Jackie’s Warrior makes Saratoga history with Vanderbilt triumph

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Reigning Sprint champion Jackie’s Warrior earned what his trainer Steve Asmussen aptly described as “a piece of horseracing immortality” when he became the first horse to win a Saratoga Grade 1 stakes in three consecutive years with an incredibly easy, two-length victory over Kneedeepinsnow in Saturday’s $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap.

The margin of victory was deceiving, as jockey Joel Rosario was like a statue in the saddle through the stretch, allowing Jackie’s Warrior to just cruise to the wire with the issue no longer in doubt.

“We were all made aware if he wins today, he’s the only horse to win a Grade 1 three years in a row at Saratoga. Saratoga!,” Asmussen emphasized. “The great racehorses that have run here, and he’s the only one to have done that. I can’t say how much I wanted that for him. I wanted this more than you’re supposed to want things. Immortality. Horseracing immortality. A record like that. And Jackie’s Warrior has done it.”

Jackie’s Warrior broke alertly before being eased back by Rosario, allowing Doc Amster to set the early pace in the six-furlong Vanderbilt. Jackie’s Warrior readily overtook the leader midway on the turn, quickly edged clear and extended his advantage while remaining on his own accord out near the center of the track, winning despite carrying high weight of 127 pounds and giving a concession of 10 pounds to the runner-up.

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Kneedeepinsnow surprisingly dropped to the rear of the six-horse field in the run down the backstretch, angled six-wide into the stretch with his bid, continuing willingly while remaining well off the rail to easily be second-best, finishing three lengths in front of Willy Boi, while never a threat to the winner. Ny Traffic, a tiring Doc Amster and Long Range Toddy completed the order of finish.

The Vanderbilt was the fourth win in as many starts this season for Jackie’s Warrior, a 4-year-old son of Maclean’s Music, who also remained undefeated in five career starts at Saratoga. Owned by Kirk and Judy Robison, Jackie’s Warrior completed six furlongs in 1:09.74 seconds and paid $2.50. Jackie's Warrior was given a 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He’s the whole package, he has such a tremendous amount of ability and confidence in himself,” Asmussen continued. “We owe everything we have to these horses and when one comes along as special as him, you go through the crowd and see all the fans he has. I’m just so proud of him and the whole team. You can’t imagine how much this horse means to the whole barn.”

Rosario echoed Asmussen’s sentiments regarding the greatness of Jackie’s Warrior.

“He’s a special horse,” Rosario said. “These horses don’t come along every day and he’s just incredible. He’s always there for me. I know when I ask him to go, he’s there for me.”

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Asmusssen said the plan is to bring Jackie’s Warrior back here on August 27 for the Grade 1 Forego as his final prep for his racing swan song at Keeneland on Nov. 5 in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“We mapped out his schedule for the year when he came back in training,” Asmussen said. “We expect to run him back in the Forego and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Those will be his last two races and then he’s off to Spendthrift for his stud career.”

Trainer Matt Shirer, who brought former claimer Kneedeepinsnow to Saratoga for the first time for the Vanderbilt, was pleased with his horse’s performance in defeat.

“That was pretty cool,” Shirer said. “I didn’t expect him to be that far back. It took him a little bit of time to get in stride. Once he did he started making a move. I was really happy with the way he ran. I mean, there was no beating Jackie’s Warrior, but at least he closed and came running, and he looked good on the gallop out.”