Jack Christopher

Jack Christopher, a Munnings colt trained by Chad Brown and owned by Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud and Peter Brant, turned heads during the summer 2021 Saratoga Race Course meet when he won a six-furlong maiden race in his first appearance on the track by 8 ¾ lengths. Trainer Chad Brown next pointed Jack Christopher to the $500,000, Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 2, a prestigious one-turn mile race that was held for the 150^th time in 2021.

Jockey Jose Ortiz settled Jack Christopher just off of pacesetting Runhappy Hopeful Stakes winner Gunite into the far turn, and Jack Christopher dispatched that foe and kicked clear in early stretch en route to a 2 ¾-length victory. He earned an automatic berth in the Nov. 5 TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance with the win via the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series.

The colt missed the Breeders' Cup due to a shin injury, and did not return to the races until May 7, 2022. Despite the long layoff, he went off as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG&E and KU. Jack Christopher rated off the pace in the two-path, then took control in the stretch and pulled clear to win by 3 3/4 lengths. 

Jack Christopher made his next start on June 11 in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun at Belmont. He went off as the 0.35-1 favorite, and lived up to those expectations. He rated off the pace, then pounced on the turn and powered away to an impressive victory. He crossed the wire 10 lengths in front, finishing seven furlongs in 1:21.18.

Jack Christopher tried two turns for the first time in the $1 million, Grade 1 TVG.com Haskell Stakes July 23 at Monmouth Park. He sat just off of the early pace in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell and took a brief lead at the top of the stretch, but tired late to finish third behind Cyberknife and Taiba.

With the Haskell defeat at a route distance in the rear-view mirror, Jack Christopher turned his attention back to sprinting in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at 7 furlongs at Saratoga on August 27, and all eyes were on him as he attempted to atone with a victory back at a distance right in his wheelhouse. Jack Christopher delivered with a rousing score in the $500,000 Jerkens Memorial, topping an eight-horse field and paying $3.10 to win with regular rider Jose Ortiz aboard.

Kentucky-bred Jack Christopher is out of the Half Ours mare Rushin No Blushin, who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and sire Street Boss. He sold for $125,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Keeneland sale in 2020.