Breeders' Cup Clocker: Jackie's Warrior, Aloha West deliver quick drills
Keeneland
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 56 degrees
Track: Fast
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Fast horses work fast! For those who didn’t already know it, that was the lesson learned Tuesday morning at Keeneland where the track was tight and some of the quickest horses on the planet showed off that speed when turning in final major preps for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and Filly and Mare Sprint to be decided here at six and seven furlongs, respectively, on Nov. 5.
JACKIE’S WARRIOR gave every indication he should be a deserving favorite in the Sprint after zipping five furlongs from the half-mile pole under cover of darkness, posting splits of 23.46 seconds and 46.61 to the wire before completing the distance into the turn in 58.83 and galloping out a lively three-quarters in 1:12.06. Jackie’s Warrior, who has not run since suffering his only setback in five starts this season in the seven-furlong Forego on Aug. 27 at Saratoga, was matched stride for stride much of the way by stablemate County Final before maintaining a short advantage at the end.
Any doubt about ALOHA WEST coming back to defend his Sprint title was erased after the 2021 winner worked five furlongs in 34.59 and 58.77 while under some urging to finish from midstretch to the wire before easing up three-quarters in 1:12.87. Trainer Wayne Catalano confirmed afterward that Aloha West, who has not started since winning the Kelly’s Landing on July 2 at Churchill Downs, has been pre-entered and will join stablemate Manny Wah in the Sprint.
The tractors had barely gotten off the track when EDGEWAY broke off at the half-mile pole and sizzled to the wire in 46.16 with assistant trainer Juan Leyva sitting chilly in the saddle. The 2021 Filly and Mare Sprint runner-up sustained plenty of momentum going out five panels in 58.71. Leyva was bullish on the work afterward, saying he had noticed the track had quickened since the previous morning while aboard FLIGHTLINE for an easy gallop a couple of hours earlier.
In sharp contrast to the sprinters, Classic-bound RICH STRIKE was out for a leisurely, almost maintenance-like breeze immediately after the track opened, as usual, at 5:30 a.m. Leaving the six-furlong pole at a two-minute clip before officially breaking off at the five-eighths marker to begin the drill, the Kentucky Derby winner covered the distance in 37.36 and 1:02.71 while going easily throughout, easing up after six panels into the clubhouse turn in 1:16.04. He has shown to be a strong work horse when asked for his best in the morning on many occasions throughout his Cinderella season, although that was not the intent Tuesday.
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