Bought as a foxhunter for Beth Fenwick, Incomplete continued his improbable climb to timber stardom by adding the International Gold Cup in just his ninth NSA start.
Trained by Ann Stewart (Fenwick’s mother), the 10-year-old son of Press Card snapped a five-race losing streak in dominant fashion, taking the $50,000 timber stakes by 2 3/4-lengths over the Doug Fout entry Aero and G’day G’day.
Incomplete began his career with three consecutive wins over three years before falling in the Grand National in 2010. The Maryland-bred finished third in the Mason Houghland later that spring. He returned this spring, finishing second in the Grand National to eventual Maryland Hunt Cup winner Private Attack. That neck defeat stamped his ticket to the Maryland Hunt Cup where he lost Charlie Fenwick III (Stewart’s son) at the 16th while out of contention. Stewart audibled and decided to aim for a fall campaign. Job done.
Jockey Mark Beecher partnered Incomplete for the first time, keeping him close to 2010 International Gold Cup winner He’s A Conniver and 2011 Virginia Gold Cup winner Bon Caddo. The latter lost jockey Jody Petty at the fence after the water jump the final time. He’s A Conniver picked it up from there but tired to finish fifth.
“He’s a super jumper, the first few he wasn’t sure, the ground was a bit pudgy and it was a new partnership, then he found his feet and I found his rhythm,” Beecher said. “He got the inside the whole way. I watched 10 dvds of him last night, just figuring him out.”
Stewart prepped Incomplete in the Chronicle Cup at Virginia Fall, two weeks earlier, where he finished sixth, beaten 71 lengths by Aero, G’day G’day and He’s A Conniver.
In other action . . .
Former steeplechase jockey Cyril Murphy scored a training win in the first when Meritage Racing’s Inti took the maiden. Jockey Roddy Mackenzie slipped the 6-year-old through on the inside around the final bend before drawing off to a comfortable win over Worried Man (who hit the board for the sixth time) and Almarmooq.
“He was running for $7,500 on the flat by the end and the owner has a soft spot for him, he likes gray horses,” Murphy said. “I ride him in a hunting saddle every day, he’s grand, not a care in the world. He’s the nicest horse to have anything to do with.”
Bred in Uruguay, Inti won two of four starts in his homeland including the Clasico Juvenile in 2008. Purchased by Shadwell and moved to America, Inti Iost 17 in a row on the flat before relocating to Murphy’s Maryland-based stable. Inti finished second at Tryon, third at Colonial and fifth at Foxfield to begin his new career.
– Trainer Neil Morris sent out a trio of horses for the steeplethon and got the job done with Michael Smith’s Humdinger. Ridden by Jacob Roberts, the hurdle/timber winner nailed Brands Hatch in the final strides. Bred by the Phipps Stable, Humdinger won for the sixth time over jumps.
“The horse got me out of trouble a few times,” Roberts said. “He’s like driving a Porsche around that course.”
– Lake Placid put another slash on his win docket with a wild and eventually easy victory in the allowance race. Ridden by Carl Rafter for trainer J.W. Delozier, the 6-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway opened up a big lead while jumping the right corner of most of his fences before winning easily over Wantan and Port Morsbey. Delozier claimed Lake Placid for $10,000 on behalf of Irv Naylor on September 18.
“It was like Christmas time when we brought him home,” Delozier said. “He’s a little bit of a thinker but we try to mix it up with him and try to keep him happy.”
– Debra Kachel’s Black Bag won his second race in a row when taking the amateur flat race for trainer Ricky Hendriks. Jockey Florence Patarin fell off after the wire and was reported to have broken her arm (but we need to follow up on that). The 5-year-old son of Black Minnaloushe has earned $9,900 in two weeks.
– Alix White’s Tu Baku rallied late to win the Old Dominion Turf Championship over Class Mark and Forest Bell. Carl Rafter guided the winner for trainer Chris Kolb, cashing a $6,000 check for the effort.
