Jackie's Warrior Preserves Perfect Record in Champagne
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Jackie's Warrior wins the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park
Jackie's Warrior kept his perfect record intact and drew off to a 5 1/2-length victory Oct. 10 in the $250,000 Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.
Making his first start at a mile, the 2-year-old Maclean's Music colt earned an automatic berth in the Nov. 6 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) at Keeneland.
Sent off as the favorite in a field of six, Jackie's Warrior ($3.70) took the lead a few strides out of the gate and put up splits of :23.12 and :46.54 before getting three-quarters in 1:10.68 under Joel Rosario. He carried on to victory in a final time of 1:35.42 on a fast track, turning back the challenge of Reinvestment Risk, who tracked him in second throughout.
"He had an easy half-mile, and I'm surprised he came home that quick," said Toby Sheets, the Belmont-based assistant for trainer Steve Asmussen. "He's very impressive. He's a class act and does everything correct. The one-turn mile certainly didn't seem to bother him."
Midnight Bourbon raced third all the way and was 8 3/4 lengths back of Reinvestment Risk, followed by Civil War, Run Casper Run, and Ambivalent.
Owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, Jackie's Warrior won the Aug. 7 Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Miller Lite (G2) and the Sept. 7 Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (G1), both at Saratoga Race Course, on the heels of his debut maiden score June 19 at Churchill Downs.
"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.
"I tried to get him away from there quickly and get position. I think the further he goes, the better. He seemed to do it very easy today, and I was very confident in him.
"I wanted to be a little out in front so he had confidence, and it looked like he liked that. I let him do whatever he wanted to do. He breaks two lengths in front of everyone, and not all horses can do that. He's amazing."
Now 4-for-4, Jackie's Warrior was purchased for $95,000 by J. Kirk Robison from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Bred in Kentucky by J & J Stables out of the A. P. Five Hundred mare Unicorn Girl, he is 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 . She was bred to Into Mischief for 2021.