J. Kirk and Judy Robison

J. Kirk and Judy Robison are the TOBA November Members of the Month.

J.Kirk and Judy Robison are reaching new heights as owners and breeders. Their Jackie’s Warrior has earned $1,553,964, winning eight races (including three grade 1 stakes) in 12 starts. One week after Jackie’s Warrior romped in the Sept. 25 Gallant Bob Stakes (G2) at Parx Racing, the Robison-bred Going to Vegas eked out a head victory in the Oct. 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita.
Of Jackie’s Warrior, Kirk Robison mused, “He’s just been real tough horse, a real sound horse, and, as you know, in this game, it doesn’t always work out that way.” And his whole family is rooting for the horse. “Well, first of all, my wife and I have two daughters,” he said, “and between them they have nine children, and those nine children are 100% invested in Jackie’s Warrior. They follow everything.”

As Texas residents, the Robisons appreciate the chance to give back. A great supporter of children’s causes and the arts, especially the Texas Cultural Trust, Judy Robison was named the 2021 Donna Axum Whitworth Champion of the Arts. It was recently announced that the couple’s Peter Piper Pizza restaurant donated $500,000 to sponsor the Make It venture of the El Paso Children’s Museum and Science Center (opening in 2022).

A Southern California native, Robison grew up an hour east of Santa Anita. He saw some of the highs and lows of racing’s greats, so he recognizes the importance of appreciating Jackie’s Warrior’s achievements. “Very, very few do what he’s done,” Robison said, “and you realize that, in racing, you don’t get too cocky because it’s very, very hard to get a good horse. I don’t care how much money you’re spending; it’s very hard.”

Robison purchased Jackie’s Warrior for $95,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling sale. The son of Maclean’s Music broke his maiden last June at Churchill Downs. He headed to stakes company next time out, posting a three-length victory in the Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Miller Lite (G2).

Back-to-back grade 1 triumphs in the venerable Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (G1) and Champagne Stakes (G1) followed. Those wins meant a lot. Robison reflected, “There’s only a couple of dozen races like that run every year that have that kind of history and it’s very important.” Jackie’s Warrior finished his two-year-old season with a fourth-place finish in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1).

A 2020 Eclipse Award finalist, Jackie’s Warrior kicked off his sophomore season with a third behind champion Essential Quality in the Southwest Stakes (G3). On the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard, he tallied the Pat Day Mile Stakes by LG&E and KU (G2) before running a close second in the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Nassau County Industrial Development Agency (G1). Jackie’s Warrior then reeled off three straight graded victories: in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2), H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1), and the Gallant Bob before finishing off the board as the 1-2 favorite in the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

The Robisons breed their 20 mares in California, New Mexico, and Kentucky and have 25 runners in training, including yet-to-start juveniles. They also campaign homebred gelding None Above the Law as Downstream Racing, LLC. This spring, the Karakontie gelding racked up three stakes wins before taking the Sept. 4 Del Mar Derby Presented by Caesars Sportsbook (G2T). “Well, for a California-bred to win an open, grade 2 race was pretty darn fine,” Robison said modestly.

In June 2020, trainer Richard Baltas claimed the Robison-bred Going to Vegas for $50,000 at Santa Anita. Now owned by Abbondanza Racing, Medallion Racing, and MyRacehorse, the four-year-old filly has blossomed, tallying the Santa Ana Stakes (G3T) before this fall’s John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T) and Rodeo Drive. In a follow-up interview via e-mail, Robison called the Rodeo Drive win “bittersweet.” He noted that Going to Vegas’ dam, Hard to Resist, “is worth a lot more now” and was sold in Fasig-Tipton’s The November Sale for $350,000. He added, “It is a hard business and always will be. We see it every day.”

At the 2020 Keeneland September sale, Robison spent $150,000 on a Nyquist son. Named American Xperiment, he ran third in the Sept. 6 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1) before experiencing a physical setback and being turned out. But with an absolutely stellar fall, the best is surely yet to come for the Robisons.