Spendthrift Farm's freshman stallion Jackie's Warrior was most known for two things during his championship career on the track: fast early speed and winning at Saratoga Race Course. Fittingly enough, his first stakes winner Wood Island won in gate-to-wire fashion at his sire's old stomping grounds.
Albeit, his win came on a different surface as he sped away to win the $200,000 Skidmore Stakes on the turf Aug. 27 impressively by 2 3/4 lengths.
Wood Island debuted July 31 on the dirt for Jack Anderson's Smart Choice Stable after the 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race got moved from the turf course because of rain. Trainer George Weaver nearly scratched the colt, expecting him to be his best on grass, but decided to stay in after seeing a light field remaining after scratches. Wood Island won by 1 1/2 lengths, but Weaver felt he'd improve even more Thursday with the swap to turf.
With several other potential pace players signed on, Weaver and jockey Flavien Prat did not plan to be on the lead again in his second start. Yet, Prat still wanted to break with "some commitment" and quickly found himself 2 lengths clear in the opening strides.
"I was very impressed by his natural speed," Prat said.
He sizzled through fractions of :22.12 and :45.15 and never looked tired as he wrapped up 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.36, placing the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T) on his connections' radar Oct. 30 at Keeneland. Titan Ready finished second and River of Deceit was third.
"He showed what he is today, he was very good," Weaver said. "You can see when you need to ask him for acceleration, he gives you a good burst. He's a very classy horse for the connections. I've known Jack Anderson for a long time, and it's fun to have a good one for him."
Bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall, Wood Island is out of the Artie Schiller mare Chilly Fashion. Machmer sold him for $220,000 to Superfine Farm at the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and he was then sold for $250,000 out of the Wavertree Stables consignment at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
Jackie's Warrior raced to an impressive 5-for-6 record at Saratoga for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and owners J. Kirk and Judy Robison, including winning a grade 1 at the track in three consecutive years: the 2020 Hopeful Stakes (G1), 2021 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1), and 2022 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1). He also won the 2020 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and 2021 Amsterdam Stakes (G2).
The colt was also a dominant sprinter away from the Spa, winning additional grade 1s in the 2020 Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and 2022 Churchill Downs Stakes (G1). He placed in three additional grade 1s and won the 2021 Pat Day Mile Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, the 2021 Gallant Bob Stakes (G2) at Parx Racing, the 2022 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park, and the 2022 True North Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park.
Retiring with a record of 12-2-2 from 18 starts and $2,959,164 in earnings, Jackie's Warrior was named Eclipse champion male sprinter in 2021. He stood the 2026 season at Spendthrift for a $25,000 fee.
