Legend Remains on Target for Jim Dandy

William Clifton's Legend, runner-up in the $150,000 Easy Goer on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 7, remains on target for the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga on July 26.

The bay son of Tiznow breezed five furlongs over the Oklahoma training track in 1:02.44 this morning under jockey Luis Saez, who has also been aboard for each of Legend's five career starts.

"I thought he worked good, knock on wood," said trainer Jim Bond. "I just wanted a good five-eighths. He's a really nice horse."

Bond targeted the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy following Legend's effort as the favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Easy Goer, where he came four wide down the stretch but couldn't catch Kid Cruz, who won by 3 ¼ lengths and went on to take the Grade 3 Dwyer on July 5.

"Bottom line, we had the overland route and he had the inside," Bond said. "I think [Kid Cruz] is a little more seasoned individual, but maybe we'll get the inside this time and he'll have to go around. Who knows?"

Legend was unraced at 2 and winless in three starts at Gulfstream Park during the winter, breaking his maiden beating older horses at Belmont Park going a mile on May 4.

Today's work was the sixth since mid-May for Legend, all of them coming at Saratoga.

"[The Jim Dandy] was a definite, as long as he came back good and was training good," Bond said. "He's had to ship for every other race and he gets to stay here now. It's nice for me, I know that."