OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Larry Goichman’s homebred Action Jackson will make his stakes debut in his second outing for trainer Jorge Abreu in Saturday’s $125,000 Ashley T. Cole, a nine-furlong turf test for state-bred 3-year-olds and up, at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet.
A gelded son of Union Rags, Action Jackson graduated at fifth asking last time out in his first start for Abreu after moving from the barn of Saffie Joseph, Jr.
The lightly-raced 4-year-old debuted with a close third over the Aqueduct turf in November 2020 and finished off the board in his next three outings before finding the winner’s circle on August 6 at Saratoga Race Course against fellow state-breds. There, he closed from 4 1/2 lengths off the pace to come home 1 1/4 lengths in front under Flavien Prat.
The chestnut’s win came on the heels of a nine-month respite, something Abreu said was beneficial.
“They gave him the time and gelded him, and he came back like a different horse,” Abreu said. “Saffie did a good job. It looked like when he was with him, he was all amped up and kind of green. I think he grew out of it.”
Action Jackson had his final work in prep for the Ashely T. Cole on September 9, breezing a half-mile in 48.89 seconds over the Belmont training track.
“He’s training really well,” said Abreu. “I had him entered in a stake at Laurel and it was rained off, so I nominated for this stake. I think he’s really going to appreciate the distance. He came out of his race with good attitude and he’s been breezing well. We’ll take a shot.”
Action Jackson will break from the inside post with Jose Gomez in the irons.
Abreu added that popular New York-bred Venti Valentine exited her third-place effort in the nine-furlong Fleet Indian on August 26 at the Spa in good order and continues to train forwardly towards her next start. While her next race is still to be determined, Abreu is certain it will be against state-breds and at a shorter distance than the Fleet Indian.
Owned by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds, the daughter of Firing Line breezed a half-mile in 48.91 over Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track on Thursday and arrived at Belmont Park on Friday morning.
“Venti is doing great,” Abreu said. “She breezed well and I’m going to point her to a New York-bred stake. I think maturity and [cutting back] in distance will help. I don’t think she wants to go a mile and an eighth anymore. As a 2-year-old, she was willing to do that, but now we’ll try cutting her back in distance and see what she does.”
Bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable, Venti Valentine won the Maid of the Mist last year at Belmont en route to a game runner-up effort to subsequent multiple Grade 1-winner Nest in the Grade 2 Demoiselle to close out her juvenile campaign. This year, she won the Busher Invitational in March and finished second in the Grade 3 Gazelle before an off-the-board finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. She has compiled a record of 8-3-2-1 with total purse earnings of $467,750.
NYRA Press Office
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