Jackie's Warrior After More Saratoga History in Forego

North America's reigning champion male sprinter, Jackie's Warrior , can join Saratoga Race Course legend Fourstardave as a six-time stakes winner at the Spa with a victory in the $600,000 Forego Stakes (G1) Aug. 27. According to Saratoga publicity, Fourstardave is the modern-day leader for most Saratoga stakes victories based on Equibase statistics dating back to 1976.

The Kirk and Judy Robison-owned speedster, 4-for-4 this year across the country with victories in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3), Churchill Downs Stakes Presented by Ford (G1), True North Stakes (G2), and Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1), will be heavily favored to accomplish the feat of six Saratoga stakes victories. He faces a modest field of six rivals that includes grade 3 winners Drafted  and Cody's Wish , plus the talented sprinter Baby Yoda .

Carrying 127 pounds and spotting his rivals from 6-11 pounds, Jackie's Warrior crossed the wire two lengths ahead of longshot Kneedeepinsnow  in the Vanderbilt under confident handling from regular rider Joel Rosario, who never asked Jackie's Warrior for his best and peered backward for the competition for much of the stretch. Kneedeepinsnow returns in the Forego.

With his Vanderbilt score, Jackie's Warrior became the first horse to win a grade 1 race in three consecutive seasons at Saratoga. He is 5-for-5 at the Spa, all in stakes, and 12-for-16 overall.

"He's immortal," said Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. "He's the only racehorse ever to win a grade 1 three years in a row at Saratoga. The only horse, ever, at Saratoga. They've got a few decent pictures on the wall around here."

Saturday, he stretches out an eighth of a mile for the Forego, though he has been effective over a variety of distances around one turn. His Churchill Downs Stakes triumph came at seven furlongs.

His achievements "will not give him a head start on Saturday. That's the great thing about horse racing. You've got to do it again," Asmussen said.

The Maclean's Music   colt carries 126 pounds, 4-6 pounds more than his seemingly outclassed rivals, none of whom have won above the grade 3 level.

The Forego is meant to propel Jackie's Warrior into the Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland Nov. 5. Next year, he begins a stud career at Spendthrift Farm.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's duo of Baby Yoda and Cody's Wish are two of the leading threats to Jackie's Warrior.

Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, Pantofel Stable, and Jerold Zaro's Baby Yoda exits a three-length local allowance optional claiming triumph July 16. Perfect in three starts at Saratoga, he ran fourth to Jackie's Warrior, beaten 12 1/4 lengths, in the True North at Belmont Park.

"He likes this track. He likes the distance," Mott said. "Look, if Jackie's Warrior runs his race, we're probably all running for second. They have to run the race."

Godolphin's Cody's Wish, a homebred son of Curlin  , has put together consecutive wins—a neck victory in the July 4 Hanshin Stakes Presented by JRA at Churchill Downs that came after a five-length win in the Westchester Stakes (G3) May 7 at Belmont Park. He cuts back in distance after recording all five of his wins at a mile.

"He should be able to handle it fine," Mott said. "He's gotten better and more consistent. He's been running really well. No complaints about him. We've always thought he was a nice horse. We'll see how seven-eighths suits him. I think he'll be OK."

Entries: Forego S. (G1)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 27, 2022, Race 5

• Grade I
• 7f
• Dirt
• $600,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 1:55 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Baby Yoda (FL)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	William I. Mott	8/1
2	2Drafted (FL)	Luis A. Rodriguez Castro	120	David P. Duggan	30/1
3	3Jackie's Warrior (KY)	Joel Rosario	124	Steven M. Asmussen	1/2
4	4Three Two Zone (KY)	Dylan Davis	118	Raymond Handal	12/1
5	5Cody's Wish (KY)	Junior Alvarado	120	William I. Mott	7/2
6	6Pipeline (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Chad C. Brown	8/1
7	7Kneedeepinsnow (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Matt A. Shirer	15/1