posted July 28, 2006 at 10:25 EST in Triple Crown Articles

This Saturday at The Spa in the $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes, Belmont Stakes winner Bernardini will make his first appearance of the summer. I like the race although there are only five challengers; I will bet this race.

Bernardini, in order to get the three-year old of the year award, will have to win the Jim Dandy and then the one million dollar Travers Stakes later this meet at Saratoga and then make a good showing in the Breeders' Cup in November at Churchill Downs.

Otherwise Barbaro should win it.

In the Jim Dandy, the field will include Oh So Awesome, the horse I liked in the Belmont who came over from France in May and loves this distance of 1 1/8th miles, Sunriver, who made a stretch run in the Belmont but flattened out the last 1/16th of a mile, Hemmingway’s Key who ran 6th in the Belmont. They will all take another shot at some big $$$$.

But the danger for Bernardini is the John Ward entry of Dr. Pleasure and Minister’s Bid. Minister’s Bid has been burning up the Saratoga track with his morning workouts. I’m not a big workout player, but when you look at the form of this horse you have to say he is the horse to beat, and his stable mate Dr. Pleasure is no slouch either.

Both are on the improve and Edgar Prado will ride Minister’s Bid. This colt is a monster. He broke his maiden at Keeneland in April when he won by 8. Then he went in a NW of 2 at Belmont and won for fun, now he gets his chance at the “graveyard of favorites”.

So I’m on him rain or shine. He has been a bit unruly at post time but his talent will make up for his behavior, and Prado will do the rest. So I’ll take the entry.

FURLONGS:
-Pat Valenzuela, he of the several drug suspensions, will miss the entire Del Mar meet…He needs back surgery and will return for the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meet.

-I told you about young jockey Martin Garcia, I said he would be hot at Del Mar. Well Friday he had his first hat trick, winning three races including the CTBA Stakes with C’est Mark and taking down a $150,000 purse.

-Ever hear of Scat Daddy or Teuflesberg? No? Well they finished 1-2 in the Sanford Stakes at the Spa, that’s the first big race for two-year olds, which means they may be in next year's Triple Crown events. Scat Daddy is a Todd Pletcher horse ridden by who else- JR Velazquez. He caught Teuflesberg at the wire in the 6 furlong sprint.

-For a free horse pick every Thursday email me at the address below.

HORSES TO WATCH:

-Hostile Takeover… a maiden who had a ton of horse but was blocked in the stretch last time out at Saratoga.

-Julie’s Fast Cat… a cheap claimer at Ellis Park who has been freshened up and will be trouble.

Pete Cataldo can be heard every Wednesday at www.BetUSradio.com at 3pm EST. You can reach Pete via email at jrclemente@hotmail.com.