J Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music), breathtaking winner of the Aug. 7 GII Saratoga Special S., added another superlative to his resume with a jaw-dropping victory in the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. at Saratoga Monday. Sent off at 9-5, the bay colt was away sharply and almost immediately had a two-length advantage on the field through an opening quarter in :22.56. Pepetu (Dialed In) and even-money favorite Reinvestment Risk (Upstart) were his closest pursuers, but as that duo tried to inch closer, Jackie's Warrior spurted further clear, covering his next two furlongs in :22.27 for a half up in :44.83. Reinvestment Risk was the only one in with a chance in upper stretch, but Jackie's Warrior easily shrugged off that foe, getting his next quarter in :23.50 for three-quarters in 1:08.33, before sailing under the wire geared down under a motionless Joel Rosario. He completed the seven furlongs in a stakes-record 1:21.29, bettering the previous mark set by Came Home in 2001 by 0.65 second.
“He broke really fast and I was two lengths in front right away,” Rosario said. “He's a fast horse. He was able to carry his speed the whole way around. I tried to get off the rail a little bit and it felt like he was comfortable with that. It's unbelievable the way he ran last time and he was probably better today. He's a big horse and it looks like he can go longer, too.”
Irad Ortiz, Jr. was aboard runner-up Reinvestment Risk, who was making his second start following a 'TDN Rising Star' worthy 7 3/4-length debut win at Saratoga Aug. 1.
“My trip was perfect,” Ortiz said. “He went a little fast, but he kept going. He just got beat by a really nice horse. My horse was only making his second start, so he will improve.”
Jackie's Warrior was a first-out winner going five furlongs at Churchill Downs, besting subsequent 'TDN Rising Star' Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}) by 2 1/2 lengths June 19. He had three lengths on that foe while scoring a front-running victory in the Aug. 7 GII Saratoga Special S. last time out, completing that six-furlong race in 1:09.62.
“He's a very athletic colt that gets over the ground extremely well,” Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, said of the $95,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase. “Steve picked him out for Mr. Robison and it's been a good partnership over the years. We're extremely happy to have him. He just continues to improve. He gets stronger in his works. He does things effortlessly. I'd expect he'd go on to the [Oct. 10 GI] Champagne S. [at Belmont Park] and the Breeders' Cup from there. But, one race at a time. We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves.”
Pedigree Notes:
Jackie's Warrior is one of four graded stakes winners for Maclean's Music, who is also the sire of 2017 GI Preakness S. winner Cloud Computing and 2018 GI Champagne S. winner Complexity. This year, the sire has been represented by GII Best Pal S. third-place finisher Sonic Brees, as well as stakes winner Share the Upside and graded placed Bay Muzik.
John Williams's J & J Stable claimed Unicorn Girl for $16,000 out of her 54th and final career start at Monmouth Park in July 2013. The 15-year-old mare has a yearling filly by Candy Ride (Arg) and produced a colt by American Pharoah this year. She was bred back to Into Mischief. Her 3-year-old King Theo (More Than Ready), who races for J & J Stable, was fifth in Saturday's GII American Turf S. at Churchill Downs.
Monday, Saratoga
RUNHAPPY HOPEFUL S.-GI, $250,000, Saratoga, 9-7, 2yo, 7f, 1:21.29, 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
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($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: 3-3-0-0, $265,064.
2–Reinvestment Risk, 120, c, 2, Upstart–Ridingwiththedevil, by
Candy Ride (Arg). 'TDN Rising Star' ($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. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*.
Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
3–Mutasaabeq, 120, c, 2, Into Mischief–Downside Scenario, by
Scat Daddy. 'TDN Rising Star' ($425,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV).
O-Shadwell Stable; B-BlackRidge Stables LLC (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $30,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 10 1/4, 9 1/4. Odds: 1.85, 1.00, 3.85.
Also Ran: Ampersand, Papetu, Nutsie, Fearless Fly. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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