Maclean's Music | Horse Racing Free Tips

Jackie’s Warrior Just Too Fast in Churchill Downs

The sprint division will be going through champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) once again if Satuday's tour-de-force victory in the GI Churchill Downs S. is any indication.

A return winner in a sloppy renewal of Oaklawn's GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. Apr. 16, he was favored at even-money to register his fourth career Grade I victory.

The J. Kirk and Judy Robison colorbearer took his usual spot up front and led his six rivals through much-easier-than-anticipated early fractions of :22.76 and :45.50. He cornered four wide and allowed GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Aloha West (Hard Spun) an inviting opening along the rail as they turned for home.

Jackie's Warrior was still cruising though, and was ridden with confidence by Joel Rosario down the lane en route to a four-length victory over Reinvestment Risk (Upstart). Aloha West was third.

“First, I can't say enough about the [J. Kirk and Judy] Robisons putting a champion stallion back in training and letting us enjoy him another year,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He's now a Grade I winner at two, three and four. And, the style in which he won today was just beautiful. I thought Joel [Rosario] said it best when we were in paddock just watching him standing there. He said, 'They don't come along like this all the time, do they' and they don't. When you're the speed of the race, you just stay on the path you want. He's older, more confident and stronger.”

Rosario added, “It seemed better to keep him off the rail. It seemed to be a better place for him. He's an amazing horse. The speed that he is able to give you. He is just a strong horse, to get out of there [at the start]–like a quarter horse, and to keep going with that speed. He's just there for you whenever you ask.”

A winner of the GII Pat Day Mile S. on this card 12 months ago, his championship season was topped by a memorable win over the talented Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. at Saratoga. The $95,000 KEESEP yearling also captured the GII Amsterdam S. and GII Gallant Bob S. and was a painful second in the GI Woody Stephens S. Jackie's Warrior, also a two-time winner at the highest level at two, exited a disappointing sixth-place finish as the heavy favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint with a bone chip in his knee.

Pedigree Notes:

The future Spendthrift Farm Jackie's Warrior is one of four top-level scorers for Maclean's Music. He is the lone graded winner for broodmare sire A.P. Five Hundred. Jackie's Warrior's dam Unicorn Girl (A.P. Five Hundred) summoned $850,000 from Arthur Hoyeau at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale. Her now-2-year-old colt by American Pharoah preceded her in the ring, bringing $600,000 from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier. Unicorn Girl also has an unraced 3-year-old filly named Lenni Girl (Candy Ride {Arg}). She failed to get in foal to Into Mischief for 2021, but has a filly of this year by the leading sire.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
CHURCHILL DOWNS S. PRESENTED BY FORD-GI, $750,000, Churchill Downs, 5-7, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:21.95, ft.
1–JACKIE'S WARRIOR, 123, c, 4, by Maclean's Music
                1st Dam: Unicorn Girl, by A. P. Five Hundred
                2nd Dam: Horah for Bailey, by Doneraile Court
                3rd Dam: Horah for the Lady, by Rahy
($95,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-J. Kirk and Judy Robison; B-J & J Stables (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario. $455,700. Lifetime Record: Ch. Male Sprinter, 14-10-1-1, $2,309,664. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Reinvestment Risk, 123, c, 4, Upstart–Ridingwiththedevil, by Candy Ride (Arg). *TDN Rising Star* ($140,000 Ylg '19 FTKJUL; $280,000 2yo '20 OBSMAR). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Aschinger Bloodstock Holdings, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $147,000.
3–Aloha West, 123, h, 5, Hard Spun–Island Bound, by Speightstown. ($160,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Robert Manfuso & Katharine M. Voss (MD); T-Wayne M. Catalano. $73,500.
Margins: 4, 1, 4 1/4. Odds: 1.00, 4.60, 4.20.
Also Ran: Sir Alfred James, Mind Control, Long Range Toddy, Prevalence. Scratched: Cezanne.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Champion Jackie’s Warrior Returns a Winner in the Count Fleet

Champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) returned as good ever, taking the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. in gate-to-wire fashion Saturday at Oaklawn. Receiving first-time Lasix for this seasonal bow, the 1-2 chalk took up his preferred position at the head of affairs, zipping out to a clear lead. He was quickly joined by 28-1 shot Empire of Gold (Goldencents), who pressed the Eclipse winner through a sharp first quarter in :21.61. Jackie's Warrior tugged a bit clear of the longshot through a :44.51 half-mile and turned for home in front. The bay was still on cruise control in early stretch, but the field closed in entering the final sixteenth and Joel Rosario shook the reins at Jackie's Warrior. He showed his typical guts and grit, forging clear for a one-length success over a late-flying Letsgetlucky (Munnings).

“Joel [Rosario] let's him do what he wants to do, but he's responded to Joel,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I think that he needed the race and that is apparent. But what a great starting point for a champion.”

Asmussen indicated Jackie's Warrior will make his next start in the GI Churchill Downs S. May 7.

Capturing the GII Pat Day Mile at Churchill May 1 after a failed attempt at two turns in the GIII Southwest S., Jackie's Warrior did all the dirty work in the GI Woody Stephens S. in June, but was overtaken late by Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music), finishing a neck second. A dominant winner of the GII Amsterdam S. next out at Saratoga Aug. 1, the $95,000 KEESEP buy battled next-out GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life is Good (Into Mischief) stride-for-stride down the Saratoga stretch in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. Aug. 28, gamely fending off that foe by a neck in what was arguably the most exciting race of the year. The easiest of winners in the GII Gallant Bob S. at Parx Sept. 25, Jackie's Warrior was favored to take the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6 and led through the first half-mile, but eventually faded to sixth.

Pedigree Notes:

Much has been written of Hill 'n' Dale's stallion Maclean's Music, from his sole brilliant race start that earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure to his equally quick start at stud with a first-crop Classic winner in GI Preakness S. hero Cloud Computing. But unlike his “one and done” race career, Maclean's Music has continued to churn out the stakes winners, with 25 black-type winners–six graded–to date. In addition to Cloud Computing, Maclean's Music's sons Drain the Clock, Complexity, and Jackie's Warrior are all Grade I winners, with the Count Fleet winner the most productive of the bunch as a three-time GISW and last year's champion male sprinter.

Much has also been written about Jackie's Warrior's dam, Unicorn Girl, from the detailing of her career with Carlo Vaccarezza to what led to her sale at Keeneland November in 2020 for $850,000 to Arthur Hoyeau. The mare has a 2-year-old colt by American Pharoah, who brought $600,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale from M.V. Magnier, and a Mar. 18 filly by Into Mischief. Unicorn Girl traces directly to the 1869 blue hen Devotion (GB) (Stockwell {GB}), whose descendants included U.S. Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox and English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand (GB), as well as Classic winners in France and Germany.

Unicorn Girl's sire, the MGSP A. P. Five Hundred, has spent most of his stud career in Chile, but produced a single U.S. crop in 2005, of which Unicorn Girl was a member. Jackie's Warrior is the sole U.S.-bred stakes winner out of his daughters.

Saturday, Oaklawn
COUNT FLEET SPRINT H.-GIII, $500,000, Oaklawn, 4-16, 4yo/up, 6f, 1:09.09, sy.
1–JACKIE'S WARRIOR, 123, c, 4, by Maclean's Music
                1st Dam: Unicorn Girl, by A. P. Five Hundred
                2nd Dam: Horah for Bailey, by Doneraile Court
                3rd Dam: Horah for the Lady, by Rahy
($95,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Robison, J. Kirk and Robison, Judy;
B-J & J Stables (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario.
$300,000. Lifetime Record: 13-9-1-1, $1,853,964. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Letsgetlucky, 117, g, 4, Munnings–My Cinsation, by Cindago.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Brown, Edward Rusty J., Klein,
Alan P. and Lebherz, Philip; B-Premier Thoroughbreds LLC (CA);
T-Brian J. Koriner. $100,000.
3–Chipofftheoldblock, 117, g, 5, Ready's Image–Mizzen My
Momma, by Mizzen Mast. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Penny
Lauer; B-Penny S Lauer & Michael E. Lauer (IN); T-Michael E.
Lauer. $50,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1, 1HF. Odds: 0.50, 18.30, 36.10.
Also Ran: Bob's Edge, Empire of Gold, Mojo Man.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Sophomore Jackie’s Warrior Tops All Male Sprinters

Just a $95,000 Keeneland September yearling buy by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, MGISW juvenile Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) found his home around one turn in 2021 and garnered champion male sprinter honors off of the strength of his complete body of work. His signature win came when out-dueling fellow superstar Life is Good (Into Mischief) in Saratoga's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S., and he followed that up with a smashing success in the GI Gallant Bob S. at Parx for trainer Steve Asmussen. Jackie's Warrior, whose breeding rights were previously acquired by Spendthrift Farm, exited a sixth-place GI Breeders' Cup Sprint run at short odds with a knee chip but is expected to race on in 2022.

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Lieblong, Asmussen Maiden Winners Impress at Oaklawn

Represented by a pair of flashy 3-year-old maiden winners at Oaklawn Park, owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong have been on quite a nice run at their hometown track the past two weekends.

Favorite Outlaw (c, 3, Maclean's Music–Coco Belle, by Storm Boot) earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure–the highest rating of any sophomore so far this season–after airing at second asking by 3 1/2 lengths for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen going six furlongs Jan. 29 (video).

“We're very pleased,” said Alex Lieblong, who heads his own investment firm in Little Rock and is also chairman of the Arkansas Racing Commission. “That's what you want to see.”

Chasing from second through a sharp opening quarter in :21.81, Favorite Outlaw turned up the heat on the far turn and blasted for home once switching over in the stretch to win with authority while stopping the timer in 1:10.68. The 4-year-old Bob's Edge (Competitive Edge) covered the same distance in 1:10.50 three races later on the card while capturing the King Cotton S. Favorite Outlaw previously just got nipped by a nose after leading in the stretch on debut from the tricky one post at the same distance in Hot Springs Dec. 31.

“One thing I've learned about Steve, it doesn't take him long to decide if one is a sprinter or a router,” Lieblong said. “He wanted to nominate him for the Triple Crown and I said, 'OK, go ahead. If you think you could get him around two turns, it's going to get interesting.'”

Lieblong continued, “If you look at him, the thing that gets me, he's still such a baby. You think he'd be muscled up a little bit more, but he's not yet. He's a nice nice-looking horse, just not as defined as you would've thought by now, which is fine. Steve is doing a good job not pushing on him and just letting him do his thing. After we bought him, he spent part of the summer back down in Ocala at Bo Hunt's just to let him grow up a little bit.”

Favorite Outlaw brought $350,000 from the Lieblongs at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale [breezed an eighth in :10], the fourth-most expensive of 24 juveniles to change hands by Maclean's Music in the ring last year. In addition to training the exceptionally fast Maclean's Music during his abbreviated racing career, Asmussen also campaigns the Hill 'n' Dale stallion's three-time Grade I winner Jackie's Warrior.

“Of course, it wasn't hard to talk Steve into a Maclean's Music,” Lieblong said with a laugh. “If you watch his [breeze] video, he didn't go in a straight line and bear down and he still had a quick time. If he ran straight, it would've been a lot quicker.”

Bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc, Favorite Outlaw, an Apr. 26 foal, previously brought $12,000 as a KEENOV weanling and also RNA'd for $14,000 as a KEESEP yearling. Produced by the speedy Storm Boot mare Coco Belle, a three-time stakes winner and graded stakes-placed all around one turn, Favorite Outlaw is a half-brother to SW Cofactor (The Factor) and SP Coco Tiger (Twirling Candy). He is bred on a similar cross as Maclean's Music's GIII Gulfstream Park Sprint S. winner Classic Rock. Coco Belle brought a mere $11,000 from Gary and Mary West advisor Ben Glass at the 2020 KEENOV sale.

“If you look at his pedigree, I guess you'd say it leans toward the sprinting side,” said Lieblong, who has campaigned GISWs such as Embellish the Lace, The Big Beast and Wicked Whisper. “But that's what they said about Cigar and grass, too, so you just don't know.”

Hot and Sultry (f, 3, Speightster–Hot Water, by Medaglia d'Oro) also carried the Lieblongs blue-and-white silks to a razor sharp victory at second asking for Asmussen, swatting away pressure and graduating in front-running fashion by 3 3/4 lengths with an 89 Beyer Speed Figure going six furlongs at Oaklawn Jan. 23 (video). Like the aforementioned Favorite Outlaw, Hot and Sultry was a strong second on debut after drawing the dreaded one hole in the Oaklawn mud Dec. 18.

Bred in Kentucky by Cobalt Investments, LLC, the $475,000 KEESEP yearling purchase was the most expensive of 43 yearlings sold from the second crop of Speightster, who was relocated to Ontario for the 2022 breeding season. Out of the unraced Medaglia d'Oro mare Hot Water, Hot and Sultry is a half-sister to SW & GSP Tracksmith (Street Sense) and SP Tortuga (Bodemeister). Hot and Sultry's third dam is GISW and champion 3-year-old filly Xtra Heat (Dixieland Heat).

“She's just a gorgeous filly,” Lieblong said. “It was hard to hide her at the sale. Paying that much for a Speightster was probably not advisable, but just on her appearance and coming from a good consignor [Bluewater Sales], that marked all the boxes for us. We have always thought a lot of her.”

Looking ahead with his pair of promising 3-year-olds, Lieblong concluded, “Those two races [for Favorite Outlaw and Hot and Sultry] were pretty similar in a lot of ways. They both did it the way you want to and both came out of it good. We're tickled pink.”

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