Jackson, owner of Curlin and Rachel, dies at 81

Jess Stonestreet Jackson, a pioneering architect of the ascendant American

wine industry, and more recently famed as the owner of Horses of the Year Curlin

and Rachel Alexandra, died Thursday at his Geyserville, California, home after a

long and courageous battle with cancer. He was 81.

The proprietor of Kendall-Jackson winery, Jackson campaigned his horses under

the banner of Stonestreet Stables. Those silks are due to be carried by former

Grade 1 Kentucky Derby hopeful Astrology in Saturday's Grade 2 Jerome at

Aqueduct.

A one-time longshoreman and police officer, who put himself through

University of California Berkeley's Boalt Hall law school, Jackson became one of

the best-known figures in American viticulture. The wine visionary popularized

Chardonnay in America in the early 1980s with his immediately-successful

Kendall-Jackson label, which became the best-selling Chardonnay in America for

more than two decades.

Raised in San Francisco during the Great Depression, Jackson worked as a

farmer, policeman, and land-use lawyer. He started the Kendall-Jackson wine

business with the family's 1974 purchase of an 80-acre pear and walnut orchard

in Lakeport, California, that he converted to a vineyard.

In 1982, he produced his first bottle of wine under the Kendall-Jackson

label. In 1983, the wine won the first double Platinum Award ever presented by

the American Wine Competition. Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates remains today one of

the most awarded wineries in the United States.

Jackson's vision and outspoken manner often ran counter to conventional

industry practices. When he realized that the quality of the French oak barrels

used to age his wine was inconsistent, he invested in his own mill in France to

provide barrel staves, and became a partner in a cooperage located in Missouri.

He created his own California distribution company to remain free of industry

consolidation there. He was a leader in the sustainable farming movement within

the wine industry, implementing dozens of environmentally-friendly farming

innovations throughout the vineyards of Jackson Family Wines.

As a philanthropist he and his wife Barbara Banke quietly donated millions of

dollars in support of local and national charitable organizations.

Jackson was a founding member of Family Winemakers of California. In 2009,

Jackson was inducted into the Vintner's Hall of Fame.

"Wine is entirely different from liquor and beer," he remarked at that time,

"and I'd like to see our industry free itself from the images that are used to

sell those products.

"Wine is a part of our cultural heritage. It has always been the traditional

partner with food. Wine celebrates friends, family, and love -- all of the best

things in life.

"When my family and I founded Kendall-Jackson in 1982, we simply wanted to

create extraordinary wine from California's best vineyards," Jackson

wrote in his biographical notes. "We grow grapes on our own 14,000 acres of

California coastal vineyards. We take the no-compromise, high road approach to

quality required to grow our world-class grapes and produce acclaimed

award-winning wines.

"From day one we have been a family-owned and family-run business. It is a

distinction that is rapidly becoming a rarity in our industry. Our family

culture is built on the time-honored principles of hard work, integrity, and

uncompromising desire for quality and the long-term stewardship of the land."

Jackson Family Wines is one of California's few remaining family-owned winery

groups. Among the wines made in the Jackson Family collection are

Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates, Cambria, Stonestreet, Edmeades, La Crema,

Cardinale, Lokoya, Hartford Family Winery, Verite, Atalon, Carmel Road, Murphy

Goode, La Jota, Freemark Abbey, Bryon Estates, Arrowood, in United States;

Chateau Lassegue in France; Tenuta di Arceno in Italy; Yangarra in Australia;

and Calina in Chile.

Jackson's passion for farming and horses led him later in life to

Thoroughbred breeding and racing. In 2007, he became majority stakeholder in

Curlin. Honored as Horse of the Year for two consecutive years (2007 and 2008),

Curlin ranks as North America's all-time leading earner with $10,501,800 to his

credit.

The following year, Jackson acquired Rachel Alexandra. In her debut in his

colors, she became the first filly to win the Grade 1 Preakness at Pimlico in 85

years and went on to win the 2009 Horse of the Year title.

In February, Rachel Alexandra began her new career as a broodmare by visiting

Curlin, and she is expected to produce her first foal in early February 2012.

"We have been anticipating this introduction for some time now," Jackson said

in a statement announcing the mating. "Imagine what possibilities those two

super horses might produce.

"Rachel Alexandra's 2009 campaign was one for the ages -- one that racing

fans will remember throughout time.

"Curlin showed the heart of a champion in every race. He did everything we

asked of him and more -- taking on ever-more difficult challenges."

An outspoken leader in the reform of racing, Jackson won the Sportsman of the

Year 2008 Insider Award.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Banke, five children: Jennifer Hartford,

Laura Giron, Katie Jackson, Julia Jackson and Christopher Jackson and two

grandchildren, Hailey Hartford and MacLean Hartford.

In recognition of Jackson's impact on the racing scene, industry leaders have

stepped forward to offer tributes.

National Thoroughbred

Racing Association President and CEO Alex Waldrop issued the following

statement:

"Jess Jackson left an indelible mark on Thoroughbred racing in a relatively

short period of time. He was outspoken in his calls for a high degree of

integrity in our sport and industry. But he will perhaps be best remembered for

his exploits as head of Stonestreet Stables which campaigned many outstanding

horses including two-time Horse of the Year winner, Curlin, and one of the great

fillies of all time, Rachel Alexandra.

"He was one of the most sporting owners of his generation, insisting on

racing Curlin in 2008 at age four when there was little more to prove

athletically and a financial temptation to retire him to stud.  What

transpired was an inspiring 2008 campaign for Curlin -- and yet another reminder

of what Jess routinely achieved with his wonderful combination of wisdom and

passion. He will be missed.

"Our heartfelt sympathies go out to Barbara Banke, his wife and partner, and

to the whole Jackson family who participated fully in the many successes of

Stonestreet Stables."

"Jess Jackson was a true sportsman with a great passion for Thoroughbred

racing," NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward said. "His smart and ambitious

management of Curlin and Rachel Alexandra's racing careers resulted in a number

of unforgettable performances at Belmont Park and Saratoga.

"Rachel's extraordinary 2009 (Grade 1) Woodward victory in front of more than

30,000 cheering fans at Saratoga remains one of my best memories in racing. It

will not be the same without his presence at the NYRA tracks, and he will be

deeply missed throughout the industry."

"Churchill Downs Inc. employees across the country were deeply saddened by

the news of Jess Jackson's passing," CDI Chairman-Elect and Chief Executive

Officer Robert L. Evans said. "Mr. Jackson set a high standard for Thoroughbred

horse ownership in the United States and abroad, and his competitive spirit made

for some of horse racing's most memorable moments this century. 

"The Kentucky Derby and (Grade 1) Kentucky Oaks were fortunate to count among

their contenders Horses of the Year Curlin and Rachel Alexandra, whose on-track

exploits brought new fans to our sport and created thousands of devoted

followers.

"We send our sincere condolences to Mr. Jackson's family, friends and his

respective teams at Stonestreet Stables, Buckram Oak Farm and Kendall-Jackson

winery who we know will greatly miss him."

"We are saddened to learn of the death of Jess Jackson," Keeneland President

and CEO Nick Nicholson said. "He was the consummate competitor who made everyone

around him raise their game when they shared an arena with him -- whether it be

in a vineyard or at the racetrack. He loved his horses and enjoyed his time in

Kentucky. I admired his integrity and his passion for excellence. I admired his

willingness to challenge the status quo. But most of all, I admired him as a

person. Our sport is better because of his participation in it. Our sympathy

goes out to his family during this difficult time."

"When I think of Jess Jackson," Keeneland Vice President of Sales Walt

Robertson said, "I think of tenacity. He demanded excellence of himself and

everyone around him and would not settle for anything less. He was a

success-driven man whose accomplishments are staggeringly impressive. He often

told us as an industry not what we wanted to hear, but what we needed to hear.

It takes a strong man to do that. We will miss him. Our condolences go to his

wife Barbara and the rest of him family."