Aloha West, Jackie’s Warrior Rematch Set for Churchill

Last year Aloha West won the battle, taking the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) over favored Jackie’s Warrior in early November at Del Mar, but the latter won the war when he was named champion male sprinter for 2021.

Those top sprinters will meet for the second time when they start in the $750,000 Churchill Downs Stakes Presented by Ford (G1) May 7, a much-anticipated tilt on the Kentucky Derby (G1) day undercard.

Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint marked the first grade 1 start for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Aloha West. The Maryland-bred son of Hard Spun proved up to the challenge as he rallied from seventh to post a narrow triumph over Dr. Schivel in that six-furlong test. Aloha West will be making his 5-year-old debut in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs off a lengthy series of workouts for trainer Wayne Catalano at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and Churchill.

“The horse is a phenomenal horse,” Catalano said. “He’s doing great. We’re really happy with the way he’s coming into the race. He’s working great and doing well. I’m really happy about the way he’s coming into it.”

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In breezing eight times since March 5, Aloha West earned the bullet in half of those efforts, counting a five-furlong move in :59 2/5 April 8 at Churchill when he was fastest of 44 at the distance.

Bred in Maryland by Robert Manfuso and Katharine Voss, Aloha West didn’t make his first start until age 4 but once on the track he would make up for lost time. Initially racing for Gary and Mary West, Aloha West won his debut Feb. 7, 2021, at Oaklawn Park when he rallied from eight lengths back to win that six-furlong test. Sold to Eclipse ahead of his third start, Aloha West would start a total of nine times last year.

Besides the Breeders’ Cup and maiden score, his five victories also included triumphs in an allowance race at Churchill and two allowance-level scores at Saratoga Race Course.

Ahead of the Breeders’ Cup, Aloha West finished second in the Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.

While Aloha West returns to racing in the Churchill Downs, Jackie’s Warrior received a prep race as the son of Maclean’s Music opened his 4-year-old campaign with a victory in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 16 at Oaklawn Park. A year ago J. Kirk and Judy Robison’s Jackie’s Warrior won four graded stakes, including the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course to earn a championship.
Jackie’s Warrior has won both his previous starts at Churchill—his maiden debut in 2020 and last year’s Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG&E and KU (G2).

Trainer Steve Asmussen is glad the owners committed to another season of racing and he’s looking forward to the third Churchill start.

“What can you say about getting to run an Eclipse champion, in this day and age, another year,” Asmussen said. “He ran beautifully in the Count Fleet and has trained really well here. Off his race last year in the Pat Day Mile here, we’re obviously excited about running him seven-eighths of a mile at Churchill again.”

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