Steve Asmussen | Horse Racing Free Tips

Jackie’s Warrior Set For Breeders’ Cup Sprint After Dominating Gallant Bob Victory

J. Kirk and Judy Robinson's Jackie's Warrior continued to make his case as the top 3-year-old sprinter with a dominating victory in the Grade 3 $300,000 Gallant Bob Stakes on Saturday at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa.

With Joel Rosario aboard, Jackie's Warrior allowed Real Talk to briefly take the lead as they approached the first quarter in a quick 21.97 seconds. Jackie's Warrior then quickly shook off his challenger through a :44.15 half-mile.

Coming through the stretch, Jackie's Warrior was much in control in the race as Rosario looked around four times for the competition, then wrapped up on the colt for a 6 ¾-length victory while covering the six furlongs 1:08.64. The heavy favorite paid $2.10 to win.

“That was nice,” Rosario said. “That is a nice horse, he was enjoying what he was doing out there. I mean, he is just a fast horse. He goes fast and he goes faster. I didn't have to ask him for much. Maybe in the beginning a little bit. Things are easy when you are on a horse like him. He was not tired at all.”

The Gallant Bob was the third consecutive graded stakes victory for Jackie's Warrior, who has now 4-of-6 races this year. This is also the seventh stakes victory that includes the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes at Saratoga where he finished a neck ahead of Life Is Good, who came back to win the Kelso Stakes at Belmont earlier on Saturday.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is now hoping the Gallant Bob has prepared Jackie's Warrior for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

“He's exciting to watch,” Asmussen said. “He's very exciting to watch. What a very special horse he's been. He's run some game races and obviously we're hoping it's the ideal prep for the Breeders' Cup Sprint. He ran so valiantly with Life Is Good. They both ran such a good race that day, we just felt that this race would give him more time to the Breeders Cup, and it was the right thing to do.”

“He had won the Saratoga Special and the Hopeful as a 2-year-old, so obviously the Amsterdam and the Allen Jerkens were the target for the summer, after the Jerkens, how do you get to the Breeders' Cup Sprint? We're in as good shape as possible, and we thought this was the right step to get there.”

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Jackie’s Warrior A Class Above in Gallant Bob

Leading sprinter Jackie's Warrior, who defeated Life is Good (Into Mischief) to win the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. Aug. 28 at Saratoga, followed up that rival's win in the GII Kelso H. at Belmont Saturday afternoon with an effortless victory of his own at Parx. Displaying his normal early dash, Jackie's Warrior clicked off an opening quarter in :21.97, though he did have some token 'pressure' from the rail-drawn Real Talk. Dispatching that rival with consummate ease at the three-furlong pole, Jackie's Warrior was past the half-mile in :44.13, was under no urging whatsoever entering the stretch and had 6 3/4 lengths on the rallying Pickin' Time on the wire.

“He's exciting to watch,” trainer Steve Asmussen said of the winner. “What a very special horse he's been. He's run some game races and obviously we're hoping it's the ideal prep for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. He ran so valiantly with Life Is Good. They both ran such a good race that day, we just felt that this race would give him more time to the Breeders' Cup, and it was the right thing to do.

In addition to the Allen Jerkens, Jackie's Warrior has also won the 2021 GII Pat Day Mile and GII Amsterdam S.

Pedigree Notes:

Bloodstock agent Arthur Hoyeau purchased Jackie's Warrior's dam Unicorn Girl, in foal to Into Mischief, for $850,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. The mare's 2-year-old daughter Lenni Girl (Candy Ride {Arg}) RNA'd for $540,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale and for $675,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale, while her now-yearling colt by American Pharoah sold to M.V. Magnier for $600,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. With no reported foal this year, Unicorn Girl was bred back to Into Mischief.

Jackie's Warrior's second dam, Horah for Bailey, produced colts by Brethren in 2020 and 2021.

Saturday, Parx
GALLANT BOB S.-GII, $300,000, Parx Racing, 9-25, 3yo, 6f, 1:08.64, ft.
1–JACKIE'S WARRIOR, 126, c, 3, 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 & Judy Robison; B-J & J
Stables (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario.
$180,000. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 11-8-1-1, $1,513,964.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. Click for the eNicks report &
   5-cross pedigree.
2–Pickin' Time, 122, c, 3, Stay Thirsty–Born to Royalty, by
King of Kings (Ire). O-Roseland Farm Stable (Bowers); B-John
Bowers Jr (NJ); T-Kelly J. Breen. $60,000.
3–Real Talk, 122, c, 3, Gemologist–Woodland Park, by
Bernardini. ($50,000 2yo '20 OBSOPN). O-Bell Racing, LLC;
B-Ocala Stud (FL); T-Carlos A. David. $30,000.
Margins: 6 3/4, 3 1/4, 4. Odds: 0.05, 19.50, 10.40.
Also Ran: Awesome Gerry, Beren. Scratched: Marvalous Mike, Newbomb.
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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Mr. Wireless Tries to Stay Hot in Oklahoma Derby

Already with a pair of Grade III victories in his rearview, JIL Stable's Mr. Wireless (Dialed In) will look to make it three in a row in Sunday night's GIII Oklahoma Derby at Remington.

A debut fifth with a tough trip going six furlongs Mar. 4 at Fair Grounds, the gelding earned a pair of hard-fought nose successes Mar. 27 and May 1 at Oaklawn before finishing a close second at 14-1 in the sloppy-track Texas Derby May 31 at Lone Star. Cruising to a sharp 3 3/4-length score in the GIII Indiana Derby July 7 at Indiana Grand, he backed that up with a pace-pressing tally in the GIII West Virginia Derby a month later at Mountaineer.

Second that day was Warrant (Constitution), who re-opposes here for Twin Creeks Racing Stable and Brad Cox. Never out of the trifecta in six trips to the post, the chestnut was runner-up in the Oaklawn S. this spring before overcoming a wide trip to score in the Texas Derby.

Super Stock (Dialed In), upset winner of the GI Arkansas Derby this April, made no impact when 16th in the GI Kentucky Derby, and could manage only fourth in the Texas Derby and Iowa Derby, but bounced back with a convincing tally in the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby last out Aug. 15.

Other contenders include Reddam Racing's improving Team Merchants (Nyquist), who upset a Del Mar allowance/optional claimer with a 91 Beyer at 18-1 July 16 before running fifth in the Shared Belief S., and Defeater (Union Rags), a debut graduate Jan. 2 at Fair Grounds who has since run two strong seconds, including last time behind Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) in a loaded Saratoga allowance Aug. 14.

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Forego Winner Yaupon Retired; Will Stand At Spendthrift Farm

William and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Yaupon, coming off a hard-fought win over Firenze Fire in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 28, exited a routine gallop on Friday morning with a left hind sesamoid fracture and has been retired, according to multiple reports.

The 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo out of the Grade 1 stakes-placed Vindication mare, Modification, was at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., for Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, preparing for this year's Breeders' Cup world championships, at Del Mar Nov. 5-6, either in the G1 Sprint or G1 Dirt Mile.

Earlier this month, Spendthrift Farm announced that Yaupon would join its stallion roster at the conclusion of his racing career.

Bred in Kentucky by Lamantia, Betz, CoCo Equine, Magers and Burns, Yaupon won six of eight starts at 3 and 4, including the G2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga and the G3 Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico in 2020. His only defeats came when eighth in both the 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint and the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen earlier this year.

Yaupon sold as a $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling and then was acquired by the Heiligbrodts' East Hickman Bloodstock for $255,000 the following spring at the OBS June Sale.

The injury was detected while Yaupon was cooling out after a morning gallop, according to Bloodhorse.com. X-rays sent to Dr. Larry Bramlage at Rood and Riddle confirmed the injury. Spendthrift's Mark Toothaker told Bloodhorse.com no surgery will be required.

Yaupon's victory in the Forego will be remembered for the tenacity he showed in deep stretch as Firenze Fire, who had engaged the Uncle Mo colt from the outset, repeatedly leaned over to savage, or bite, Yaupon's head and bridle as the wire approached. Ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Yaupon's winning margin was a head and he covered seven furlongs in 1:21.74, earning a 103 Beyer Speed Figure while defeating five G1 winners.

Firenze Fire reaches over to “savage” rival Yaupon in the G1 Forego Aug. 28

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