Bernardini returns in Jim Dandy Stakes

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Saratoga Springs, NY (Sports Network) - Preakness Stakes winner Bernardini tops a small field of six for Saturday's $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The 1 1/8 mile race is a prep for the $1 million Travers Stakes on Saturday, August 26.

The Jim Dandy will just be Bernardini's fifth career start, and the first since capturing the Preakness at Pimlico on Saturday, May 20. Owned by Darley Stable and trained by Tom Albertrani, the three-year-old is undefeated since debuting with a fourth place finish. Bernardini has earnings of $710,480 in his four career starts, all this year. In addition to the Preakness, he won the Withers Stakes prepping for the Baltimore race.

Bernardini will start from post 3 on Saturday with Javier Castellano making his third straight ride on the colt.

Sunriver, winner of the Peter Pan Stakes, will break from the inside post with John Velazquez back in the saddle. Velazquez was aboard the colt in five of Sunriver's first six starts. Sunriver will be making his first start since a third place finish to Jazil in the Belmont Stakes.

Sunriver is owned by Aaron and Marie Jones and trained by Todd Pletcher. The three-year-old has three wins in eight career starts for $391,400. He was third in the Florida Derby to Barbaro.

John Oxley has entered both Dr. Pleasure and Minister's Bid in the Jim Dandy. The pair will be coupled as an entry. John Ward trains both colts with Garrett Gomez riding Dr. Pleasure from post 3 and Minister's Bid breaking from the outside post with jockey Edgar Prado.

Starting from post 2 will Oh So Awesome with Kent Desormeaux set to ride. In his last start, Oh So Awesome was fifth to Jazil in the Belmont Stakes. He is owned by Team Valor and trained by Jimmy Jerkens.

Completing the field is George Steinbrenner's Hemingway's Key. The colt won the Holy Bull Stakes in his first start of 2006. He hasn't won since. Trained by Nick Zito, Hemingway's Key will start from post 5 with jockey Julien Leparoux.

Hemingway's Key is coming off a sixth place finish in the Belmont Stakes after a third in the Preakness. He did not run in the Kentucky Derby. Jeremy Rose had the mounts in the colt's last two starts.

The Jim Dandy Stakes will be race 9 on Saturday at Saratoga with a post-time of 5:46 p.m. (ET). It will be broadcast live on ESPN.