Jack Christopher Leads the Class in Saratoga's Jerkens

Don't blink when nine of the swiftest horses on the grounds at Saratoga Race Course are loaded into the starting gate for the eighth race Aug. 27.

You might miss something.

The eighth is the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1), named after the legendary and highly respected Hall of Fame trainer. Jerkens loved fast horses. He would have loved to have had a front row seat for this rendition.

The 3-year-old colt the rest of them will have to catch is Jack Christopher , who appears to be the fastest of the fast in this seven-furlong test. Owned by Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud, and Peter Brant, the son of Munnings   rolled up the score in his first four starts, winning by a combined 25 1/4 lengths.

"He is the horse to beat," said trainer Dale Romans, who will run Howling Time  in the Jerkens. "He is definitely the dominant 3-year-old sprinter this year, but you don't duck one horse."

Jack Christopher hit a speedbump in his last start, the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park July 23. He finished third, beaten a couple of lengths by Cyberknife , the second choice on the morning line for the Runhappy Travers (G1). That was his first start going nine furlongs.

After that, trainer Chad Brown decided that, for now, it would be best for Jack Christopher to cut back in distance.



The only time Jack Christopher ran seven furlongs, he won by 10 lengths in the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (G1) in a time of 1:21.18.

"He is as fast as a 3-year-old can be," Brown said, and the rest of the field should take notice.

Brown will debate you as to whether Jack Christopher has distance limitations or not. Before his career is done, expect to see him run two-turn races.

"I am not going to hold the horse to seven-furlong races," Brown said. "I think this horse can run a mile, a mile and an eighth again with maybe a different set-up. He has already run a mile successfully. It would not surprise me if this horse won a big race down the line at two turns."

Jack Christopher, named after Bakke's grandson, missed a chance to run in the Triple Crown in the spring because, following his win in the Champagne Stakes (G1) last October, he was on the shelf for seven months because of shin surgery.

When he returned, he made up for lost time with a solid win in the Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG&E and KU (G2) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) day. Since the Haskell, Brown has been impressed with the way his horse has been training.

"He's back to his old self after being a tick sluggish out of the Haskell," Brown said. "He has been working a little bit stronger and I am pleased with that."

Jack Christopher, who will start from post 6, will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.

Brown has another colt in this race that bears watching. 

The lightly raced Accretive , a son of Practical Joke  , will be making just his third start for Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables. After breaking his maiden at Belmont in June, Brown gave him a chance in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2) at Saratoga July 31 and he didn't disappoint, 

He was beaten by a neck by Jerkens' rival Gunite , owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and trained by Steve Asmussen.

"Accretive is another horse, like Artorius  (one of his horses in the Travers ) that is moving up fast," Brown said. "We are really testing him not having a ton of experience going into a race like that. I think he is up to it."

Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode Accretive in his first two starts, will be on board from post 9. 

Gunite has won two of three starts this year. The son of Gun Runner   figures to be on or near the pace with Tyler Gaffalione.

"Gunite just keeps going," said David Fiske, the racing manager for Winchell Thoroughbreds. "You think he's done, but he keeps grinding."

Howling Time, owned by Albaugh Family Stables, was fourth in the Haskell in his last start. In the race before that, he was beaten a nose by Cyberknife in the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill June 12.

Romans is also using the distance cutback strategy for his horse, a son of Not This Time  .

"I think he'll like it," Romans said. "It might be the best thing for him, going around one turn."

Also entered for the Jerkens are Conagher , owned by Patricia's Hope and Mark Farrar and trained by Michael Tomlinson; The Estate of Scott Zimmerman's Runninsonofagun , trained by John Toscano Jr.; Calumet Farm's Happy Jack , who was 14th in the Kentucky Derby and eighth in the Preakness Stakes (G1) for trainer Doug O'Neill; Actuator , owned by Black Type Thoroughbreds, Rags Racing Stable, Rick Howard, and Gavin O'Connor and trained by Michael McCarthy; and Jordan V. Wycoff's Totalizer , trained by Mike Maker.