Bob Black Jack |
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| Barbara D. Livingston |
2008 Prep Recap
| Date | Trk | Race | Chart | Distance | Time | BSF | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/26 | SA | SunMillion Dash Stakes | Chart | 6f | 1:06:2 | 109 | |
| 3/15 | SA | San Felipe (G2) | Chart | 1 1/16m | 1:42:1 | 89 |  |
| 4/5 | SA | Santa Anita Derby (G1) | Chart | 1 1/8m | 1:48.16 | 94 | |
Analysis (by Michael Hammersly)
Strengths: He’s fast and has shown he can carry it. He was fast enough to set a six-furlong track record at Santa Anita this winter, but classy and versatile enough to be a close second going 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.
Weaknesses: While he’s got speed, if they try to be up on the pace things could get dicey as there’s plenty of other zip signed up. His three wins have all come sprinting, so while he’s run well in his two routes he remains winless routing. As with a few other West Coast raiders, this will mark his first attempt on a traditional dirt surface.
Strategy: He’s got speed, to be sure, and his natural speed has had him right up on the pace. In the Santa Anita Derby his speed had him pressing the issue, but he showed he could settle and maintain a nice gallop. That left him with gas in the tank to continue on well for a fine Santa Anita Derby finish. Even so, he’ll need to save a lot as furlong No. 10, particularly if he prompts a brisk pace, could get a little tough for him.
Value: Seems to be very much under the radar, despite some quality work and his proximity to Colonel John at the end of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby (beaten just a half-length). Despite that he figures to be ignored in the wagering and could easily be over 20-1 despite a number of items on the asset side of his ledger.
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Owners: J. Harmon & T. Kasparoff |
Pedigree Profile (by Lauren Stich)
Sire Line: Stormy Jack is a Cal-bred son of Bertrando who won stakes at 2, 3, and 4. Bertrando, a stakes winner at 2 and 3, became a champion at 4 when he won the Pacific Classic and Woodward Stakes. Bertrando is by Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Skywalker, but most runners from the In Reality sire line are successful up to nine furlongs, and if they have success at 1 1/4 miles, it is as older runners.
Female Family: Molly’s Prospector was a winner and is a full sister to Susan Powter, the dam of stakes-winning sprinter Joey Franco, and also a half-sister to stakes-winning sprinter What a Spell. Most significant aspect of this entire pedigree is that his fourth dam, Nangela, was a rare double RF, as she was inbred 3x5 to Sister Sarah (second dam of Nearctic) and 4x5 to Scapa Flow, the dam of the full brothers Pharos and Fairway. Bob Black Jack’s third dam, Miss Nanith, is a half-sister to Canadian champion Square Angel. Swain, Fantastic Light, Gorgeous, Key to the Moon, Golden Attraction, Cape Town, Cuddles, Northern Afleet, and Tap to Music all descend from Square Angel, and this is the key to Bob Black Jack’s class.
Pedigree Pattern: Despite the class of his female family, this is a pedigree (Stormy Jack/Native Prospector cross) that will be hard-pressed to get the Derby distance. He should only be a pace factor.