It is typical for stakes races to bear the names of outstanding or exceptionally noteworthy accomplishments that horses perform. All around the country, there are races named for legendary horses like Man o' War, Secretariat, Kelso, and Cigar. Stakes races are also held to honor more recent greats like Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra, and Wise Dan.

The Jim Dandy Stakes, an essential lead-up to the famed Travers Stakes later in the Saratoga meet, is held each summer at Saratoga Race Course in New York.

Since 1930, Travers was where an unassuming 3-year-old chestnut colt pulled off one of the most incredible upsets in horse racing history to ensure that his name would never be forgotten. It is only suitable that the Jim Dandy Stakes serve as a lead-up to the Travers.

Jim Dandy was, of course, his name. Jim Gaffney was the 1907 Hopeful Stakes champion and a productive stallion who had already produced the 1923 Preakness Stakes victor Vigil. Thunderbird, a daughter of the highly successful stallion Star Shoot, served as Jim Dandy's dam (mother). Further back in Jim Dandy's genealogy, there were names of numerous other well-known horses, such as Bend Or, the winner of the Epsom Derby, and Isinglass, the winner of the English Triple Crown.

Despite his distinguished ancestry, Jim Dandy was rather unaccomplished in 1929, his first year of racing. He competed nine times but only claimed two victories, one of which was a 50-1 shock win in the Grand Union Hotel Stakes on a sloppy track Jim Dandy appeared to enjoy winning. But after that race, Jim Dandy dropped his next four chances, and 1930 wasn't any better because he started the year with 10 straight defeats in the low-level competition.

This starkly contrasted with the top 3-year-old Gallant Fox of the 1930s. This seemingly unstoppable horse had won the Wood Memorial in his season debut before winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes to capture the Triple Crown.

Gallant Fox showed no signs of slowing down as he easily won the Dwyer Stakes by 1 12 lengths, earning the notation "loafed" in his Daily Racing Form past performances. Two weeks later, he triumphed in the wealthy Arlington Classic, worth more than any of the Triple Crown contests, by a neck following a protracted stretch battle.

Like American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown in 2015, Gallant Fox was a rising star making history with each race as he traveled to Saratoga for the renowned Travers Stakes on August 16. Few people thought Gallant Fox could be defeated.

Only one of his rivals in the Travers, the best 2-year-old of 1929 and a three-time Saratoga winner, was considered to have a chance to surprise the field.

This optimism was reflected in the odds. The oddsmakers set Gallant Fox as the overwhelming favorite at 1-2, Which one as the runner-up at 8-5, and Sun Falcon as the third pick at 30-1. Mr. Dandy? Nobody gave him hope, and his odds were astounding 100-1.

But afterward, two things came together to alter the race's complexion drastically. First, the track turned into a muddy, soggy mess officially termed "heavy," which was worse than Gallant Fox was accustomed to seeing.

Second, when the race started and the horses were sent off, which showed more excellent early pace than in the past and fought Gallant Fox in a fierce duel for the lead?

A speed duel started up out of nowhere.

Which one's jockey, Sonny Workman, decided to let Which one take numerous pathways off the rail throughout the race because he thought the outside portion of the track might be faster than the rail. Both colts lost a significant amount of ground while posting quick fractions of 25 flat, 49 2/5, and 1:13 3/5 for Gallant Fox, who was drawn outside of Which one and forced to run even wider.

Jim Dandy, in the third position and several lengths behind them, gripped the rail while splashing joyfully through the muddy terrain he liked.

There was a startling flurry of movement along the rail as the race continued, and Gallant Fox and Which one engaged in a fierce duel for the lead. A longshot was rallying quickly on the inside as the leaders grew weary from their strenuous efforts. The unimaginable, the unlikely, and the unbelievable all occurred in front of the 30,000 spectators as they turned to head home, with Gallant Fox and Which one on the far side.

The Triple Crown victor and unstoppable champion Gallant Fox had fallen behind. Jim Dandy, a chestnut blur, was the new leader.

Jim Dandy decided to make his performance as memorable as possible rather than pull off one of the biggest upsets in history. He jumped away from Gallant Fox with ease, quickly building his lead to two, three, five, six, and eight lengths as he crossed the finish line alone. The final time for 1 1/4 miles was a very slow 2:08 flat, highlighting how slow and muddy the track was.

Gallant Fox's defeat in the Travers would be his only setback all season; nevertheless, he quickly bounced back to triumph in the Saratoga Cup, Lawrence Realization, and Jockey Club Gold Cup on his way to retiring a record salary of $328,165.

Yes, Jim Dandy and Gallant Fox couldn't have been compared during most of their careers. But Jim Dandy was the one to claim victory and, in his unique manner, immortality on a hot June day at Saratoga.