Sar Steeplechase 8/17

[Flatterer]

4 turn races at 2 3/8 miles with 9 jumps start Wednesday 8/17. Entries are still being received. Some of the runners from Wednesday 8/10 cancelled race will enter 8/17 so the cancelled race will not be rescheduled.

Bad news for Thursday 8/18 Novice stakes - cancelled due to insufficient entries.

I'll post a preview of the only race this week on Tuesday.

[Flatterer]

The non-winners of 2 life race re-appears at 2 1/16th miles from last Wednesday with only one defection – Sheppard’s Castle Hill. The NW1X Alw Opt $40K claim race scheduled did not fill. Unfortunately for these runners, they all showed up last Wednesday and all had to go home because there were no extra stalls. This speaks volumes about the connections, shipping twice to run one race.

Wednesday Saratoga Race 1 is an interesting mix of future stakes winners and pretenders.

The course configuration of just 8 jumps makes this a modified flat race so fast flat turf form will do well.

Here is a list of runners with NSA turf rating numbers in parenthesis – higher number means more weight if this was a handicap instead of a condition allowance.

#1) Hardrock Eleven (115) Finished fourth in Marcellus Frost Novice Stakes at Iroquois Steeplechase on 5/14 and beat 3 runners in a Saratoga allowance hurdle last year. Good flat turf speed. Horse for course angle and underneath for exotics.

#2) Personal Start (116) Won Atlanta Cup maiden hurdle 4/23 and led a strong field in Marcellus Frost Novice Stakes at Iroquois Steeplechase for 12 jumps until he ran out of gas. The ground was tiring with many runners either falling at the last 2 fences or pulling up. Jockey Bernie Dalton is only 1 for 34 this year. OK flat turf speed. If he doesn’t try to run with Unsinkable early, will be in bottom of tri/super.

#3) Reporter (111) 4YO Controversial win at Suffolk Downs maiden hurdle 7/9. Reporter jumped in front of a fast closing Silver Lime, causing Silver Lime to lose his rider. I believe this is the reason jump racing at Suffolk was cancelled. The Stewards did not disqualify Reporter after a long inquiry. Slow flat turf runner, should still be a maiden.

#4) Duke of Medina (134) 4YO Leading owner: Irvin S. Naylor, 2nd leading trainer: Cyril Murphy and 3rd leading Jockey: Ross Geraghty are a strong combination. Flat handicap winner won juvenile hurdle last year at Market Rasen in England. NSA handicappers would put 149 pounds on in a handicap but he gets in with a 141 feather for this allowance. Connections are the best in the race. Possible winner if #8Unsinkable and #2Personal Start commit Harikari on the front end (Example-Saratoga Special 8/14).

#5) Blue Atlantic (122) Kicked off U.S. return with a tiring 5th in Parx flat race for hurdlers on 7/10. Won his first start over fences in late 2014 and had a second in a Wincanton handicap hurdle in April. Paddy Young is still “ouchy” from a nasty fall in July. He has called for a substitute rider the morning of the race for the last 3 horses he was scheduled to ride. If Paddy does not take off again, he moves up to 4th choice. Watch to see if there is another jockey change.*

#6) Berland (127) 4YO In U.S. debut, finished fifth in Saratoga allowance hurdle 7/27, always outrun. Formerly trained by John Ferguson, won juvenile hurdle in his first start over fences in England.

#7)Boogie Feeva (110) 4YO still learning the ropes, overmatched and slow.
#8) Unsinkable (116) Had a meltdown in Saratoga allowance hurdle 7/27 and was scratched on the track before the starting flag dropped. He was 6/5 favorite. He backed into the outside hedge and stepped on an irrigation pipe stashed at the bottom of the hedge. Won Middleburg Spring maiden hurdle 4/23. A lose horse forced Unsinkable to fall at the 7th fence in a Virginia Gold Cup allowance hurdle 5/7. At the time, Unsinkable and another runner (King of All Diamonds) were in front by 30 lengths. Finished third in Radnor Hunt Cup allowance hurdle 5/21 after setting a strong pace, leading for 11 fences. Tough uphill run the last 1/8 mile cost him the race. Leading jockey Jack Doyle rides again. Fast flat turf speed. Top pick.

#9) Detroit Blues (112) In U.S. debut, finished second in Parx flat race for hurdlers 7/10. Won maiden hurdle at Fontwell in England in May 2015. Trainer Ricky Hendricks is very crafty bringing runners from England and Ireland. Hendricks brought over Long House Saint in the fall of 2014 and won 2 steeplechase races. Must use underneath in tris and supers.

Predicted order of finish:

8-4-9-2-1-5-3-6-7

For betting purposes:
A) 8-4
B) 9
C) 2-1-(5)*

Hope this information helps!!

Best of luck!!!

[skippy3481]

Thank you for taking the time to post your preview. It helps to someone's opinion who actually knows these jumpers. Best of luck today.

[Flatterer]

The Harikari scenario played out as #2 Personal Start cooked #8 Unsinkable on the front end, setting up for a closer.

#8 Unsinkable had a hood with earmuffs for the 1st time and seemed thoroughly annoyed with the new equipment in the walking ring and in the warm up.

#4 Duke Of Medina had a terrible first jump, not sure what he was expecting, and shied away from every jump after that, putting him out of contention.

#9 Detroit Blues saved ground on 2 of the first 3 turns and was able to draw off after the last jump. Excellent Ride by Sean McDermott to lay off the hot early pace.

#5 Blue Atlantic had Paddy Young show up and looked to close for 2nd before tiring down the stretch.

#1 Hardrock Eleven made a good run underneath for the exotics.

I hope you cashed with the #9.

I'll be at Saratoga next week for Travers so I'll post a preview of the Wednesday 8/24 race before I leave.

Thank you for your support!!!

Best of luck to everyone!!