Hal's Hope Stakes (GP; G3, 8F, 4U, $100,000)

[second_glance]

Race 9, 4:17 pm EST

PP Horse Virtual
Stable A/S Med Jockey Wgt Trainer
1 Jackson Bend (FL) 5/H L J R Velazquez 123 N P Zito
2 Sky Venture (KY) 5/G L J C Leyva 117 C Paul
3 Sangaree (KY) 7/H L R Maragh 117 K P McLaughlin
4 Successful Mission (KY) 6/G L E Trujillo 121 E Plesa, Jr.
5 Decisive Moment (FL) 4/C L S O Madrid 121 J D Arias
6 Our Dark Knight (KY) 5/H L J Bravo 117 N P Zito
7 Soaring Empire (KY) 5/H L J R Leparoux 121 C M Gambolati
8 Cool Blue Red Hot (KY) 4/C L M R Cruz 117 A J Penna, Jr.
9 Will's Wildcat (KY) 4/G L C H Borel 117 J E Baker

[Ty88]

Jackson Bend.

[islandgirl45]

Jackson Bend.

Hope the gods of racing make his season opener a success!

[Secretariat Forever]

I'll go with Jackson Bend as well.

[Kennedy]

Jackson Bend is the monster here but he is 0 for 4 on the track and 0 for 3 at the distance. He is definitely the best horse but I may be inclined to take someone against him. The "other" horse and the only one I'd use here instead of Jackson Bend on a dry track would be Will's Wildcat. I think the one turn configuration is key with him. He's a nose away from being unbeaten in his last 3 one turn dirt races and I think he's got a tactical speed advantage over Jackson.

I'll take Will's Wildcat for the upset.

[second_glance]

Nick knows this is not JB's best distance, but feels he does better at a mile than at 6F.

And this is how he describes his little horse: “He comes to work every day with a smile. He comes to work happy."

http://blogs.courier-journal.com/rac...Racing+Blog%29

[Secretariat Forever]

I would consider the fact that JB really didn't come into his own until summer last year though. Before that he was just hard trying, didn't exactly show the talent he has since July of last year and he hasn't run on this track since then. But even before he stepped up he did pretty well at GP. 3 seconds out of his 4 tries on the track. I give him a great shot at this distance. If anything he needs a mile more than say a 6F race. He ran very well behind Uncle Mo in the Kelso at a mile (a distance Uncle Mo was best at, on a track he clearly relished), and he was flying in the stretch of the BC Sprint where he definitely just needed more ground. 7F to a mile is where Jackson Bend is best. And unless he's all of the sudden grown a dislike for GP, he handles the track. And assuming he's as good or better than the JB we saw late last year...I think he's the horse to beat.

[islandgirl45]

Nick knows this is not JB's best distance, but feels he does better at a mile than at 6F.

And this is how he describes his little horse: “He comes to work every day with a smile. He comes to work happy."

http://blogs.courier-journal.com/rac...Racing+Blog%29

That's a great quote about him, too. He usually turns in sharp works.

[dustino140]

Get the impression that Jackson Bend is a very dangerous play here. Yes, on his best day he strolls for fun, but this horse has a knack of falling out of form at times and he's never won at Gulfstream or at this distance. He begins a new form cycle here, and just not sure there's any reason to believe he'll jump right back in to his Saratoga form. At 4/5, why try to find out? A bit concerned that Nakatani won't be on his back - those two definitely had a rapport - and while JV is one of the nation's best riders, you have to wonder if losing Nakatani will hurt. He does benefit by drawing into a race that is quite light and ample on speed, but I'd still consider some others.

I've always had a love/hate thing with Soaring Empire, but can't argue with the way he is working in the mornings, nor can you argue that this track suits him quite well. Draw a line through his Met Mile where he just didn't have 'it' and his abbreviated 2011 campaign was a model of consistency. Beat Rule and Morning Line in this thing last year, and just get the impression Gambolati may have him a bit more cranked than Zito has Jackson Bend. Not sure what type of price he'll be, but would take 5/2 on this one over 4/5 on JB any day.

Not crazy about Will's Wildcat, the potential 3rd choice, only because his best two races have come over wet, sealed tracks. He'll play 'catch me if you can' with them, but with Successful Mission and Decisive Moment signed on, he'll have company up front. Zito could really exacerbate the pace scenario, depending on how Bravo rides Our Dark Knight. Looks like he's in here on his own merit, and could be a fallback to his stablemate.

Sangaree burned me pretty decently in the Cigar Mile, so not sure what to make of him here. Hasn't won a race for over 18 months and not sure I see him getting his first in a long time against these.

1. Soaring Empire
2. Successful Mission
3. Jackson Bend

[PJMIII]

Grade 1 stars highlight Fort Lauderdale, Hal's Hope

The four-year-old colt Mutual Trust took it on the chin in his final start in France last summer in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, but the Juddmonte Farms homebred appears to have sufficient class to make a significant impact in his U.S. debut in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Fort Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

http://www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/edito...e.cgi?id=26061

[Blue Jeans]

Nick knows this is not JB's best distance, but feels he does better at a mile than at 6F.

And this is how he describes his little horse: “He comes to work every day with a smile. He comes to work happy."

http://blogs.courier-journal.com/rac...Racing+Blog%29

And JB doesn't mind getting dirty, either. He's always the dirty one in the crowd. Cheers to Jackson Bend. Love that fella.

[Kennedy]

7F to a mile is where Jackson Bend is best. And unless he's all of the sudden grown a dislike for GP, he handles the track. And assuming he's as good or better than the JB we saw late last year...I think he's the horse to beat.

Of course he's the horse to beat. No one who reads form well would deny that. I just think he can be beaten and this is a spot where I would try to beat him. After all the "horse to beat" does lose about 70% of the time.

[dustino140]

Jackson Bend by about a length at 4/5. Sangaree 2nd, Cool Blue Red Hot 3rd.

[LifeAtZen]

Jackson Bend takes it.

eta: Dustin beat me to it

[second_glance]

Stumbles out of the gate, gets stuck in traffic, has to shift out from behind, what, 4 horses? And wins. How can you not love this tough, tough little horse.

[honneerider]

Stumbles out of the gate, gets stuck in traffic, has to shift out from behind, what, 4 horses? And wins. How can you not love this tough, tough little horse.

I do love him and always supported him. Loved being there at Saratoga cheering him on last year!
Congrats, JB!

[Blue Jeans]

He did it! Congrats to JB and JV! Love that little fella ... Jackson Bend!

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...ith-late-burst

[luvsgeldings]

i echo the sentiments... i am in love with this little guy - tries hard every time - tons of heart - gritty and gutsy - hoping he stays healthy all year long and comes out here to santa anita for the BC - would be thrilled to see him in person!

[Spahny]

The hard part is finding where he fits best. But I imagine the early goal is the Met Mile.

[GreenasGrass]

Somehow Jackson Bend aged a year without me noticing, but congrats Jackson Bend.