Jack Christopher returned to the work tab Aug. 6 at Saratoga Race Course, his first move since weakening to third when stretched out to two turns in the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) July 23 at Monmouth Park.
On the main track with jockey Jose Ortiz in the irons, the Chad Brown-trained son of Munnings was clocked through four furlongs in :50.20. He is targeting the Aug. 27 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1), a seven-furlong sprint at Saratoga that will see him cut back in distance off the 1 1/8-mile Haskell.
"He just had his first work back; he went a little slow," Brown said. "There was some traffic in the lane there, and (Ortiz) kind of had to take ahold of him unfortunately. I know I breezed him on a busy part of the day. He got through it, and he galloped out fine. It's his first little piece of work; he'll do a lot more next week."
Owned by Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud, and Peter Brant, Jack Christopher lost for the first time in the Haskell. He won the 2021 Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park off a debut maiden score at Saratoga. He returned in 2022 after missing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) with a shin issue with two straight wins: the May 7 Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by LG&E and KU (G2) at Churchill Downs and the June 11 Woody Stephen Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (G1) at Belmont Park.
Also breezing Saturday at Saratoga was Haskell winner Cyberknife , who similarly went a half-mile, timed in :49.96 for trainer Brad Cox. Gold Square's dual grade 1 winner is expected to run in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) on the same Aug. 27 card as the Allen Jerkens Stakes.
