Sunday, February 23, 2020
HALLANDALE BEACH - Tracy Pinchin’s Jackson, a multiple stakes-winner in Florida-bred company, established himself as a graded stakes-winner Saturday at Gulfstream Park, capturing the $100,000, Gr. III World of Trouble by three-quarters of a length.
“Hey, he’s a homebred, so we must be happy,” said trainer Jose Pinchin, whose wife bred the 4-year-old son of Kantharos. “The mare is worth something. It’s a Grade 3.”
L
asting Legacy, the 4-5 favorite, found a world of trouble at the start of the six-furlong stakes, before finishing a late-running fourth under Paco Lopez. Jackson, who was severely compromised by an extremely wide trip during a third-place finish in the Jan. 18 Sunshine Millions Sprint, had a perfect trip under Luis Saez Saturday to collect his fifth stakes victory – his first in open company.
Jackson ($28.80) tracked pacesetter Admiral Lynch, who set fractions of :22.52 and :45.15 seconds under Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first half mile. On the turn, Saez sent Jackson after Admiral Lynch, and his ever-gritty mount responded to edge away to victory in the stretch.
“I was really pleased," Pinchin said. "He broke good; he tracked the horse. Luis went around and gave him a great ride. He should have won last time.” Jackson ran six furlongs in 1:09.55.
“He warmed up so good," Saez said. "He broke so well, he was right there. When we came to the three-eighths pole I know we can fire. We came to the stretch and he did it.”
Admiral Lynch finished 1 ½ lengths clear of third-place finisher Epic Dreamer, who checked in a half-length ahead of Lasting Legacy.
Jackson, who has won at distances between 4 ½ furlongs and a mile and 40 yards, registered his first victory in his fifth start at the six-furlong distance. “We always knew he had talent. He just had to get it together,” Pinchin said. “He’s better 4-year-old than he was as a 3-year-old,”
Pinchin said Jackson, who has earned nearly $450,000, will race next in a state-bred stakes at Tampa Bay Downs (Florida Cup day).
comments powered by