November, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Jackie’s Warrior is the Gift That Keeps on Giving for His Breeders

John and Jennie Williams' J & J Stables sold Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) for just $95,000 at Keeneland September. While that price proved to be the bargain of a lifetime for buyer Kirk Robison, the speedy colt has been the gift that keeps on giving for his breeders. The Williamses hope that continues as Jackie's Warrior enters the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint Saturday as the morning-line favorite and his 2-year-old half-sister Lenni Girl (Candy Ride {Arg}) sells during Book 1 of Keeneland November Wednesday.

The Williamses acquired Jackie's Warrior's dam Unicorn Girl (A.P. Five Hundred) in her second season on the racetrack through trainer Ben Perkins. She was a hard-knocking claiming and allowance filly running in the tri-state area with 19 wins from 54 starts and $483,508 in earnings.

“I got her with Ben Perkins early on,” John Williams said. “She was just a blue-collar horse. We ran her hard and she loved to run. She was in the money 34 times. She got claimed a few times, but we decided to claim her back and make her a broodmare. She just had the heart. She never quit. She won all those races the hard way. She had a fight in her. We decided to take a chance on her and see if she would make a broodmare and she turned out to be a pretty great one with Jackie's Warrior.”

Jackie's Warrior was Unicorn Girl's third foal and was actually named by his breeders prior to his sale at Keeneland September and his new owner kept the sentimental name.

“We were planning on racing Jackie's Warrior and named him after my wife's sister Jackie, who was fighting brain cancer,” Williams said. “Then we were downsizing the stable, so we ended up selling him. We were taking some chips off the table. Obviously we had no idea he would go on to become a champion, which it looks like he will. His namesake Jackie is in remission and cancer free and we are all catching planes right now to see him run [at Del Mar].”

Jackie's Warrior opened his account with four straight wins last year, including the GII Saratoga Special S., GI Runhappy Hopeful S. and GI Champagne S. He suffered his first loss when fourth in the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November at Keeneland.

The Williamses decided to strike while the iron is hot and supplemented Unicorn Girl and her 2020 American Pharoah colt to last year's Keeneland November Sale. Unicorn Girl summoned $850,000 from Arthur Hoyeau and her colt brought $600,000 from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier.

Jackie's Warrior has proven to be a one-turn wonder this year, taking the GIII Pat Day Mile May 1, GII Amsterdam S. Aug. 1, GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. Aug. 28 and GII Gallant Bob S. Sept. 25. He also finished a close second in the GI Woody Stephens S. June 5, cementing him as the to choice in his division of the World Championships.

After another sensational season from Jackie's Warrior with a possible championships on the line, the Williamses figured they'd try their luck at Keeneland again this year, supplementing Jackie's Warrior's unraced 2-year-old half-sister Lenni Girl (Hip 224B) to the November sale.

“We've got a fair amount of fillies, which is a little bit unusual for us,” Williams said. “We are just trying to rebalance the stable a little bit and figured we would see where the market is. Jackie's Warrior is obviously a special colt, so we will see what happens with Lenni Girl. She is named after my granddaughter Lennon. The family names seem to be working out pretty well.”

The Keeneland November Sale gets underway Wednesday with a single Book 1 session beginning at 1 p.m.

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Racing Insights for Saturday, Nov. 6

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

8th-GP, $55K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 4:02 p.m. ET
Some two years after his half-brother Spun to Run (Hard Spun) dominated the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Sabana Farm homebred Practical Way (Practical Joke) makes his debut for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. Also responsible for stakes winner Tap It All (Tapizar), SW dam Yawkey Way (Grand Slam) sold to Gainesway and Whisper Hill Farm for $600,000 last Keeneland November while carrying a full brother to Spun to Run. Joseph will also send out A. P.'s Secret (Cupid), a $95,000 FTKSEL yearling to $150,000 OBSAPR 2-year-old off a :10 2/5 breeze. He is a half to the precocious and stakes-placed Flying Aletha (Tiznow) and a grandson of MSW/MGSP Afleet Deceit (Northern Afleet). TJCIS PPs

8th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 6:05 p.m. ET
Stonestreet Stables LLC's $600,000 Keeneland September 2020 acquisition Bombdiggity (Into Mischief) makes her first start here on behalf of conditioner Steve Asmussen. The daughter of stakes-placed Checkupfromzneckup (Dixie Union) is a half to five-for-five 'TDN Rising Star' Carribean Caper (Speightstown), who was most recently a six-length winner of the GIII Dogwood S. here Sept. 25; and to a Tapit yearling filly who sold for $990,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga. She hails from the female family of A.P. Indy, et al.

The Brad Cox barn will send out a pair of well-related newcomers of its own. Godolphin homebred Hidden Wonder (Curlin) was produced by a Tapit half-sister to champion 3-year-old and late Darley stallion Bernardini (A.P. Indy). Savo Island (Quality Road), meanwhile, was a $220,000 KEESEP RNA who will carry the colors of Qatar Racing. She is a full-sister to Grade I-winning juvenile and freshman sire Klimt. MSP dam Inventive Dixie Union) sold for $380,000 at KEENOV '19 carrying a City of Light (Quality Road) colt who subsequently brought $435,000 this Keeneland September from the BSW/Crow Colts Group for which Cox will train. Savo Island is bred on the extremely potent Quality Road–Dixie Union cross also responsible for the likes of champion 2-year-old filly Caledonia Road and GISW Salty.

Lady Jeopardy (Liam's Map) was a productive pinhook, costing just $17,000 at KEESEP but $230,000 at OBS June after a :21 2/5 breeze. Eclipsed (Exaggerator) resurfaces after finishing second to subsequent Debutante S. heroine Behave Virginia (Unified) in a late May MSW here. That event also produced last weekend's Rags to Riches S. romper Sandstone (Street Sense). TJCIS PPs

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A Passion for Ponies: Ellet Family’s Steadying Presence Prominent at Breeders’ Cup

The Ellet family — Tom, Cindy, and daughter Mary — are well known in the horse racing industry with decades of riding experience between them. For this year’s Breeders’ Cup, they will be ponying many of the Thoroughbred superstars. To keep order, horses known as “ponies” are escorts for the hot and often excitable Thoroughbreds.

Over 60 BC Entrants take New Vocations Breeders’ Cup Pledge

More than 60–or over one-third–of the 2021 Breeders' Cup entrants and their connections have pledged support for Thoroughbred aftercare by committing to the New Vocations Breeders' Cup Pledge. In the Pledge, owners and trainers donate a percentage of their Breeders' Cup earnings to support New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program's mission to rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome retired racehorses. Now in its 12th year, the Pledge has raised over $800,000 with 100% of the funds supporting the program.

“Breeders' Cup is a very exciting time of year for our industry,” said Anna Ford, the Thoroughbred program director for New Vocations. “It's a great opportunity for New Vocations to share its commitment to aftercare and spotlight those who are supporting our mission.”

New Vocations is the largest racehorse adoption charity in the country and has placed over 7,500 individuals to date.

Participants in the 2021 Pledge include Al Shaqab Racing, Albaugh Family Stables, Jim Bakke, Bob Baffert, Richard Baltas, Bonne Chance Farm, Bing Bush & the Abbondanza Racing Partners, Cannon Thoroughbreds, China Horse Club, Coolmore, Brad H. Cox, Bradley Thoroughbreds, DJ Stable, Michael Dubb, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bobby Flay, Brad Grady, Hat Creek Racing, LNJ Foxwoods, Paulo H. Lobo, Madaket Stables, Michael W. McCarthy, Kenny McPeek, Elizabeth M. Merryman, Peter Miller, MyRacehorse, Patricia's Hope LLC, Todd Pletcher, Richard Ravin, Larry Rivelli, J. Kirk & Judy Robison, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, SF Racing, Joe Sharp, Siena Farm, Speedway Stables, Spendthrift Farm, St. Elias Stable, Starlight Racing, Stonestreet Stables, Stud RDI, Three Diamonds Farm, Treadway Racing Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, White Birch Farm, and WinStar Farm.

“We are thrilled with the record number of pledges we've received this year,” said Ford. “The number of horses needing our services is also at an all-time high, so the funds raised during the Pledge are vital to allowing us to find new purposes for these most deserving equine athletes. It's a win-win situation for all involved.”

Connections of Breeders' Cup horses can continue to pledge through Nov. 6 at the dedicated Pledge page or by emailing Ford at anna@horseadoption.com. For more information about New Vocations, visit newvocations.org.

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