Florida-bred Macho Again Wins the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga

BY BROCK SHERIDAN

2008-After finishing fifth in Da’ Tara’s Belmont Stakes (Grade 1), Florida-bred Macho Again rebounded with the biggest victory of his 3-year-old year in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga.

It was not a smooth beginning in the mile-and-an-eighth Jim Dandy for the gray or roan son of Macho Uno, who lunged at the start of the $500,000 contest with jockey Julien Leparoux aboard.

However, Leparoux was able to guide Macho Again into a stalking position in the third on the outside around the clubhouse turn as Da’ Tara and jockey Alan Garcia led through a half-mile in :23.51.

Longshot Mint Lane took over down the backstretch and led around the far turn as Da’  Tara began to give way. Tale of Ekati moved into third from a length-and-a-half back followed by Tiz Now Tiz Then and Macho Again.

Leparoux sent Macho Again at the leaders around the far turn but had to wait for running room at the top of the stretch as Tiz Now Tiz Then rallied from sixth to get the lead in the lane. But Macho Again got clear and was able to run down Tiz Now Tiz Then inside the final furlong to win by a half-length over late-running favorite Pyro in second. Tiz Now Tiz Then was third.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and trained by Dallas Stewart, Macho Again paid $18.40 to win.

Bred in Florida by Milan Kosanovich, Macho Again was out of Go Donna Go, by Wild Again and would finish the year with an eighth in the Grade 1 Travers, second in the Grade 2 Super Derby and sixth in the Woodchopper at Fair Grounds.

He would go on to win the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap and Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs in 2009 before retiring in 2010 with six wins and six seconds in 24 starts with earnings of $1,825,767.

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