Robert LaPenta’s Jackson Bend worked a ‘bullet’ five
furlongs in 59 1/5 on Saturday morning at Palm Meadows for trainer Nick Zito
ahead of his highly-anticipated 3-year-old debut in next Saturday’s $150,000
Holy Bull Stakes (G3) going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park.
Jackson Bend will be making his first start for LaPenta and
Zito since a majority interest in the chestnut colt was purchased privately not
long after winning the $400,000 In Reality Division of the Florida Stallion
Stakes at Calder Race Course on Oct. 17 for owner-breeder Fred Brei’s Jacks or
Better Farm and trainer Stanley Gold.
A Florida-bred son of Jacks or Netter’s freshman sire Hear
No Evil, Jackson Bend was winning his fifth straight when drawing off to win
the 1 1/16 miles In Reality by 2 ¾ lengths after a close-up second in his
career debut at Calder going 4 ½ furlongs on May 9.
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