Laoban scores upsets in Jim Dandy Stakes

9:39 PM ET

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Trainer Eric Guillot, the court jester of the backstretch, had the last laugh in Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga.

Guillot won the Jim Dandy with the maiden Laoban, the longest shot on the board at 27-1, who led from start to finish under Jose Ortiz and won by 1-1/4 lengths.

Governor Malibu, the New York-bred who ran fourth in the Belmont Stakes, rallied along the inside to get second by a neck over Belmont Stakes runner-up Destin. It was 4-1/4 lengths back to Mohaymen, the 7-5 favorite who stumbled at the start. He was followed by Race Me Home and Creator, the Belmont Stakes winner who ran last throughout.

Guillot had taken shots with Laoban before, running him in five graded stakes before this, including the Preakness, where he finished sixth, 12 lengths behind Exaggerator. He did finish second in the Grade 2 Gotham at Aqueduct and third in the Grade 3 Sham at Santa Anita.

Guillot initially was going to Laoban in a maiden race here, but altered course when he was told by New York Racing Association officials the Jim Dandy was coming up a short field.

“They told me who was in there. I said, ‘All the speed is across town in the Haskell,’ ” said Guillot, who trains Laoban for Mike Moreno’s Southern Equine Stable and McCormick Racing. “I said you know what? I’m going to take a shot. He’s doing good.

“My partner and I don’t dance to elevator music,” Guillot added. “We dance to Zydeco. Who wants to run in a maiden? He’s multiple graded-stakes placed. I can break …

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