'Jump' Newsletter - Edition #2
'Jump' Newsletter - Edition #2
'Jump' is committed to providing the ONLY up-to-date news coverage of steeplechasing in the USA.
Welcome to the second issue of 'Jump.'
I have traded Mexico's scorching heat for Saratoga's delightful humidity and air quality alerts but honestly, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else!
With the races coming thick and fast, it's only fitting to ramp up our coverage. So, I'm happy to announce that 'Jump' will now be a bi-weekly newsletter throughout these bustling summer months.
Couple of takes from last Friday's meet at Colonial Downs worth noting. Have you ever seen a more effortless ride than Barry Foley's on Gold Charm? He barely moved a muscle in the stretch, he took a glance at Mell Boucher who was pumping away on Lacey Underall, then smoothly 'glided down to the wire'. She is certainly one to watch in that division.
And speaking of Mell Boucher, her masterful ride of Lacey Underall in that same race deserves mention. They were bowling alone on the front end until Lacey put in a short one two out. Boucher's display of horsemanship was nothing less than extraordinary. Not only did she manage to stay aboard - an incredible feat in itself - but she also succeeded in getting Lacey rebalanced as the final fence rapidly approached. Incredible! Watch Below:
Roll on to Wednesday, our boy Historic Heart (‘Harry’ to his friends) might be smashing it as a Grade 1 champ. Stranger things have happened.
Riders up!
Steve Coxon - USASteeplechase
In Case You Missed It: This Week's Top 5 Jump Racing Stories
Contents
Colonial Downs Opening Day Recap - Tod Marks
An Irish Invasion: Jack Cantillon's Ambitious Plans to Conquer USA Jump Racing
A Patient and Versatile Craftsman, Jonathan Sheppard Achieved Staggering Success
AP Smithwick Preview
Barnyard Buzz: Jockeys and Trainers Discuss A.P. Smithwick
NSA Newcomers Score in Summer Kickoff at Colonial Downs
A pair of recent National Steeplechase Association converts from venerable owners Hudson River Farms and Irv Naylor turned in impressive performances in the first of 18 races scheduled for the New Kent, Va., course through Sept. 8.
With each race worth $40,000, a full field of 10 males lined up for the first of two maiden special weights hurdles, one restricted to fillies and mares, run at 2 ¼ miles. Flashing the form that won him nearly a quarter-of-a-million dollars on the flat, Cibolian, owned by Ed Sawyer’s Hudson River Farms, was reserved early, launched his bid on the far turn the second time around, and prevailed in a thrilling three-horse duel to the wire.
Trained by Arch Kingsley and ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, the six-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Temple City, looked as if he might be out finished, but with about a sixteenth of a mile to go, he split horses, holding off a gutsy High Deff and Gerard Galligan by a neck. William Russell’s Nathan Detroit was another neck behind in third in his NSA debut. For High Deff, it was his third in-the-money finish in three NSA starts.
Cibolian made his first NSA start a winning one, on the flat at the Carolina Cup Races in the spring. He followed that up with a third in a maiden hurdle at Great Meadow in May, before returning to the flat, taking a second shot in the $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup at 2 miles on the turf at Belmont Park in June. In that race, he finished a solid fifth in a field of 14, beaten only around six lengths after closing from 13th in the final half mile.
In the second race on the card, Irv Naylor’s Irish-bred Gold Charm, a four-year-old sired by the magnificent Golden Horn, a multiple Grade 1 European classic winner of more than $6.5 million, found the winner’s circle in her second NSA start. In her debut, in an open maiden hurdle at Radnor in May, Gold Charm lost a heartbreaker to Noble Stables’ Total Joy, losing the lead at the wire by a neck.
Like Cibolian, Gold Charm sat well behind the early pace. In fact, Gold Charm raced last for much of the going. Turning up the backside the final time, Gold Charm, trained by Cyril Murphy, made up ground and unfurled a three-wide move turning into the stretch on the second circuit, drawing clear of Atlantic Friends Racing’s Lacey Underall by 2 ¾ lengths under Barry Foley, who glided past his foe without moving a muscle. Lacey Underall, ridden by Mell Boucher, set the pace and maintained her advantage despite nearly falling at the eighth fence. Boucher somehow managed to hold on and retain the lead until Gold Charm’s finishing kick. Bonnie Rye Stables’ Afraid Not, who stalked Lacey Underall throughout, was third.
Jump racing resumes next Wednesday, July 19, at Saratoga with the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick Stakes. Post time is 1:10 p.m.
Tod Marks - Official Photographer & contributing editor at National Steeplechase Association
Explore more of Tod's exceptional work by checking out his website
"An Irish Invasion: Jack Cantillon's Ambitious Plans to Conquer USA Jump Racing"
We recently had a chance to chat with Jack Cantillon, the owner of Syndicates.Racing, about his recent acquisition, Restitution, and his plans to venture into American Jump Racing.
“Why buy a jump horse to race in America Jack?”
“We started Syndicates.Racing to grow our sport using our creativity to find ways to bring our owners to the biggest days in racing never before possible without paying a massive price tag. That said, I don’t think we ever thought we’d be buying a Frankel and aiming for American Grade 1s after just three years of existence.
After a lot of study, to be honest, the formula for success over jumps in the United States is a simple one - a sound horse that thrives with racing, a preference for a quick surface and a level of talent that doesn’t need to be as high as the UK and Ireland to compete at Grade 1 level. We think we’ve found the sweet spot for success with Restitution.”
“What attracted you to Restitution?”
“Restitution has a peak Racing Post Rating of 127 over hurdles (recorded this Christmas). This rating is superior to the peak Keri’s previous Grade 1 winning steeplechasers when they performed in the UK and Ireland. Baltimore Bucks (RPR 124) and The Mean Queen (RPR 111) performed to a lower level when racing in Ireland. There are horses with higher ratings that end up in America but it’s all about what horse loves the American jumps style of a slow pace and quickening to the finish on firm turf. We think we may have found a fast ground loving Frankel perfect to do exactly that “
“So what are your target races?”
If he does end up Grade 1 class, the opportunities are hugely exciting. First off we’ve got Saratoga, my partner, John Bourke’s favorite race track in the world. While we may first take in a Novice Hurdle at Saratoga we’ve also got options of the $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1 Stakes) on 19 July and $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard (Gr. 1 Stakes) on 16 August if we want to dive in at the deep end. Then there’s the $150,000 Lonesome Glory (Gr. 1 Stakes) at Aqueduct, a Grade 1 not known for it’s depth whatsoever.
After that, we have a meeting that should be on every racing fan’s bucket list - Far Hills. Restitution will have multiple options at Far Hills - a valuable handicap hurdle, a novice hurdle and maybe even the $300,000 American Grand National. We’ve already spoken to Keri about the trip to Far Hills on 21 October (just 45 minutes from downtown Manhattan) and we’re be expecting a big crowd to join us.
You don’t want to miss this party. Imagine the scenes if we win?
This isn’t just a horse, it’s a hugely exciting journey that if we pull off may be our greatest ever achievement. I’m hugely excited about the audacity of the whole thing!”
“Love it! Jack, it was great chatting with you. Best of luck with everything!”
A Patient and Versatile Craftsman, Jonathan Sheppard Achieved Staggering Success
July 13th, 2023 BY J. Keeler Johnson
There are few certainties in life or in the sport of horse racing. But just as you could count on the changing of the seasons, you could count on Jonathan Sheppard sending out winners by the dozen, year after year, in tests of both pure speed and dexterity over jumps. He retired from training in the U.S. before the 2021 season, but maintains a small stable in Ireland.
Sheppard is patient, skilled, and a craftsman who ascended to the top of his trade. How else can you explain the fact that he won at least one race at the competitive Saratoga race meet every year from 1969 through 2015, an almost unfathomable streak of 47 years?
Read the full America’s Best Racing Article Here
Alfred P. “Paddy” Smithwick
Next Wednesday’s A.P. Smithwick marks the first Grade 1 in the summer calender.
The Grade 1, AP Smithwick Preview
Noah And The Arc winning the 2022 Grade 1 Lonesome Glory. Photograph by Tod Marks
With the first two summer jump races in the books, we're now shifting our focus to the summer season's first grade 1 event - Wednesday's $150,000 AP Smithwick at Saratoga. At first glance, it's a classic clash between experienced stalwarts and budding contenders. Noah of the Ark is the one to beat, carrying the high weight due to his impressive record - he's the only Grade 1 victor in the field. He's expected to give most of the rivals a weight advantage ranging from 6-18lbs. The 'young ones', aged 5 - 7 years, are led by Welshman, who has claimed victory in 3 of his last 4 races. His recent achievement includes winning the David Semmes Memorial H. (G2) at Great Meadow.
One to certainly keep an eye on is Freddy Flintshire from the Keri Brion stable. This horse has already shown his ability to win at Saratoga, clinching the n2L last year with Parker Hendriks up. His seasonal return in the Queens Cup was nothing short of spectacular, winning by 14L. Despite a minor setback when he finished 2nd at the Green Pastures at Percy Warner, he's expected to bounce back for the step up into Grade 1 racing.
It's also worth highlighting the booking of Irish star jockey Danny Mullins, who will be riding Historic Heart. This horse made headlines by winning the Carolina Cup in 2022. He ran in this race last year, although he didn’t jump well he still managed to secure a respectable 4th place. His recent flat track warm up was promising, making him as a horse to watch closely.
This race promises to be tasty one! Who do you like?
Barnyard Buzz: Jockeys and Trainers Discuss A.P. Smithwick
Keri Brion on Historic Heart - “Harry is absolutely flying. He is in the form of his life and I am holding my breath for the next 7 days. He’s come out of his DE race in great order and he is a fire breathing dragon at this stage!”
Cyril Murphy on Belfast Banter - “He’s a horse that leads you to believe he wants to go longer, but what he really wants is a strongly run short race where he races on the bridle, traveling well,” Murphy said. - DRF
Barry Foley on Belfast Banter - “He’s been training well. His getting a chance at weights so we’re very hopeful of a big run!” - DRF
Jack Fisher on Gordon’s Jet - “I think Gordon will be better suited when it gets a little longer,” said Fisher, alluding to the Sheppard. - DRF
Jack Fisher on Welshman - “He hasn’t always seemed like a graded horse,” said Fisher. “I bought him from Barclay and he’s grown a lot to be a bigger, stronger, massive horse. He’s matured.”
Harrison Beswick on Noah And the Ark - “Noah's been training very well. The quicker track and drop in trip will suit. We got a bit caught out with the lack of pace in the Iroquois but that said, I thought he ran very well considering how keen he was over the first mile”
Parker Hendriks on Freddy Flintshire - “This is a pretty big step up for him, he is a pretty big unknown in Grade 1 company. He is a track winner which is pretty valuable around Saratoga, he seems in good form at home and we are ready to take a crack at it!”
Thanks for reading this week's ‘Jump’ Newsletter. We would love to hear your feedback. If you have any articles or topics to share, send us a link at usasteeplechase@gmail.com.
Check back next week for more USA Steeplechase news and insights!
Steve
@USASteeplechase - Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
