H. Allen Jerkens offers intriguing matchup
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It may not be the most appetizing wagering affair, but Saturday’s showdown between Jackie’s Warrior and Life Is Good in the Grade 1, $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens going seven furlongs at Saratoga offers tremendous intrigue.
Jackie’s Warrior re-established his position as the top 3-year-old sprinter around with a dominant 7 1/4-length victory in the Grade 2 Amsterdam here Aug. 1. It not only enabled him to bounce back from a narrow defeat to Drain the Clock in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park, it was his third victory in as many starts at Saratoga, including last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful and Grade 2 Saratoga Special.
“I do like the fact that race is run at Saratoga because of his past success here,” said Steve Asmussen, trainer of Jackie’s Warrior. “I’m very happy with the results of the Amsterdam and that he’s trained well since.”
Jackie’s Warrior’s best weapon is speed, something he didn’t use effectively in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens on June 5 at Belmont.
Jackie’s Warrior, the 124-pound co-highweight, breaks from post 2 under Joel Rosario.
Life Is Good, a son of Into Mischief, was the leading 3-year-old in the country during the winter after victories in the Grade 3 Sham and Grade 2 San Felipe, both at Santa Anita. He was removed from the Triple Crown trail after needing surgery to remove a chip from his left hind ankle.
Life Is Good was transferred by owners WinStar Farm and China Horse Club from Bob Baffert to trainer Todd Pletcher in early summer. Life Is Good has impressed in his morning training, showing signs of being the same horse he was before he was sidelined.
“He’s as advertised from what we’ve seen,” Pletcher said. “You never expect to come back in the Allen Jerkens into an easy spot, but this looks like a hot race with a lot of pace. I think it’ll be up to Mike [Smith] to determine the pace scenario. I don’t think the horse needs to be swept off his feet. Let him get into a comfortable rhythm and keep coming.”
Pletcher likes the fact Life Is Good has drawn the outside post in the six-horse field.
“I thought that was a good draw for him, gives Mike some options to survey how things are unfolding,” Pletcher said. “He’s a naturally talented horse who has natural speed, but at the same time he’s not a need-the-lead type.”
Pletcher also sends out Following Sea, who displayed brilliance in one-turn races at Oaklawn Park and Belmont Park before finishing a well-beaten third – he was elevated to second after the disqualification of Hot Rod Charlie – in the Grade 1 Haskell going 1 1/8 miles around two turns. Following Sea, a son of Runhappy, breaks from post 3 under John Velazquez.
“I think he’s going to be in a stalking-type position,” Pletcher said. “He has natural speed, maybe not as much as Drain the Clock and Jackie’s Warrior, but at the same time he’s capable of putting up some pretty fast splits. It will be a riders’ race.”
Drain the Clock, who tried to run with Jackie’s Warrior in the Amsterdam before settling for second, will likely have to be sent from the rail under Irad Ortiz Jr.
Newbomb, trained by Kelly Breen, is coming off an eight-length score in a first-level allowance going six furlongs here Aug. 7.
The New York-bred Judge N Jury came off a 10-month layoff to win a New York-bred first-level allowance by 8 1/2 lengths on July 23, earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.