Jackie's Warrior

None of us, after 2020, will ever again take even our simplest indulgences for granted. How much more culpable, then, was any complacency the industry may have permitted itself, over the years, in the patronage of the greatest investor in its history? His absence from the September Sale, a year after once again heading the buyers' table at $16 million, sharpened a sense of the incalculable collective debt owed to Sheikh Mohammed. His team did resurface, to much relief locally, for Book 1 of the October Sale at Tattersalls last...

If the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) gets passed by the United States Senate and then signed into federal law, the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) could launch a legal challenge against it based on the alleged unconstitutionality of the independently overseen anti-doping, drug testing, and racetrack safety standard programs that the new federal law would create. Leroy Gessmann, who serves as both the NHBPA president and as Arizona HBPA's executive director, told commissioners at the Oct. 8 Arizona Racing Commission (AZRC) meeting that "this thing is...

Both the dam of and weanling half-brother to unbeaten leading juvenile colt Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) have been supplemented to the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, it was announced Sunday--one day after the Steve Asmussen pupil further solidified himself as the favorite for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a 5 1/2-length romp in Saturday's GI Champagne S. at Belmont. Dam Unicorn Girl (A. P. Five Hundred) will be offered in foal to leading sire Into Mischief; her weanling colt is by American Pharoah. Both will be consigned by Beau...

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....

Undefeated Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) looks to continue his domination of the 2-year-old colt division as the headliner in Belmont's GI Champagne S. Saturday, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup. A debut winner at Churchill June 19, the bay scored a decisive win in the GII Saratoga Special S. Aug. 7 and was an impressive victor of the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. at Saratoga Sept. 7, earning a 95 Beyer Speed Figure. "He handles everything well," said trainer Steve Asmussen's Belmont Park-based assistant trainer Toby Sheets. "Just...

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale opened its first of two Book 4 sessions with a workmanlike day of trade in Lexington Sunday. C.J. Johnsen made the day's highest bid, going to $210,000 to acquire a filly by Ghostzapper (hip 2342) for his CJ Thoroughbreds. Three yearlings tied for the day's second highest price of $190,000: a colt by Maclean's Music and a pair of colts by first-crop sire Unified. A total of 31 yearlings brought six figures on the day. In all, 237 yearlings sold Sunday for $11,516,500. The session...

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,...

With the obvious caveat that anything can happen with 2-year-olds this early in their development--look no further than Sittin On Go (Brody's Cause)'s 24-1 upset in Saturday GII Iroquois S.--Monday's GI Runhappy Hopeful S. looks solidly like a three-horse affair, as arguably the three most impressive dirt juveniles of the meet will clash in the seven-furlong test. Made the fractional favorite on the morning line at 7-5, J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) looks formidable in his attempt for back-to-back Spa graded stakes scores. A first-out winner...

What a name, for a mare salvaging her sire from extinction: Unicorn Girl. Certainly the faint footprint of A. P. Five Hundred on the North American breed would otherwise, by now, have been thoroughly effaced. His eligibility to compete with other sons of A.P. Indy at stud was marginal in the first place, third place in the GII Super Derby being as good as it got in a light career. And, really, he never got off the grid. After a single spring trying his luck in Florida, in 2004, he...

J. Kirk Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music), the "other" Steve Asmussen runner signed on for Friday's GII Saratoga Special S., out-footed them all and never looked back en route to a powerful score at the Spa. The imposing bay took his Churchill debut by 2 1/2 lengths June 19, and was flattered when the runner-up that day, re-opposing Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}) returned to romp at Keeneland and earn 'TDN Rising Star' status. He was less proven on paper than stablemate, GIII Bashford Manor S. winner and 'Rising Star' Cazadero...

3rd-Churchill Downs, $77,248, Msw, 6-19, 2yo, 5f, :57.49, ft. JACKIE'S WARRIOR (c, 2, Maclean's Music--Unicorn Girl, by A. P. Five Hundred) topped off a concise worktab with a bullet half-mile from the gate in :47 1/5 (1/35) at Keeneland June 9 and was made the 21-10 second favorite on debut. Hustled along early to contest the pace from the inside, Jackie's Warrior was taken hold of by Ricardo Santana, Jr. at the 3 1/2-furlong pole and switched out into the two path. Despite having lost some momentum in so doing,...