Oaklawn's Count Fleet Sprint Announces Contenders and Odds for 4/16/22
| Post Position | Horse and Morning Line Odds |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mojo Man (8-1) |
| 2 | Chipofftheoldblock (8-1) |
| 3 | Letsgetlucky (6-1) |
| 4 | Empire of Gold (6-1) |
| 5 | Jackie's Warrior (6-5) |
| 6 | Bob's Edge (2-1) |
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Champion Jackie's Warrior Returns in Count Fleet Sprint Handicap
Champion Jackie’s Warrior has been installed as the 6-5 program favorite when he makes his seasonal debut in the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park on April 16.
Jackie’s Warrior, who was assigned top weight of 123 pounds, will be making his first start since capturing the Eclipse Award for champion male sprinter of 2021. A multiple Grade 1 winner for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, the 4-year-old son of Maclean’s Music hasn’t run since finishing sixth as the favorite in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
Prior to that Breeders’ Cup run, Jackie’s Warrior had won four graded stakes during his sophomore season, taking the Pat Day Mile (G2), Amsterdam Stakes (G2), H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1), and Gallant Bob Stakes (G2). His victory in the H. Allen Jerkens saw the bay colt defeat Life Is Good, who would go on to annex the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and the 2022 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1).
Owned and bred by Kirk and Judy Robison, Jackie’s Warrior won the Hopeful (G1) and Champagne Stakes (G1) during his juvenile season. Overall, he sports a record of eight wins from 12 starts with more than $1.5 million in earnings. He will be racing on Lasix for the first time in his career Saturday.
Asmussen has won the Count Fleet a record-tying three times, including 2019 with Mitole, who also captured the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Sprint en route to an Eclipse Award as the country’s champion male sprinter.
Bob’s Edge (121 pounds) is the top locally based older male sprinter after winning the $150,000 King Cotton Stakes Jan. 29 and $200,000 Whitmore Stakes (G3) March 19 for trainer Larry Jones.
Empire of Gold ran fourth in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) and third in last year’s Count Fleet (G3) for co-owner/trainer Terry Eoff. Empire of Gold hasn’t started since an Oct. 20 allowance victory at Remington Park.
