Mint Lane’s two biggest weapons, his speed and his tenacity, were put on display Sunday afternoon at Belmont Park as Pinebloom Stable’s star lead at every call and won the 91st running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Dwyer for three-year-olds at a mile and a sixteenth by two and three-quarter lengths.

It was the first Dwyer victory for trainer Jimmy Jerkens, whose father Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens, won his Dwyer four years ago with Medallist. It was a day for family celebration as the elder Jerkens ran second in the Dwyer with 33-1 Tizbig, completing a $2 exacta worth $54.

Mint Lane, who was an easy winner at this distance here on June 13 when he was able to run an opening half mile in :47 2/5, got pressure from the start from Ready’s Image, the only graded stakes winner in the field. With company in the Dwyer, Mint Lane got the first quarter of a mile in 23.55 and the half in 46.59, but that took care of Ready’s Image, who faded to last.

Tizbig who sat outside and comfortable the whole trip maintained his position. A mild rally by Pascal went for naught, an Web Gem and Halo Najib were mere afterthoughts as Mint Lane won in 1:44.29 on the fast track.

“The way he won last time, I didn’t think they were going to let him do the same thing,” said winning jockey Eibar Coa, who mount returned $3.30 as the favorite of the crowd of 5,653. “So, they were going to go after him. He’s been just good enough to hold that speed and keep going. He definitely can go longer, and I believe he is going to have a nice summer.”

The summer plans include Saratoga Race Course, which opens two weeks from Wednesday. Likely starts would be the top three-year-old races, the Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy at nine furlongs on Saturday, July 27 and the meet’s biggest race the Grade 1, $1 million Travers Stakes, presented by Shadwell Farm at a mile and a quarter on Saturday, August 23.

“By today’s standards, he is running a little more often than the average horse,” Jimmy Jerkens said. “He’s stayed fit since his last race, held his flesh well, so we ran him. We’ll take him to Saratoga. The Jim Dandy comes up a little quick. I would love to keep him here in New York. You don’t want to over-race him and take all the fun out of it for him. We will definitely consider the Travers. He galloped out real good, so maybe he can go a mile and a quarter.

As for his father, Jerkens stated matter-of-factly: “You can never count him out.”

DWYER QUOTES

Winning trainer Jimmy Jerkens of favored Mint Lane (No. 3): “By today’s standards, he is running a little more often than the average horse. He’s stayed fit since his last race, held his flesh well, so we ran him. We’ll take him to Saratoga. The Jim Dandy comes up a little quick. I would love to keep him here in New York. You don’t want to over-race him and take all the fun out of it for him. We will definitely consider the Travers. He galloped out real goo, so maybe he can go a mile and a quarter.

(on father Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens running second with 33-1 Tizbig): “You can never count him out.”

Winning jockey Eibar Coa: “The way he won last time, I didn’t think they were going to let him do the same thing. So, they were going to go after him. He’s been just good enough to hold that speed and keep going. He definitely can go longer, and I believe he is going to have a nice summer.”