Destin Remains On Track for Jim Dandy

Twin Creeks Racing Stables and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Destin, who fell a nose short of winning the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (gr. I), remains on target for the July 30 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Todd Pletcher told New York Racing Association media officials July 24 the 3-year-old Giant's Causeway colt came out of a July 22 workout in good order. Destin, who won the Sam F. Davis Stakes (gr. III) and Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) before an even sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), worked five furlongs in 1:00.87 on a fast main track at Saratoga.

The 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy is the local prep for the Aug. 27 Travers Stakes (gr. I).

"He's doing excellent," Pletcher said of Destin. "I thought he worked very well and came out of it good, and if everybody stays on board for what they're supposed to be doing, I believe we're just going to stay here and run in the Jim Dandy."

Other 3-year-old stakes that weekend are the $100,000 Curlin at Saratoga July 29 and the Betfair.com Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park July 31.

Meanwhile, Stradivari, who was injured while working in company with Destin, remains stable at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Pletcher, who trained Stradivari for breeder John Gunther, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Susan Magnier, said the Medaglia d'Oro colt is expected to have surgery July 26 provided "everything goes well over the next 48 hours."

Stradivari, fourth in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and fifth in the Belmont Stakes, sustained a lateral condylar fracture and axial sesamoid fracture in his right front leg and won't race again.