July 29, 2019

Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

by Will Levith

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Eventual Jim Dandy winner Tax in the Paddock. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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The field breaks from the gate. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Tax breaks away from the pack early. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Tax with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Irad Ortiz, Jr. looks for foes early on. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Tax is joined by War of Will. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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The field enters the Clubhouse turn. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Tax and Tacitus continue to duel it out in mid-stretch, passing War of Will. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard Tax looks to his left as brother José Ortiz guides Tacitus along the rail. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Tax defeats Tacitus in The Jim Dandy. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Irad Ortiz, Jr. is all smiles in the Winner's Circle. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Irad Ortiz, Jr. salutes the cheering crowd. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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Saratoga Race Course 2019: Scenes From The Grade 2 Jim Dandy

The popular stakes race, named for the historic longshot, saw Tax take the win.

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Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the Winner's Circle. (Billy Francis LeRoux)

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We’re deep into July, which means some of the more primo stakes races are running on the weekends. This weekend featured a number of them, including the Grade 1 Vanderbilt, Grade 2 Bowling Green and Grade 2 Jim Dandy on Saturday and the Grade 2 Amsterdam on Sunday. saratoga living‘s Billy Francis LeRoux was onsite Saturday for the running of the popular Jim Dandy, named for the eponymous Travers longshot-winner in 1930.

This year’s throwdown saw Tax, who placed in the 2019 Belmont Stakes, nip Tacitus—our experts’ early pick for a W at the Travers—by three-quarters of a length to ride to victory.

For more photographic coverage of Saratoga Race Course’s 2019 summer meet by Billy Francis LeRoux, click here.

Will Levith

Will Levith is Editorial Director at Saratoga Living and Capital Region Living magazine. He's a native Saratogian and graduate of Saratoga Springs High School. His work has been published by Esquire, Playboy, Condé Nast Traveler, Men's Health, RealClearLife and many others. He lives in Troy with his wife, Laura, and dog, Esopus.