downs where he came from midpack in a big field to win by 1 ½ lengths. He gets an entire extra furlong here – stretching from 5 ½ to 6 ½ – but this colt is by Munnings, as good a sire as there is for extended one-turn races. He has gotten some time to settle in at Saratoga since; he has had five drills since his debut win, including four at Saratoga. The rail would often be a question for a lightly-raced juvenile – but How’s Al Today handled the rail on debut in a field almost twice this size, allaying those concerns significantly.

Booked (7-5) led at every call in the Sanford, and has enough speed to be forward again in this. But, with several horses in this field who aren’t proven anywhere but the front end, it’s a significant positive that Booked broke his maiden June 7 at Saratoga in stalk-and-pounce fashion. Both his wins have come with Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the irons; Santana returns for this and should be able to take advantage of this tactical speed and make him a contender again.

Race 7 - Allowance, non-winners of one race other than maiden, claiming, starter, or state-bred allowance, 1 ⅛ miles on the dirt - Iron Dome, Pagode

FanDuel odds: 7-2 and 5-1

Bet now at FanDuel

Iron Dome (7-2) has been second at this level in his last two starts, but those have both been at the flat mile. Now he stretches back out to 1 ⅛ miles – the distance at which he broke his maiden and emphatically cleared his first two New York-bred conditions last summer at the Spa. He has tactical speed, something jockey Luis Saez should be able to take good advantage of, for trainer Steve Asmussen, who has gotten a red-hot start to the Saratoga summer meet. With any move forward second off the lay – likely, given the step up in trip – Iron Dome should be a factor from start to finish, and the four-year-old should go off at a fair price with money likely to fall on rail-drawn sophomore Sassmaster.

Another four-year-old who could show a maturity advantage here is Pagode (5-1). It’s a bit of a concern that he won on debut but has then been second in five of his last seven starts, but this is only his second start of this year and his first start since moving to the barn of Joe Sharp, a barn move that could help give him a reboot. It’s also nice to see high-percentage rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. take the call. He should be nice and fit after stretching out to 1 3/16 miles for his first start off the bench, and should be able to get a good trip from a few lengths off the pace, without too much to do in the lane. He’ll be a square middle price, and if he’s going to figure it out and become a winner at this level, this looks like the time and place for that to happen.

Race 9 - Lake George (G2), 1 1/16 miles on the turf - Ultimate Love, Deep Learning

FanDuel odds: 10-1 and 7-2

Bet now at FanDuel

The Lake George drew an interesting and competitively matched mix of sophomore grass fillies, including both horses with known graded-stakes form as well as horses who are trying to become breakout stars in the second half of the year.

Ultimate Love (10-1) did not have her day in the Belmont Oaks (G1) last out, as she was wide both turns and came up empty in the lane. Now she cuts back to a distance at which she won last year in her only try so far, and also gets a much-needed drop in class. Two back, in her seasonal debut in the Hilltop at Laurel, she made a sharp late run and just missed at a mile. With several runners in this field who can show pace, Ultimate Love stands to get a solid trip from a couple of lengths off the pace – and she’ll fly under the radar for trainer Michael Trombetta, who can oblige at a price in graded-stakes races.

Deep Learning (7-2) makes the first start of her three-year-old season. She has been working regularly since the beginning of June, however, for trainer Chad Brown – who wins almost a quarter of the time with horses fresh off a layoff of three months or longer. That’s reason to trust her readiness, as is the fact that jockey Flavien Prat, her regular rider last year, keeps the faith. She is already a winner over this course and distance. She reliably rallies from a tracking or midpack spot, and she should be ready to take advantage of a race with plenty of early speed in front of her.

Looking for more horse racing betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Racing to see all of today’s horse racing odds.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!