Saratoga Racing Tips: Early Voting to confirm Preakness form in Jim Dandy

Saratoga 22:37: Early Voting 1pt win at 2/1 or better

We may only have a field of five for the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga but it's a fascinating contest nonetheless, with the first two from the Preakness, Early Voting and Epicenter clashing again, while the Kentucky Derby third Zandon is also in the line-up.

Epicenter is likely to go off favourite based on his fine runner-up finish in the Churchill Downs showpiece, and he was arguably a bit unlucky when giving best to Early Voting in the Preakness last time.

However, I think it would be wrong to underestimate Early Voting on the back of that Preakness win, even if a lot of the focus was on Epicenter's poor trip.

That was only Early Voting's fourth career start so he clearly has plenty of room for more progression and is the sort of horse who has the tactical speed to make his own trip.

I'm expecting Epicenter to be much closer to the lead this time, indeed he could even take them along, although Early Voting won't be too far away, and I'm hopeful Chad Brown's son of Gun Runner can confirm the form.

Gun Runner hasn't been around too long as a sire but his progeny seem to improve with time and distance and Early Voting is very much in the mould of his sire.

Chad Brown also fields Zandon, who's chance is probably dependent on Early Voting and Epicenter pushing each other too hard up front, something that seems unlikely, though he'll be finishing best of all.