The Jerkens Memorial (Grade 1)- $500.000 Purse
SAR- For Three Year Olds
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
August 27, 2022

As we move closer to the running of the Travers, we’ll get an opportunity to enjoy some three year old sprinters in the 20th running of the Jerkens Memorial, which is formerly known as the Kings Bishop. This is a race that will typically draw a full field, and this year will be no exception as there are twelve that will be going to post. Last year, Tko joined an impressive list of past winners with a length victory, but as of right now, he has not won since then although he continues to run decently against strong competition. The purse for this race has historically been $500.000, so all is the same in that regard. Let’s meet those vying for the winner’s share of that amount!

#1- Rogue Commando (Mb Stables, ridden by M Franco)- Ran successfully in overnights as a two year old, and was picked up in private sales by Mb Stables in January for $150.000. Three weeks after the sale, he was making his graded debut in the Grade 2 San Vicente, and finished second. That’s a finish that the trainer has gotten used to, as Rogue Commando has been the runner up in five of his six starts, but all in good races while having some brutal post draws. Perhaps shifting over to the rail will be all it takes.

#2- Blamethespeedparty (Martyparty, ridden by G Boulanger)- After finishing third in an optional claimer, Blamethespeedparty would be gelded to begin his three year old campaign. Things started well for him, as he was “the speed”, and had a party on the lead most of the way in the Swale before finishing second. He’s hit the board a few times since, and did win an ungraded stake two back. Was here last month in the mud for an optional claimer and was not his best. He’ll be more competitive here.

#3- Save His Soul (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Still just getting his racing career starts, with only four starts thus far. In mid-July, the trainer picked him up in private sales for $40.000 which came about a month after he broke his maiden for a $123.000 purse. TwinTowersRacing really liked what he saw, and a week after the sale, it was off to the Grade 1 Haskell. That was an effort to forget, and now with more time in this barn, the trainer should get improvement.

#4- Aladdins Genie (Mb Stables, ridden by R M Hernandez)- Back in January, he shared the second position with his stablemate, Rogue Commando, in the Grade 2 San Vicente but since then, they have gone on their separate paths. Aladdins Genie would score the biggest of his five wins in April, coming in the Grade 3 Bay Shore at AQU. He was dropped into an open allowance at LS for some reason after that but resumed racing where he belongs in the Grade 1 Stephens. Typically a reliable horse to get some portion of the purse.

#5- King Pigeon (Delta Farms, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Back in June, King Pigeon flew away with a win in the Grade 1 Stephens at BEL, and this will be his first race since then. In that victory, he did well to come from off the pace, and while he has had success with this style in his still young racing career, he’s succeeded while being near the lead early, too. Three weeks before winning the Stephens, he nearly did the same in the Grade 3 Lang Stakes at PIM, so there’s plenty of reason to be excited about him here to see how he builds on those efforts.

#6- Charles (Wood Duck Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- Earlier in the meet, Charles made his graded debut in the Amsterdam right here at the Spa, and it’s not going to be a race he wants to remember. He has shown a high level of inconsistency in his career, also running poorly in the Smarty Jones but he has a positive side as well. Won at this distance in $141.000 allowance at CD, as well as a $125.000 ungraded stake at WO. That version of Charles must show up here to have a shot.

#7- The Federal Reserve (Threshold, ridden by M Murrill)- The trainer got ahead of himself a little bit, entering this horse in ungraded stakes before he broke his maiden. For every horse that might have success in doing that, there are dozens that do not, and eventually Threshold had to backtrack and break this horse’s maiden the traditional way. It was for a $120.000 purse, though, so every bit as good as some of those stakes that preceded it. Returned to the stakes level to face PA-breds and the Hard Spun, and placed fourth. Not sure that he’s up to this, but of course, you never know.

#8- Championship Rounds (Mb Stables, ridden by F Prat)- Our third entry from Mb Stables and one that will be making his well earned graded debut. He’s been in other stakes though, including the Smarty Jones back in January, where he disappointed and found himself sold from Fractious to Mb Stables. He’s won two of five since the sale, including a $103.000 allowance right here last month. Finally hitting his stride, and is every bit as good, if not better, than his stablemates.

#9- Iron Mine (Fractious, ridden by Ru Silvera)- Performed well for prior trainer Jive Inc., particularly on the NM-bred circuit where he was second in several of those stakes. He would end up being sold to Fractious for $150.000 in March, and with his new trainer he has been able to earn two graded victories in four starts. In May, he won the Grade 3 Barrera, in a dead heat, but in his last start he did not have any company at the finish line, winning the Grade 2 Amsterdam by about a length. More of the same will make him one of the favorites here.

#10- Count Hound (Wood Duck Stables, ridden by L Saez)- After winning back to back races at CD, which included the $160.000 Kellys Landing, Wood Duck Stables landed this horse on the west coast and ran him in the Grade 1 Crosby against older horses. In that, he turned in a good effort to come from the middle of the field, and five lengths off the pace, to get up for third, missing by half a length. He gets a little more distance here, and he may be a horse that takes a particular liking to the seventh furlong. Be watching for him late!

#11- Sunshine Scooter (Broken Spoke Stables, Ru Fuentes)- With the races that this one ran in at the start of the year, if you said then that he would be racing on this day at Saratoga, you probably would have guessed it would have been the Travers. But while he was able to get into the KYD, that race was ugly for him. He was better in the PRK, but then struggled again in the BEL. After the TC series, he dropped back into this distance right here and won a $103.000 allowance last month. Is that a sign that he wants this distance, or is he just a horse that runs hot and cold? This will tell the tale pretty well.

#12- High Time (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by V R Carrasco)- This one will make his debut for Maxmillion Farm, as the trainer picked him up from Oquinn Farm for $150.000 in early June. A few days later, High Time was gelded, so that’s also something to keep in mind. As a two year old, and around this time of year, he was especially good, but after running in the BC Juvenile Turf, it’s been a struggle. A couple muddy tracks before the sale didn’t help, but Maxmillion has had time to figure this one out before debuting here and I think that’s a strong positive. This post however, isn’t.

Prediction: 4-5-10-8

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES