Jackie's Warrior Wires Hopeful Stakes

For all the juvenile races trainer Steve Asmussen has won—and he's captured more than 1,600 of them in his Hall of Fame career—he has yet to win an Eclipse Award for the champion 2-year-old male.

Perhaps that might change this year.

Judging by the way J. Kirk and Judy Robison's undefeated Jackie's Warrior took the $250,000 Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (G1) in geared down fashion while posting the fastest seven-furlong time ever in the stakes, Asmussen surely has one of the year's most promising 2-year-old colts in his barn.

"He's a very athletic colt who gets over the ground extremely well," said assistant trainer Scott Blasi, who saddled the son of Maclean's Music  in Asmussen's absence. "He just continues to improve. He gets stronger in his works and does things so effortlessly."

The gate-to-wire, 2 1/4-length victory in the Sept. 7 Hopeful at Saratoga Race Course came on the heels of a three-length front-running victory in the six-furlong Aug. 7 Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Miller Lite (G2) and proved that Monday's seven-furlong distance was well within his scope.

"I would expect to probably go on to the Champagne Stakes (G1, Oct. 10 at Belmont Park at a one-turn mile) and then hopefully to the Breeders' Cup from there, but it's one race at a time," Blasi said. "We'll see how he comes out of this."

Now 3-for-3, Jackie's Warrior was purchased for $95,000 by J. Kirk Robison from the Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Bred by J & J Stables out of the A. P. Five Hundred mare Unicorn Girl, he's the first stakes winner from her three foals to race. She also has a yearling filly by Candy Ride  and a weanling colt by American Pharoah .

The Candy Ride yearling is scheduled to kick off the Keeneland sale Sept. 13 as Hip 1.

"Steve picked him out for Mr. Robison," Blasi said about Jackie's Warrior. "It's been a good partnership over the years."

Sending horses to be broken at the Texas farm of Asmussen's father, Keith, has also worked out well for the Asmussen stable over the years.

"You know when they get their lessons from Steve's dad in Laredo, Texas, they know how to leave the gate," Blasi said.

Jackie's Warrior and jockey Joel Rosario used that speed to quickly take control in the Hopeful, opening a 1 1/2-length lead after a quarter-mile in :22.56.

"I told Joel, 'Let's not overthink this. He's the fastest horse in the race,'" Blasi said.

Indeed he was. 

Ahead by 2 1/2 lengths after four furlongs in a quick :44.83, Jackie's Warrior faced a bid from even-money favorite Reinvestment Risk on the turn, but fended it off and scampered away to a safe five-length lead at the eighth pole.

"It was unbelievable the way he ran last time and he was probably better today," Rosario said.

Jackie's Warrior ($5.70), the 9-5 second choice, covered the seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:21.29 to give Asmussen back-to-back Hopeful wins after taking the race a year ago with Basin. Since the stakes that dates back to 1904 was switched to seven furlongs in 1994, the previous best time had been Came Home's 1:21.94 in 2001.

Klaravich Stables' Investment Risk, a 7 3/4-length winner of his Aug. 1 career debut at the Spa, was a clear second for trainer Chad Brown. The son of Upstart  was 10 1/4 lengths ahead of Shadwell Stable's Mutasaabeq, an Into Mischief  colt trained by Todd Pletcher.

Meet Titles Go to Pletcher, Ortiz Jr., Klaravich Stables

After winning 13 training titles at Saratoga while watching races from a familiar spot near the finish line in the owners' boxes, Todd Pletcher was forced to find a new place to view the races this year when that part of the racetrack was closed due to coronavirus protocols.

Instead, he found a spot on a landing atop a staircase near the sixteenth pole, in front of rows of empty seats, that became his new haunt—a rather lucky haunt.

Pletcher's view of the races this year tuned out to be as rosy as it was on 13 other occasions at the Spa as the seven-time Eclipse Award winner finished the 40-day 2020 meet with 32 winners to claim the H. Allen Jerkens training title for the 14th time.

"Coming in we didn't feel we had the ammo to do it," said Pletcher who topped 2018 and 2019 champ Chad Brown 32-28 for his first crown since 2017. "But a couple of weeks in it seemed like things were jelling. A lot of hard work went into this. It was a team effort."

For Pletcher, there was a special significance in his 14th title since it matched the 14 Spa riding titles recorded by Angel Cordero Jr., who was the longtime agent for Pletcher's go-to jockey, John Velazquez.

"It's always more special to win a title here," the 53-year-old Pletcher said. "I've always said it was Angel Cordero who made it special to win a title here. He's been texting me the last few days about 14 so it's kind of cool to tie him."

As for No. 15, if racing can put the pandemic behind it, Pletcher will most likely have to return to his traditional spot in the clubhouse, which will not bother him in the least.

"They'll probably kick me off there next year," he said about his 2020 perch. "But hopefully we'll have the full stands next year and we'll be back to normal."

The Angel Cordero Jr. Trophy for the leading rider went to Irad Ortiz Jr., who edged out his brother Jose by one victory, 59-58. Both riders came into Monday's card with 57 victories. It was the third title for Ortiz.

Klaravich Stables was the top owner for a third-straight year with 13 victories at the meet.

Video: Runhappy Hopeful S. (G1)