A Little Warm (John Velazquez, near) wins the Jim Dandy at Saratoga

  PICTURE: EquiSport Photos/Jessie Holmes  

Steinbeck only sixth in US behind A Little Warm

Report: USA, Saturday

Saratoga: Jim Dandy Stakes (Grade 2) 1m1f, dirt, 3yo

IRISH visitor Steinbeck was never a factor in the Jim Dandy Stakes, which was won by 4-1 shot A Little Warm (Tony Dutrow/John Velazquez) after a stirring battle down the Saratoga stretch with Miner's Reserve.

Ridden by Garrett Gomez, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Steinbeck ran for the first time with the anti-bleeding medication Lasix - a notable divergence from Ballydoyle policy at last year's Breeders' Cup.

Carrying the Michael Tabor silks, the son of Footstepsinthesand broke slowly and raced towards the rear of the eight-runner field alongside favoured Fly Down before a laboured, and short-lived, effort after turning for home. He finished sixth, one place behind Fly Down.

The Jim Dandy is the main Saratoga trial for the $1 million Travers Stakes, the meeting's signature race on August 28, and the $500,000 event was dominated by those who raced close to the pace.

Louisiana Derby runner-up A Little Warm tracked front-running Miner's Reserve until joining issue as they turned into the straight.

He then gamely forced his head in front to land his first graded-stakes win by a length and a quarter, with Afleet Express doing best of those from off the pace in third.

The final time for the 1m1f on dirt was 1m47.98s, and winning trainer Tony Dutrow is now thinking of the Travers.

"If he comes out of this race great, count us in," said Dutrow. "I felt strongly he was going to run a terrific race, but I didn't know if he was going to be good enough to win."

Since 1964, eight Jim Dandy winners have gone on to win the ‘midsummer derby', most recently Flower Alley (2005), Bernardini (2006) and Street Sense (2007).

Also on Saturday

Saratoga: Diana Stakes (Grade 1) 1m1f, turf, 3yo+ f/m

The former Andre Fabre-trained Proviso (Bill Mott/Mike Smith) completed a Grade 1 hat-trick since being transferred to the States in a blanket finish for this $500,000 event.

Sent off 2-1 second favourite, Juddmonte's tenacious daughter of Dansili just got up by a head from 11-1 shot Shared Account with 9-5 favourite Forever Together a nose back in third.

Bill Mott said: "We've won three Grade 1s this year, so I suppose the heat is off. Hopefully the rest is just fun and gravy."

Forever Together, out to complete a hat-trick in the Diana, looked to have every chance to make her trademark dart for the line after finding a gap in the stretch but fell just short. She has now been defeated six times on the bounce.

Del Mar: San Diego Hcap (Grade 2) 1m½f, AW

Dakota Phone edges out Battle Of Hastings at a packed Del Mar

  PICTURE: EquiSport Photos/Alex Evers  

Dakota Phone (Jerry Hollendorfer/Joel Rosario), without a win in 16 races since November 2008, landed the main trial for the $1 million Pacific Classic with a come-from-behind effort.

The five-year-old outfinished 3-1 favourite Battle Of Hastings to score by a half-length.

Thistledown: Ohio Derby (Grade 3) 1m1f, dirt, 3yo

Pleasant Prince (Wesley Ward/Alex Solis), who lost the Grade 1 Florida Derby by a nose, edged out Worldly by the same margin to take this $100,000 event by the same margin.