G1 Woody Stephens Another Impressive Display By Jack Christopher
Jack Christopher (3c Munnings x Rushin No Blushin, by Half Ours) kept his unbeaten record spotless on Saturday when an authoritative 10 length victory in the Grade I Woody Stephens at Belmont Park.
Making his second start of the year, Jack Christopher broke strongly and first took the lead before settling behind a keen Provocateur. Jockey Jose Ortiz used that moment to switch Jack Christopher off the rail to the outside of the pacesetter, where Jack Christopher relaxed under his rider.
Around the turn, Jack Christopher strolled up to head the pacesetter and in no time at all was in the lead.
Ortiz threw a few crosses at Jack Christopher and the colt showed another burst of speed in the final furlong to run away from the field. There was nothing left to it as the colt won by 10 lengths to go four-for-four in his career.
“This horse is an exceptional talent,” trainer Chad Brown said. “This is my 15th year of training and I’ve never had a dirt horse with this much pure brilliance. He reminds me a lot of Ghostzapper when I worked for Bobby Frankel. He’s a brilliant horse that can probably run any distance.”
“Everybody wants to have horses like this – horse of a lifetime – including me.”
Chad Brown trains the colt for Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Peter Brant, and the Coolmore partners with BSW/Crow purchasing him at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton October Sale.
“[Munnings] a sire I’ve always loved and had a lot of luck with. We’ve had quite a few nice Munnings,” said Liz Crow.
Born just down the road from Fasig-Tipton at Castleton Lyons, the flashy chestnut is one of two winners from three starters out of Rushin No Blushin. That mare is a half-sister to the dual Grade I winner Street Boss and the multiple graded stakes-placed dam of Grade III winners Bellera and Life Imitates Art.
After foaling Jack Christopher, his dam visited Mo Town and had a filly in 2020.
The winner of the Grade II Pat Day Mile in his 3-year-old debut, Jack Christopher is already one of 11 stakes winners and 18 stakes performers in 2022 for Munnings. Those 11 stakes winners put him at the top of the General Sire list this year.