The 19th Running of the G1 Jerkens Memorial
August 28, 2021 15:20
SAR Race #8 $500.000 7 Furlongs
3YOs 122 Lbs
Track Record-1:20.24 (Another BomBay-2004)
Stakes Record-1:21.24 (Tko-2021)
Tko was the first of three G1 winners on the SAR card on Saturday as he took the $500.000 G1 Jerkens Memorial for Fractious. Turns out, he was only setting the stage for his trainer to have an historic day at the Spa as he swept all three of the G1 events on the card. Tko needed a determined rally to chase down Ziconic and accomplished his task in a stakes record time of 1:21.24 for the seven furlongs.
When the gates opened, Ziconic bolted to the front and set the pace with fractions of :23.13 and :45.94 for the opening quarter and half-mile. Behind him was a wall of four horses: Tko, Papa Nature, Smokin Luka, and Dime Defense. Tko was on the rail and that may have played a part in how the race played-out as A. Cedillo would play a key role in getting his mount home in front.
Just before they reached the quarter pole, Ziconic (who raced just off the rail) drifted out ever so slightly. In doing so, he opened the door for Tko to come after him up the rail. Cedillo, however, shifted his mount off the rail for a few strides and, in doing so, caused the three horses to his outside to shift even further out into the midddle of the track. As soon as they had moved out, Cedillo sent his horse back to the inside and went after Ziconic in earnest.
With the nice piece of race-riding, two races unfolded: Ziconic and Tko would dispute the exacta while the rest would battle-out the minors. Ziconic was a neck in front after three-quarters went in 1:09.23, but Tko was resolutely coming-up the rail. Behind them, six horses (all travelling from the three path and wider) looked to hang-on/run-in to the show. Tko put his head in front at the 1/16 pole, but Ziconic would not quit and, ever so briefly, reengaged and tried to get his nose back in front. In the end, Tko would increase his advantage to 11/4 over Ziconic at the wire. Less than two lengths behind them, five horses hit the wire together and a sixth was just a half-length in back of them. The stewards posted the photo sign and discovered that Roundhead (widest of the five at the wire) had won the scrum for the show. Rounding out the order of finish were, Dime Defense, Papa Nature and Smokin Luka dead-heated, The Captain, Shifu Tan (widest of everyone), Rullah Party Crystal, Starboy At A Cross, Golden Treasure, and High Crimes. 3rd through 7th were separated by a combined .07 of a second; a scrum indeed.
Tko (Residue o/o Hunt) earned 10 points towards the G1 BC Sprint with his victory and improved to 15-5-0-0 with earnings of $991.000. Ziconic was rewarded with six BC points for his place performance and Roundhead secured four points with his show effort.
Congratulations to Tko for his victory in the $500.000 G1 Jerkens Memorial and to his conditioner, Fractious, for his monster day at SAR!
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
Winning-trainer Fractious had this to say about Tko’s performance, “He ran like I thought he would. It was a great win. He’s always been very talented. The TC races take a lot out of a horse. As far as the BC, I have to wait and see what my other horses do before committing him to one of the races. I think he should excel at either distance.”