By Brian DiDonato
Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) slammed the door on second choice Reinvestment Risk (Upstart) and spurted clear in Saturday's GI Champagne S. at Belmont to increase his perfect record to four-for-four. The race was a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile for which the Steve Asmussen pupil figures to go favored. A debut winner from next-out 'TDN Rising Star' Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}) at Churchill June 19, he defeated the same foe in the GII Saratoga Special S. Aug. 7. The bay saw out an additional furlong with no trouble when handling Reinvestment Risk by 2 1/4 lengths in the seven-panel GI Runhappy Hopeful S. back at the Spa Sept. 7, and was further flattered when third finisher and 'Rising Star' Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief)–10 lengths behind Reinvestment Risk that day–came back to crush in Keeneland's GII Bourbon S. on the grass last Sunday.
Jackie's Warrior was off at 4-5 to Reinvestment Risk's even-money as some bettors likely saw the one-mile trip as a potential equalizer. Nudged along to make the running by Joel Rosario, the chalk enjoyed an easy lead as Reinvestment Risk drafted behind him through splits of :23.12 and :46.54. The latter came under a busy ride to range up and challenge Jackie's Warrior heading for home, with Jackie's Warrior taking the turn a bit wide and forcing his foe further out into the track. Reinvestment Risk struggled with his leads in upper stretch as Jackie's Warrior continued to cruise along, and it took just a couple taps from Rosario for Jackie's Warrior to find another gear and quickly open back up before cruising under the line a geared-down 5 1/2 lengths clear.
“He's a beautiful horse; a big horse, and it looks like everything he does is easy for him,” Rosario said. “I was very confident that he could get the mile. I felt confident the whole way. He just enjoyed what he was doing.”
Rosario said he didn't think the two-turn, 1 1/16-mile distance of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile would be beyond Jackie's Warrior's scope.
“I tried to get him away from there quickly and get position,” he continued, “I think the further he goes the better. He seemed to do it very easy today and I was very confident in him.”
Asmussen's assistant trainer Toby Sheets said: “He had an easy half-mile (4f, :50.54, 60/90) and I'm surprised he came home that quick. He's very impressive. He's a class act and does everything correct. The one-turn mile certainly didn't seem to bother him.”
Saturday, Belmont Park
CHAMPAGNE S.-GI, $250,000, Belmont, 10-10, 2yo, 1m, 1:35.42, ft.
1–JACKIE'S WARRIOR, 122, c, 2, by Maclean's Music
1st Dam: Unicorn Girl, by A. P. Five Hundred
2nd Dam: Horah for Bailey, by Doneraile Court
3rd Dam: Horah for the Lady, by Rahy
($95,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-J Kirk & Judy Robison; B-J & J Stables (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $402,564. Werk Nick Rating: A++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Reinvestment Risk, 122, c, 2, Upstart–Ridingwiththedevil, by Candy Ride (Arg). ($140,000 Ylg '19 FTKJUL; $280,000 2yo '20 OBSMAR). O-Klaravich Stables Inc; B-Aschinger Bloodstock Holdings, LLC (KY); T-Chad C Brown. $50,000.
3–Midnight Bourbon, 122, c, 2, Tiznow–Catch the Moon, by Malibu Moon. ($525,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen. $30,000.
Margins: 5HF, 8 3/4, 10 1/4. Odds: 0.85, 1.15, 7.10.
Also Ran: Civil War, Run Casper Run, Ambivalent.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Pedigree Notes:
Jackie's Warrior becomes the second son of Maclean's Music in the last three years to win the Champagne–Complexity, who annexed last Saturday's GII Kelso H. over the same track and trip, scored here two years ago. Asmussen trained Maclean's Music for his only start–a jaw-dropping romp at Santa Anita in 2011 that earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure. The Hill 'n' Dale resident has produced three highest-level winners, with 2017 GI Preakness S. hero Cloud Computing his third. Cloud Computing is out of mare by A. P. Indy, the sire of Jackie's Warrior's broodmare sire A. P. Five Hundred.
Jackie's Warrior is the lone graded winner out of an A. P. Five Hundred mare and one of just two stakes winners. His hard-knocking dam was claimed six times during her 54-race career, and was taken back for $16,000 out of her final (and winning) start by Carlo Vaccarezza and a partner (click for more).
Unicorn Girl is out of SW Horah for Bailey (Doneraile Court) and a half to three Florida stakes performers including near $700,000 earner Bernie the Maestro. She produced a Candy Ride (Arg) filly in 2019 and an American Pharoah colt Mar. 8 before being bred back to Into Mischief.
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