Jackie’s Warrior colt razor-sharp in Saratoga debut
July 31, 2026
Wood Island rocketed out of the starting gate and was never headed as he rolled to a two-length maiden special weight win July 31 at Saratoga.
The bay colt is the second winner for First-Crop sire Jackie’s Warrior, who himself was very successful at Saratoga, winning the Hopeful S. (G1) at two, the Allen Jerkens S. (G1) at three and the Vanderbilt S. (G1) at four, making him the first horse in history to win a Saratoga Grade 1 in three consecutive years.
Friday’s 5 ½-furlong race was originally scheduled for the turf and scratched down to four horses with the surface switch. Wood Island was cat-quick out of the gate and had a clear lead in just a few strides. He maintained a comfortable advantage and into the stretch, when he opened up a three-length advantage. Jackpot Jackie, another Jackie’s Warrior colt closed very well from last to finish second, with the remaining runners more than 10 lengths back.
“Yesterday I was committed to scratching, I had no interest in running him on the dirt,” winning trainer George Weaver said in the winner’s circle on Saratoga Live. “This morning I looked at the Form and I was like, ‘Man, I really don’t think there’s much in there and I know he’s got gate speed,’ so I gave it a shot.”
Weaver trains Wood Island for Smart Choice Stable. Wood Island was bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall and hails from the family of multiple Grade 1 winner Peace Rules and Saratoga Special (G2) winner Corfu.
The $200,000 Skidmore S., a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint at Saratoga Aug. 27, could be next, said Weaver. “We’ll probably come back later in the meet in that and see what he could do. Maybe he could take us to the Breeders’ Cup like some previous ones.”