Tom Pedulla offers takeaways from the $500,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun and the $350,000, Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga, the $400,000, Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar and other major developments this weekend. The Bing Crosby offers an automatic, fees-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

WIN ONE, LOSE ONE: Fierceness, last year’s champion 2-year-old male, continued the win-one, lose-one pattern that has marked his oft-brilliant, oft-disappointing career when he prevailed by one length against Sierra Leone in the Jim Dandy. It was his first start since a dismal 15^th-place effort in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. How to change that exasperating form? The answer may be rest – lots and lots of rest. Owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher are not necessarily keen to go on to the Aug. 24 DraftKings Travers Stakes for that reason. “We kind of talked about this horse seems to do better with a little bit of extra time in between races, so we won’t make any decisions right away,” Pletcher said.

Nakatomi and Gaffalione. (Eclipse Sportswire)

OFF LAYOFF: Nakatomi, competing for the first time since he ran third in the March 30 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan Racecourse, showed no ill effects from the layoff as he upset Skelly in the Vanderbilt with Tyler Gaffalione aboard. The Firing Line gelding won for the sixth time in 18 career starts. “He’s really coming into his own. He’s a lightly-raced 5-year-old,” said trainer Wesley Ward. “We only run him a few times a year. I try to give my horses winters off and this guy is a really special horse to be around.” Nakatomi will likely use the Grade 2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes Nov. 4 at Keeneland as a steppingstone to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

BACK-TO-BACK: The Chosen Vron, a 6-year-old California-bred Vronsky gelding, may be getting better with age. He boasts six consecutive victories and successfully defended his title in the Bing Crosby as part of a torrid stretch in which he has won 14 of his last 15 starts. He took the Bing Crosby by a head last year; the margin was a comfortable 2 ¼ lengths this time for jockey Hector Berrios. “He got out and had him in the thick of it,” noted trainer Eric Kruljac of the latest triumph. “When it was time to move his hands, the rest is history. The other horses tried to keep up with him. He just wouldn’t let them. It’s one of his best races.”

Ken McPeek (Anne M. Eberhardt/BloodHorse)

BATTLING THE BOYS: Risk-taking trainer Ken McPeek is at it again, announcing Saturday that he will have 3-year-old filly sensation Thorpedo Anna take on the boys in the Travers. Fillies have won the famed “Mid-summer Derby” only four times but not at all since Lady Rotha in 1915. Wonder Gadot, the most recent to attempt it, finished 10^th and last in 2018. Trainer Todd Pletcher applauded McPeek’s historic bid. “The filly has been very, very impressive,” Pletcher said. “She must be respected in the Travers and could very well be the favorite.” McPeek is urging fans to wear pink to the Travers to show support for a filly that has swept all four starts in her division by a combined 18 ¾ lengths this season.

FINAL TUNEUP: Skippylongstocking, who re-rallied to be third in the June 29 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs in his most recent effort, put in his final work for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga. He drilled four furlongs in 49.97 seconds over Saratoga’s fast main track Saturday in company with Ramesses, a maiden. “It was a good breeze,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “We had him sit off his workmate a little bit and just come up inside him and finish up together. We let him go out a little bit on his own and we got that, just a chance to let him build his confidence and let him blow some air.” The 5-year-old son of Exaggerator will take a 24-8-2-5 record into the prestigious Whitney with earnings of more than $2.3 million.