Jackson Bend brings 'a lot of heart' into Breeders' Cup

by Brisnet.com

Jackson Bend has done a little bit of everything in his career. He has raced

at eight tracks in five states, competed at distances ranging from 4 1/2

furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, and has tested champions Lookin at Lucky and Uncle Mo

in graded stakes.

This year's Breeders' Cup will give Jackson Bend the chance to stake his own

championship claim when he competes in either the Sprint or the Dirt Mile.

After finishing third in last year's Preakness Stakes, Jackson Bend has made

his mark in middle-distance races this year. When he won the Grade 1 Forego

Stakes in September, he became the first horse to place in a Triple Crown race

and go on to win a Grade 1 sprint since Hard Spun, who in 2007 finished second

in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Preakness prior to his victory in the

King's Bishop.

It was in sprints at Calder Race Course where Jackson Bend, a Florida-bred

son of Hear No Evil, first made an impact, winning the Frank Gomez Memorial

Stakes and the Dr. Fager division of the Florida Stallion Stakes series at six

furlongs, as well as the Affirmed division of that series at seven furlongs.

Following a 2 3/4-length score after stumbling badly at the start of the In

Reality division, Robert LaPenta decided to buy an interest in Jackson Bend from

owner/breeder Jacks or Better Farm.

"Some of those Calder horses are really starting to develop," LaPenta said.

"I don't know why they start to develop early, whether it's because they race

early or because the track gets them fit. J.B. showed that competitive spirit,

and I was impressed with the way he ran. He's small, but he's an efficient mover

and is a well put-together horse."

Following LaPenta's acquisition, Jackson Bend was transferred from trainer

Stanley Gold to Hall of Fame conditioner Nick Zito, who in recent years has

trained Grade 1 winners The Cliff's Edge, War Pass, Da' Tara, and Ice Box for

LaPenta. Jackson Bend finished second in his first three starts for his new

connections in the Grade 3 Holy Bull, Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Wood

Memorial.

Jackson Bend failed to fire when 12th in the Kentucky Derby, but nearly

pulled off an 11-1 upset in the Preakness, finishing three-quarters of a length

behind dual champion Lookin at Lucky and a head behind eventual Grade 1 winner

First Dude.

"If you go back to his three-year-old season, he could have been a

superstar," LaPenta remarked. "We ran into monsters like Eskendereya, and

(Jackson Bend) came back in the Preakness after making a move, checking, and

splitting horses. I watched the replay, and I thought he could have at least

beaten First Dude."

A victory in his three-year-old season proved elusive for Jackson Bend, with

his best finish after the Triple Crown being a fourth in the Grade 3 Ack Ack

Handicap in November at Churchill Downs right before he switched back to Gold's

barn.

Jackson Bend returned to Florida this winter with Gold, nearly regaining the

winning thread in his second start of the year, finishing second to in the Grade

3 Skip Away Stakes at Gulfstream Park. A third-place finish in the Memorial Day

Handicap, his final start in Florida, marked the 12th race in his losing streak.

It was time for a change. Jackson Bend rejoined Zito's string at Saratoga

Race Course, with his connections deciding to cut the four-year-old cut back in

distance for the seven-furlong James Marvin Stakes on the Spa's opening day. The

result was a 2 1/2-length victory against a graded stakes-quality field.

"We thought, 'Why don't we shorten him up a little?'" LaPenta explained. "The

plan was to shorten him up and then point him towards the Breeders' Cup."

But first came engagements in Saratoga's Grade 1, seven-furlong Forego, a

race Jackson Bend won by 3 1/4 lengths, and Belmont's Grade 2, one-mile Kelso

Handicap, in which he finished second by three lengths to Uncle Mo after

breaking slowly and making a strong inside middle move on the turn before being

repelled by the front runner.

"(Jackson Bend) had to make up ground after spotting Uncle Mo five lengths at

the start, and the track seemed to be favoring speed that day," LaPenta noted.

With Jackson Bend having finished in the exacta in three straight one-turn

starts, LaPenta and Zito are faced with a decision: have the colt make his first

start at six furlongs since his two-year-old season by entering him in the

Sprint or keep him at eight furlongs for the Dirt Mile.

"Right now, it's looking like a lot of horses entered in the Sprint could end

up in the Dirt Mile," LaPenta said. "We're still leaning towards the Mile, but I

want another day or two to see how it looks. I think six might be a little

short."

Regardless of what race they choose, LaPenta and Zito know Jackson Bend will

put forward his best effort.

"Nick thinks he's been spectacular," LaPenta said. "J.B. is everybody's hero.

He's an undersized horse with a lot of heart. He never gets intimidated."