(from Gulfstream Park notes)
Robert LaPenta’s Jackson Bend worked a bullet five furlongs in :59.30 on Jan. 16 at Palm Meadows for trainer Nick Zito. He is preparing for his highly-anticipated 3-year-old debut in the $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III).
The colt's drill was the fastest of 17 at the distance on the Palm Meadows work tab. The Holy Bull, a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds, is Jan. 23 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 he won the $400,000 In Reality Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes at Calder Race Course on Oct. 17.
Jackson Bend won his fifth straight race for then owner-breeder Fred Brei’s Jacks or Better Farm and trainer Stanley Gold in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality. He has captured four consecutive stakes races.
A Florida-bred son of Jacks or Better’s freshman sire Hear No Evil, Jackson Bend drew off to win the In Reality impressively by 2 3/4 lengths. His only loss of came in a close-up second in his career debut at Calder going 4 1/2 furlongs on May 9.