NEWS
Jackson Bend back in top form in Hal’s Hope Stakes
Posted: Saturday, January 14, 2012 6:16 PM
JACKSON BEND WINS HAL'S HOPE STAKES
Bob Coglianese photo
For video of the Hal's Hope Stakes, click here.
by Ron Parker
Robert LaPenta’s and Fred Brei’s Jackson Bend overcame a troubled start and displayed his class Saturday with a one-length victory in the $100,000 Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
The Grade 1-winning five-year-old Hear No Evil horse, last seen finishing third in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) on November 5 at Churchill Downs, bobbled at the start of the Hal’s Hope Stakes, prompting jockey John Velazquez to bide his time in mid-pack before rallying in the stretch for a one-length victory as the 9-to-10 favorite.
“He stumbled leaving there, then had to sit there with nowhere to go until he found a place to run in the stretch,” trainer Nick Zito said. “He’s got a tremendous heart. He’s very special. He has the guts of a lion.”
The Hal’s Hope Stakes was the eighth career victory for the chestnut to go with six seconds and a trio of third-place finishes, including the 2010 Preakness Stakes (G1) as well as the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He posted his seventh career stakes win and second in a graded stakes.
“I’ve been watching replays of his races and he can be a little bad,” winning jockey John Velazquez said. “He didn’t really stumble, but he didn’t break that well. I was sort of biding my time around the turn. I didn’t know if I should go inside or outside. But then I took the easy way out and said, ‘I’ll just take him outside.’ It worked great.”
Jackson Bend, a half brother to stakes winner Garter Belt, is out of the winning Tabasco Cat mare Sexy Stockings, a half sister to stakes winner Fort Loudon, who swept last year’s three-race Florida Stallion series at Calder Race Course.
Bred in Florida by Jacks or Better Farm, who also bred and own Fort Loudon, the Hal’s Hope Stakes victory increased Jackson Bend’s earnings to $1,310,950. His Grade 1 victory came in the 2011 Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
