HORSE BETTING

• Jackson Bend Shining Bright for Festival of the Sun

  Posted on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT by Greg Melikov

  
  

  Jackson Bend will attempt to become the sixth 2-year-old to sweep all three open Florida Stallion Stakes divisions in the 18th renewal at Calder Race Course on Saturday.
   
  The son of Hear No Evil has won three in a row, including the Affirmed and Dr. Fager. In the Affirmed on Aug. 29, the colt defeated Mr. Green by 1 ½ lengths with Bim Bam another four lengths back in third. Time for seven furlongs was 1:25.
   
  In the Dr. Fager on Aug. 8, it was the same order of finish: Jackson Bend edged Mr. Green by three-quarters of a length while Bim Bam finished three lengths further behind in third. The six furlongs was covered in 1:12 2/5. 
   
  In both races, Jackson Bend came from off the pace to catch Mr. Green in the stretch.
   
  On Sept. 26, Bim Bam record his first stakes victory in the Foolish Pleasure, covering the mile and 70 yards in 1:45 3/5.
   
  Last Saturday, Bim Bam prepped for the 28th In Reality, going five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 handily at Calder. On Oct. 3, likely odds-on favorite Jackson Bend worked a mile in a bullet 1:41 1/5 handily.
   
  Other challengers include Allez Reef and Christopher’s Image, respective runners-up in the Foolish Pleasure and Seacliff stakes.
   
  The stakes record of 1:44 2.5 for the 1 1/6 miles was established in 1999 by Kiss a Native.
   
  Several outstanding juveniles captured the race named for the ’67 Florida Derby winner, including several that swept the series: Smile, ’84; Seacliff, ’95; Express Tour, ’00; and Big Drama, ’08.
   
  Only fillies to accomplish that feat in their series were Nancy’s Glitter in ’97 and Aclassysassylassy in ’04.
   
  The $400,000 My Dear Girl will be a more wide-open affair since different fillies captured the Susan’s Girl and the Desert Vixen.
   
  Rosebud’s Ridge wired the field in the seven-furlong My Dear Girl, holding off Desert Vixen winner Sweetlalabye by a neck while Winsockie was another 4 ½ lengths behind in third. The winner covered the seven furlongs in 1:26 2/5.
   
  Sweetlalaqbye won the Desert Vixen by three-quarters of a length over Joanie’s Catch, covering the six furlongs in 1:12 3/5. But Joanie’s Catch bounced back four weeks later, cruising to a 4 ½-length victory in the Brave Raj, running the mile and 70 yards in a respectable 1:45 4/5.
   
  However, the My Dear Girl favorite might be Worstcasescenario, who took Saratoga’s Andirondack on Aug. 19 after making her debut a winning one by 5 ¾ lengths nearly a month earlier at Belmont. She finished off the board Sept. 19 as the odds-on favorite in Belmont’s Matron, but it turned out she had foot problems.
   
  The stakes record is 1:45 4/5 for the 1 1/16 miles set by Ivanavinalot in ’02.
   
  Those two races head a seven-stakes card valued at $1.3 million, which includes the $100,000 Calder Derby for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on the turf.
   
  Top contenders include Grand Cash, who won a pair of overnight Calder stakes last summer, and New York-shipper Sal the Barber, victorious in an overnight Belmont stakes race before running fifth as favorite in the Saranac at Saratoga.
   
  Motavato probably will be favored in the $100,000 Spend a Buck for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles. The son of Proud Citizen captured three of four contests during the Calder meeting.