**Please see the attached photo of Jackson Bend winning the 2012 Grade 1 Carter Handicap. NYRA Photo, credit NYRA/Adam Coglianese.**
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Contact: Jenny Kellner
vkellner@nyrainc.com
MULTIPLE GRADE 1 WINNER JACKSON BEND RETIRED
ELMONT, N.Y. – Jackson Bend, winner of the 2011 Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga Race Course and the 2012 Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack, has been retired from racing, breeder and co-owner Fred Brei said today.
The diminutive son of Hear No Evil has been turned out since early September at Brei's farm in Reddick, Fla., where he was sent following a last-place finish in this year's Forego. Three weeks before the race, Jackson Bend was involved in a collision with another horse on the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga, and although physically unharmed, Brei felt the 5-year-old was slow to recuperate mentally from the incident.
"When he came here we thought it would just be a rest before [the meet at] Gulfstream Park," said Brei. "But it was obvious it would be an extended turn-out, and combined with trying to bring him back at age 6, it was the right decision to retire him and give him three months off before the breeding season."
Brei, who co-owns Jackson Bend with Robert V. LaPenta, said the horse will stand at Journeyman Stud in Ocala, Fla.
The homebred Jackson Bend began his career in Florida, where he finished second in his 2-year-old debut before winning five straight at Calder Race Course while in the care of trainer Stanley Gold. Prior to his 3-year-old campaign, Brei sold a half-interest in Jackson Bend to LaPenta and the colt was transferred to the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito.
Under Zito, Jackson Bend ascended to graded stakes competition as a 3-year-old, finishing second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park, second in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, and third, beaten less than a length, in the Preakness.
After wintering in Florida with Gold, Jackson Bend returned to Zito at Saratoga, where he won the 2011 James Marvin prior to his first Grade 1 victory in the Forego. Subsequently second to Uncle Mo in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park, Jackson Bend closed out his 4-year-old campaign with a third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
This year, Jackson Bend won the Grade 3 Hal's Hope at Gulfstream Park and notched his second Grade 1 with a thrilling victory over Caleb's Posse and Shackleford in the Carter at the Big A.
"I don't know if one horse has ever given me such thrills and excitement in all aspects of the game," said Zito of Jackson Bend. "His Preakness, the Carter, the Forego – you can't put a price on the thrills this horse gave me."
For his career, Jackson Bend was 9-6-4 from 28 starts, with earnings of $1,613,450.
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