Jackie's Warrior takes another shot at Drain the Clock in Amsterdam Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Steve Asmussen doesn’t like excuses. Despite the fact Jackie’s Warrior had one when he was upset by Drain the Clock in last month’s Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park, Asmussen passed on the chance to dwell on it.
“It could go smoother,” was about all Asmussen would offer.
Sunday, Jackie’s Warrior gets a chance to avenge that neck defeat to Drain the Clock when the two head a field of six 3-year-olds entered to run 6 1/2 furlongs in the Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga.
In the Woody Stephens, the speedy Jackie’s Warrior got pinched back to last soon after the start as Jose Ortiz guided Drain the Clock from post 2 to the five path in the early stages of the race. Joel Rosario hustled Jackie’s Warrior to duel with Drain the Clock through an opening quarter in 22.09 seconds. Jackie’s Warrior had a length lead in midstretch, but Drain the Clock wore him down.
That was Jackie’s Warrior first loss in a one-turn race. His six victories under such circumstances include the Grade 3 Saratoga Special and Grade 1 Hopeful here last summer as well as the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont last October.
“I don’t want to trade places with anybody, I want to keep the one I got,” Asmussen said. “I want to get him back in the winner’s circle. The horse gets and deserves a lot of respect. We expect that trend to continue.
“He was beaten by Drain the Clock last time out. We know we have our hands full. With that being said, nobody would be surprised if he was the favorite again.”
As was the case in the Woody Stephens, Jackie’s Warrior is in post 3, one slot outside Drain the Clock, who is in post 2. Irad Ortiz Jr. was scheduled to ride Drain the Clock in the Woody Stephens before he got injured two days before the race, and he will ride him Sunday. Rosario is back aboard Jackie’s Warrior.
Drain the Clock, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., is 6 for 6 in one-turn races. In addition to the Woody Stephens, Drain the Clock won the Swale at Gulfstream and Bay Shore at Aqueduct, both Grade 3 stakes.
Joseph believes Drain the Clock is training as good, if not better, than he was earlier in the year.
“I think he’s in as good a form as you could ask,” Joseph said.
Joseph acknowledged that Jackie’s Warrior had trouble at the start of the Woody Stephens, but said, “We hooked up long enough that if he was better than us, he would have beat us that day.”
“He’s coming back again,” Joseph said. “I’d rather him not come back, but the show’s going to go on and it’s good for racing.”
River Dog ran a race in his debut that makes him competitive in this spot. That came at Belmont against New York-breds, however. River Dog faces open company for the first time and has the rail draw.
Flash of Mischief is turning back in distance off a runner-up finish in the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows. Crowded Trade is turning back to a one-turn race after finishing fifth in the Preakness. In March, he was beaten a nose in the Gotham, a one-turn mile race at Aqueduct.