Jackson Bend, the Florida-bred Champion Male Sprinter of 2011 and an earner of $1,613,450, has been retired from racing and will stand at stud at Journeyman Stud in Ocala, Fla. according to Fred Brei, who owns the 5-year-old horse in partnership with Robert V. LaPenta of Westport, Conn.
“We weren’t real happy with the way he ran in his last race [the Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 1 in which he finished seventh and last],” Brei said. “After his accident, he just hasn’t been the same. So we brought him back to Florida and I looked him over from one end to the other. There’s nothing physically wrong with him, but he just wasn’t the same.”
Jackson Bend had encountered an accident during training hours on Aug. 18 at Saratoga while preparing for the Forego when another horse ran onto the track and collided with him. Although Jackson Bend was stunned and layed on the track momentarily, it appeared that he had not sustained any injuries.
However, Brei said that the Forego effort was very uncharacteristic for the son of Journeyman Stud stallion Hear No Evil, and they decided to retire him.
“He has just been a tremendous horse,” Brei said. “Every time he ran, he just tried so hard. When we saw that he didn’t seem to have that same ‘try’ anymore, we made the decision. With 28 lifetime starts, he’s been about as durable a Grade 1 winner as there is. And he just didn’t seem to have it anymore after he got t-boned that morning.”
Jackson Bend began his career at Calder Casino and Race Course as a 2-year-old in 2009 where he swept all three divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes. As a 3-year-old, he began on the trail to the Kentucky Derby (G1) by finishing second in the Holy Bull (G3) to winner Winslow Homer, then second to Eskendereya in both the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Wood Memorial (G1). He qualified for the Derby but finished 12th but came back and ran a strong third in the Preakness Stakes (G1).
He is a multiple Grade 1 winner of the 2011 Forego Handicap and 2012 Carter Handicap and also won the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope.
Trained by Stanley Gold during most of his Florida races, he was also conditioned by Nick Zito when racing in New York, New Jersey and Kentucky.
Photo by Courtney Stafford
