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Hal's Hope StakesJackson Bend wins the Grade 3, $100,000 Hal's Hope at Gulfstream Park on January 14, 2012.Tags:

Jackson Bend emphasized how good he will likely be this season from seven furlongs to one mile when rallying from off the pace to garner top honors in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Hal's Hope Stakes over Gulfstream Park's one-turn mile. Sent away as the 4-5 choice under new rider John Velazquez, the five-year-old went outside a wall of rivals at the top of the stretch and motored home to win by a length over Sangaree in a time of 1:38 over a fast track. Jackson Bend returned $3.80, $2.80 and $2.20.

Content to settle near the back on the long run down the backside, Jackson Bend was no more than five lengths in back of Will's Wildcat, who set splits of :24 1/5 and :47 2/5. Pressured rounding the far turn, Will's Wildcat soon folded and was overtaken by the likes of Decisive Moment, who led after six furlongs in 1:12 2/5, Successful Mission and 2011 Hal's Hope winner Soaring Empire.

A group of four were spread across the track turning for home, but moving best of all slightly behind that wall was Jackson Bend, who was soon joined by Sangaree, who made a strong bid around the turn but was hung extremely wide trying to overtake the rest of the field. Jackson Bend was always going the better of the two and prevailed with comfort. Sangaree was up in time to claim second over Cool Blue Red Hot by a neck. It was another four lengths back to Soaring Empire.

Completing the order of finish was Decisive Moment, Sky Venture, Successful Mission and Will's Wildcat. Our Dark Knight was scratched.

Conditioned by Stanley Gold as a two-year-old in 2009, Jackson Bend won the open Frank Gomez Memorial at Calder then swept that track's Florida Stallion Stakes series -- consisting of the Dr. Fager, Affirmed and In Reality divisions -- to conclude his juvenile season. Privately purchased by Bob LePenta and Fred Brei before his sophomore season, Jackson Bend was transferred to Nick Zito's barn.

Jackson Bend failed to win in eight starts in 2010, coming closest in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes and Grade 1 Preakness Stakes when finishing three parts of a length short in both. He also placed in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial Stakes and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes, but was unplaced in his final three starts of the season.

Stabled again with Gold early last year, Jackson Bend placed in two of four stakes appearances, running second in the Grade 3 Skip Away Stakes and third in the Memorial Day Handicap The overdue move to shorten Jackson Bend up in distance produced immediate dividends when Zito re-acquired Jackson Bend prior to the seven-furlong James Marvin Stakes on July 22. Jackson Bend emerged with the lead in the stretch and drew off to a 2 1/2-length score, and then won over the same seven-furlong trip in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes on September 3.

A solid second to Uncle Mo in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap going a mile, Jackson Bend cut back to six furlongs for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs. The distance proved to short, however, as the five-year-old rallied belatedly for third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Amazombie. After this victory, Jackson Bend's career mark now reads 23-8-6-3, $1,310,950.

Bred in Florida by Jacks or Better Farm, Jackson Bend is out of the winning Tabasco Cat mare Sexy Stockings and counts as half-siblings multiple stakes vixen Garter Belt and the stakes-placed Grand Shores. He also has a juvenile full sister named Sequoyah Hills. Sexy Stockings is a half-sister to multiple Grade 2 queen and millionaire Lottsa Talc.

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