Jackson Bend gets fifth straight win Saturday.  Jim Lisa photo

Jackson Bend, a 2-year-old colt from the first crop of Journeyman stallion Hear No Evil, turned in his best performance to date and showed that he is one of the top juveniles in the country, overcoming a poor start to impressively win the $400,000 In Reality S. and sweep the three-race FSS series on Oct. 17th at Calder.

Under regular rider Jeffrey Sanchez, Jackson Bend, the odds-on favorite in the last leg of the Florida Stallion Stakes, stumbled badly leaving the starting gate and had every excuse for it to not be his day in his first start stretching out to around two turns in the 1 1/16-mile event. But the classy chestnut recovered and professionally stalked the early pace three-wide down the backstretch while traveling composed. Approaching the far turn, Jackson Bend began to show his quality, forging to the lead to take command of the race in the stretch.

Thank U Philippe provided the final test for Jackson Bend on his quest for the FSS sweep, rallying to challenge at the eight pole. But Sanchez and Jackson Bend found another gear and pulled away with authority late to win by a widening 2 ¾ lengths on the wire. The final time was 1:46.86 over a fast track in a performance that earned the brilliant colt a 100 Beyer Speed Figure – the second highest Beyer recorded this year by a 2-year-old colt. It is easily the fastest Beyer recorded by a 2-year-old around two turns in North America so far this year.

The victory gave Jackson Bend wins in all three FSS races, including the Dr. Fager S. and Affirmed S. earlier in the Calder meeting at sprint distances. He became just the seventh 2-year-old in the history of the FSS to sweep the prestigious series.

“He is the cardiac kid,” said Stanley Gold, trainer of Jackson Bend. “He scared me at the start. I was afraid he hurt himself, but he hung in there. I was confident all along that the distance or the track wouldn’t be a problem. I just wanted him to get a clean trip. When the challenge came in the stretch, (Sanchez) he hadn’t gotten to the bottom of our horse and he responded.

“As for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1, Nov. 7 at Santa Anita), the final decision will be up to Mr. (Fred) Brei (owner-breeder). There will be plenty of races for him down the road at Gulfstream this winter,” said Gold.

Jackson Bend undoubtedly ascended to the top of the 2-year-old ranks with the win, which was his fifth from six starts with his lone defeat coming in the form of a runner-up effort in his debut where he closed to finish second beaten just a half-length. He now owns career earnings of $477,820 for Mr. Brie and his Jacks or Better Farm.

Brie also bred and campaigned the sire, Hear No Evil, who is now No. 2 on the Florida Freshman Sires list among active stallions behind fellow Journeyman stallion Wildcat Heir.

A Florida-bred, Jackson Bend hails from the Jacks or Better broodmare Sexy Stockings, by Tabasco Cat.

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