Buy TicketsJKX Racing and Vaccarezza Racing’s Uncle Jake took the lead out of the gate and never was headed in posting a 9¼-length victory in the featured $130,000 Cove Springs Purse for 4-year-olds and up that was moved off the grass Thursday afternoon. (Click here for a replay of the race.)
Trained by Carlo Vaccarezza and ridden by Joel Rosario, Uncle Jake completed the 1 1/8 miles over a sloppy main track in 1:50.67.
A Keeneland sales graduate, Uncle Jake is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Uncle Mo out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Tasha’s Miracle. In winning for the third consecutive time, Uncle Jake improved his record to 9-4-1-0 and increased his earnings to $208,457.
Favored in the field of six, Uncle Jake returned $5.28, $3.54 and $2.78. El Kabong rallied from far back under Corey Lanerie to get second and pay $11.44 and $4.92 with Quadra Island finishing third, a half-length back under Axel Concepcion, and returning $3.68 to show.
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Racing continues Friday with a 10-race program that begins at 1 p.m. ET and is highlighted by the 36th running of the $600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) that features the 2024 debut of Master of The Seas (IRE), winner of last year’s FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF. The Maker’s Mark Mile is the ninth race on the program with a 5:16 p.m. post time.