Jacks Escarpment should be fitter for Queenston

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Jacks Escarpment came within three-quarters of a length of remaining undefeated in his seasonal debut April 11 in the Woodstock Stakes at Woodbine. Now, he’ll stretch out to seven furlongs for the $150,000 Queenston Stakes on May 2, trainer Nicholas Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said Jacks Escarpment, who wintered in Ontario, was a little short in his training leading up to the Woodstock.

“He ran right up to Dec. 5, and I didn’t want to keep going with him,” Gonzalez said. “A lot of our horses were a little behind in their training because of the bad weather and the short period of time we had to get them ready. He wasn’t anywhere close to being ready to run last time. He ran the last eighth of a mile on heart.”

Jacks Escarpment won both of his starts as a 2-year-old in convincing fashion and earned a career-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure for his second-place finish in the Woodstock. The son of Ontario sire Old Forester is nominated to the Queen’s Plate, but Gonzalez said the 3-year-old might not stretch out to 1 1/4 miles.

“I’m going to take it one step at a time because [Old Forester’s] offspring have had distance limitations,” he said. “Realistically, we were optimistic when we nominated him to the Triple Crown, but that horse surprises me all of the time. If he does well going seven furlongs, then we’ll be forced to go to the Plate Trial, and that will be our next question.”

Gonzalez said Imperial Dream, who ran fourth in the Woodstock Stakes, is also being pointed to the Queenston.