H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (Grade 1)
STEVE Asmussen watched Jackie’s Warrior win Saratoga’s Amsterdam Stakes from a clubhouse box seat halfway up the stretch. Last Saturday, for the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, the Hall of Fame trainer wanted an even better view and was down on the grandstand apron at track level.
“This was a race to watch from there, you talk about stage set, that was it,” he said. “The stage was set, and I wanted to watch that as close as I could. I wanted to see that up close.”
Jackie’s Warrior and Life Is Good didn’t disappoint Asmussen, or anyone else who saw the $500,000 Jerkens – part of a massive Travers Day card featuring seven graded stakes.
Life Is Good came into the seven-furlong test with reputation. Three starts, three wins, Kentucky Derby aspirations, a transfer of trainers from Bob Baffert in California to Todd Pletcher in New York.
Jackie’s Warrior entered with his own gaudy resume of six wins in nine starts, a three-for-three mark at Saratoga and that knockout Amsterdam win four weeks earlier.
“When they left the gate, it was like, ‘Oh they are the fastest two horses,’” Asmussen said.
The 4/5 favourite Life Is Good popped out of the outside stall for Mike Smith and gradually outran the 3/2 Jackie’s Warrior and Joel Rosario for the lead. Outside, with Smith tall in the stirrups, Life Is Good got the first quarter-mile in 21.97secs as a loose-reined Jackie’s Warrior stayed inside and kept pace three-quarters of a length behind.
Smith let out a notch early on the turn, and Life Is Good put a quick two lengths on everybody. Rosario just watched for a beat.
On purpose
“A little bit,” the jockey replied when asked if that was on purpose. “I sat a little bit, to see what happens and he was fine there.”
Two lengths clear through a half-mile in 44.16sec, Life Is Good looked poised to toss his white bridle into the three-year-old picture – until Rosario sent Jackie’s Warrior back into battle just before the quarter pole. Rallying along the rail, the son of Maclean’s Music drew alongside and the race was on.
“I had to start getting a little bit in the race,” said Rosario. “He’s fast and he runs and he listens to me. That makes him tough. We sprinted from the five-sixteenths.”
Though Life Is Good didn’t let go, Jackie’s Warrior seized it, taking the lead just before the eighth pole as six furlongs went by. As good horses do, Life Is Good answered that challenge but couldn’t get past. Jackie’s Warrior prevailed by a neck in 1m21.39secs.
A $95,000 Keeneland September purchase by Asmussen for Kirk and Judy Robison in 2019, Jackie’s Warrior continues to win over witnesses. His trainer was part of the fan club early on.
“He’s so intelligent, I love to watch his races,” Asmussen said. “You can tell the expression. He flicks his ears and stuff, which they do, but isn’t he just awesome the way he runs to the wire and then he’ll pull up like, ‘Take my picture?’ He’s just an unbelievably special horse. He’s beautiful. He’s got an unbelievable amount of talent and he’s unbelievably intelligent.”