Get up and do it again. While not quite the schedule of flat racing, the jump season gets busy in October with important races every weekend. This Saturday, it’s Virginia’s turn again as the International Gold Cup races head to the post at Great Meadow in The Plains. Post time on the eight-race card is 12:30 p.m. and there’s a little bit for everyone.
And you can bet, unfortunately on-site only so the momentum generated by Far Hills last week goes into the ether but we can dream.
As usual at this time of year, there’s plenty of talk about trainer and jockey championships. Leslie Young (13 wins) leads the trainers in a tight battle with Jack Fisher (12), Neil Morris (12) and Keri Brion (11). Tom Garner and Graham Watters are tied at the top of the jockey board with 16 apiece. All will be in action Saturday.
In another race, the TIHR handicappers all had three winners each at Far Hills – though nobody picked The Mean Queen on top in the Grand National. Everyone came up with Realist in the 3-year-old hurdle stakes and Down Royal in the filly/mare hurdle stakes (basically free spaces). Sean and Tom caught Historic Heart in the 4-year-old while Joe added Presence Of Mind in the handicap hurdle. The autumn championship hunt reads Sean and Joe tied with 14 at the top. Tom is five back with nine.
First race. $25,000 maiden hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. Bravo. The more maiden races the better. That’s what fuels every other division in the game. The first has a full field of 10 with Mekong, Honor Up and Going Country making their debuts. Quality Choice has been second twice. Hail Michigan (second) and State Of Affair (third) exit the same race at Shawan. Elusive Soul was third at Middleburg. Twenty Years On gets off the bench in his first start since June 2020. Keri Brion dusts off a newcomer in Irish-bred Going Country. He’s a half-brother to six winners including two-time Leister National winner Pairofbrowneyes and Grade 2 novice chase winner Master Of The Hall. A sister, Dun Dun, is the dam of two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Samcro. Deep race.
Joe: State Of Affair, Quality Choice, Going Country.
Sean: State Of Affair, Hail Michigan, Quality Choice.
Tom: Twenty Years On, State Of Affair, Elusive Soul.
Second race. $25,000 maiden hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. This one drew a field of nine and doesn’t seem as deep as the first. Four make their debuts. Leslie Young takes the wraps off Duckett’s Grove, an American-bred whose racing career has included flat starts in Ireland, England and Hong Kong. The Point Of Entry gelding comes out of the August Tattersalls horses of racing age sale. Master Plan could improve off a fourth at Foxfield, his first start in more than two years, for trainer Neil Morris. The 7-year-old was third twice in 2019 (once to Snap Decision) and gets Watters in the saddle. Arch Kingsley shows up with Irish-bred 4-year-old rookie Merry Maker. Lap Of The Gods looked like he was on his way at one point. He’s been claimed twice this year and was a well-beaten fifth at Middleburg in October.
Joe: Master Plan, Duckett’s Grove, Undercover Rowdy.
Sean: Duckett’s Grove, Master Plan, Merry Maker.
Tom: Duckett’s Grove, Profiteer, O Dionysus.
Third race. $30,000 Steeplethon cross-country race going 3 miles over timber, hurdles, brush, banks and a lake crossing. New Member, Bodes Well and Cracker Factory – 1-2-3 in a similar race at Middleburg Oct. 9 – line up again. Add in A Silent Player and Brooklyn Speights to make a field of five. A length apart at Middleburg, New Member and Bodes Well figure to square off again. Who gets the 3-mile trip?
Joe: New Member, Bodes Well, A Silent Player.
Sean: New Member, Bodes Well, Cracker Factory.
Tom: New Member, Bodes Well, A Silent Player.
Fourth race. $30,000 allowance (NW2) hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. Nice to see nine in here. Step To The Bar and Drewscourt exit maiden races. Bogey’s Image was second a week ago at Far Hills. Choo Choo won at Colonial and got a tightener on the flat at Presque Isle. Yankee Doodle Boy ran a cracker when second at Middleburg. Lemonade Thursday might finally be ready to break through – the Middleburg race had to help. Decisive Triumph has been second in his last two.
Joe: Lemonade Thursday, Bogey’s Image, Choo Choo.
Sean: Choo Choo, Drewscourt, Lemonade Thursday.
Tom: Drewscourt, Lemonade Thursday, Bogey’s Image.
Fifth race. $75,000 Zeke Ferguson Memorial hurdle stakes going 2 1/8 miles. Six turn up here, a week after the Grade 1 American Grand National at Far Hills. Well beaten there, Chosen Mate returns in a week. Redicean looks for his first win since 2019 (he’s been third twice and second once in tough company since). Brianbakescookies wants to find his April form. Iranistan, whose stall included the note “on a diet” this spring/summer, gets off the bench while looking for his third consecutive win. Bedrock finished third over this course in May and is plenty capable on his best. Sempre Medici steps up in class.
Joe: Redicean, Iranistan, Brianbakescookies.
Sean: Redicean, Iranistan, Bedrock.
Tom: Bedrock, Iranistan, Redicean.
Sixth race. $75,000 International Gold Cup timber stakes going 3 1/2 miles. Just five entered, but they should put on a show. Eleven-year-old Schoodic could easily be 5-for-5 this year. Instead, he’s got two wins, a fall on the final turn while running away at the Manor and two just-missed seconds. The son of Tiznow, up to $465,500 earned in a hurdle and timber career that goes 42 starts, will be tough to handle if things go his way here. His Jack Fisher-trained stablemate Storm Team comes off a win at Middleburg and is the likely pacemaker. Who goes to him and when? Tomgarrow has been second in four consecutive starts – behind Storm Team or Schoodic in each. Can the Irish-bred flip the script. The 3 1/2 miles might be the ideal trip for him and he could get first run on Schoodic. Renegade River, twice a winner this spring, and Stand Down complete the field.
Joe: Schoodic, Tomgarrow, Storm Team.
Sean: Storm Team, Schoodic, Tomgarrow.
Tom: Schoodic, Storm Team, Tomgarrow.
Seventh race. $25,000 optional claiming handicap hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. Eleven runners show up for this, a mixed-condition handicap hurdle which limits the field to horses rated 115 and below or those that race for a $20,000 claiming price. Knockholt (rated 120) and Boss Man (116) get in on the claiming option. The former won a Middleburg allowance with a late inside move after five starts on the flat this year. Bernie Dalton, two jump wins away from 100 for his career, gets the ride at 163 pounds. Veteran Boss Man, a novice stakes winner in 2018, won at Colonial in August. Hepcat won a similar race (for apprentice riders) at Foxfield. Shadow Seven was third there and gets top jockey Tom Garner. Prayer Hope fell at Middleburg. Ack Feisty fit with these in 2019, but exits two timber tries. Adjutant fits as well, if he can find his form from last fall.
Joe: Hepcat, Shadow Seven, Knockholt.
Sean: Shadow Seven, Boss Man, Knockholt.
Tom: Boss Man, Knockholt, Shadow Seven.
Eighth race. $20,000 maiden claiming hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. A full field of 10 plus four on the also-eligible list. Seville, once pitched as a steeplechase prospect, is the sire of three in here – Table Max, Senor Seville and Seville Barber. The latter showed some promise at when third to Choo Choo at Colonial, but faltered at Shawan. Hence the drop into the maiden claimer. Ubuntu was second at Middleburg. Onarock was third at Foxfield. Westerland probably won’t get in, but check the scratches.
Joe: Seville Barber, Onarock, Table Max.
Sean: Ubuntu, Hero’s Return, Seville Barber.
Tom: Westerland, Seville Barber, Hero’s Return.
