Post-Race Analysis:
October 19, 2002 - Far Hills, New Jersey: Flat Top went straight
to the front at the drop of the flag and was never challenged as
he cruised to a three-length victory over Tres Touche in the 11th
running of the $250,000 Breeders' Cup Steeplechase. It was another
3/4ths of a length back to 2000 victor All Gong (GB) who finished
third over the soft course. The time for the 2 5/8-mile test that
included 14 fences was 5:19, well off the track record of 4:54.1
established by All Gong (GB) over a firm course two years ago.
Flat Top's trainer Janet Elliot, who captured the inaugural Breeders'
Cup Steeplechase 16 years ago with Census, won the race for the
second time in her storied career. It was Elliot who had devised
the strategy of sending Flat Top immediately to the front at the
start of the race.
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Flat Top leads Tres Touche over the last
fence in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Steeplechase. Van Cushny
photo.
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"I've found over the years that on this course when the ground
is soft like it was today it's very hard to catch a horse that is
on the lead here." said the winning trainer. "Flat Top
always used to run on the front-end and that tactic has worked well
for him in the past, so I was adamant that he go to the front and
don't look back. I've always thought he was the best horse that
I've ever trained, and I think he's the best horse in training when
he's sound."
"Janet arrived at the track with some strict instructions,
and she wanted to be definite about the start and take it from there,"
said wining jockey Robert Massey. "I made sure he was sharply away.
I was waiting for someone to come to me down the backside the last
time, but there were no challengers, When Tres Touche started to
come to us around the turn I asked him and he found a little bit
more. He was always comfortable out there and was enjoying himself.
He handled the soft race ground better than most, and he jumped
super."
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Flat Top leads (right-to-left) Tres Touche,
All Gong and Quel Senor over the fourth fence in the Breeders'
Cup Steeplechase. Van Cushny photo.
|
The win, Flat Top's eighth in 16 career hurdle starts, was worth
$137,500 and lifted the Kentucky-bred's career bankroll to $533,806.
Purchased by flat owner Ken Ramsey for $20,000 as a yearling at
Keeneland, Flat Top raced three times on the flat with trainer Niall
O'Callaghan before switching to steeplechasing. The win moved Flat
Top into fourth on the National Steeplechase Association's career
earnings list behind just Lonesome Glory, Victorian Hill and Rowdy
Irishman.
1998 steeplechase Champion Flat Top had run in three Grade I races
this year prior to the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase, and had finished
third in all three of them. The 9-year-old son of Alleged (by Hoist
The Flag) began his campaign in the Royal Chase where he was beaten
5 1/4 lengths by It's A Giggle and Al Skywalker. His next start
came in the Iroquois, a 3-mile marathon where he was beaten 24 lengths
by All Gong and Praise The Prince (NZ). Flat Top came back stronger
in the New York Turf Writers' Cup, where he was beaten 12 lengths
by Zabenz (NZ) and Double Leaf.
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Left-to-right: Zabenz, Double Leaf and
All Gong trying to close ground on Flat Top at the ninth fence
of the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase. Van Cushny photo.
|
Australian invader Zabenz (NZ) came into the race with high expectations
but he raced near the back of the pack early before falling at the
12th fence. "He was never really going very well and wasn't
as keen as I had hoped he'd be," said his jockey Craig Thornton.
"He was tired towards the end of the race and that's why he
fell." Neither horse nor rider were injured in the fall.
Grade I winner It's A Giggle bypassed the race because his connections
thought that soft the ground was not to his liking. It's A Giggle
has won three of four starts this year and leads all United States-based
steeplechase horses with earnings of $172,620.
The results of the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase further clouded the
2002 steeplechase Eclipse Award picture, as Flat Top became the
eighth horse his year to win a Grade I steeplechase race.
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A victorious Robert Massey and Flat Top
return to the winner's circle. Van Cushny photo.
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Contrarian Stable's Tres Touche ran a strong race to finish second.
He came into the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase having defeated won
Pelagos (Fr) and All Gong (GB) in the Legacy Chase. Tres Touche
has been ultra-consistent this year, hitting the board in six of
his seven starts over fences. The 5-year-old son of Poles Apart
(by Danzig) had been undefeated in two starts over the Far Hills,
New Jersey course prior to today. He is trained by former steeplechase
jockey Ricky Hendriks, and was ridden by David Bentley.
Calvin Houghland's All Gong (GB) battled Tres Touche through the
stretch but fell just 3/4ths of a length short. Trained by F. Bruce
Miller, the 8-year-old son of Kris (GB) (by Sharpen UP (GB)) began
2002 with an 11th-place finish in Japan's $1.3 million Nakayama
Grand Jump but rebounded from that effort to win the Grade I Iroquois
in May. He tuned up for the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase in the Legacy
Cup at Shawan Downs on September 28th, where he finished third behind
Tres Touche and Palagos (Fr). Jockey Chip Miller rode All Gong,
replacing his sister Blythe who is sitting out the remainder of
this season after suffering a concussion at Saratoga.
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Owner Nancy Gerry gives Flat Top a well
deserved pat on the head after winning the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase.
Van Cushny photo.
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Michael Hoffman's Pelagos (Fr) finished a good fourth
in his first Breeders' Cup start. The 7-year-old son of Exit To
Nowhere (by Irish River (Fr)) started his season with a hurdle race
at England's famed Cheltenham Festival where he finished a well-beaten
12th in the Grade I Bonusprint Stayers Hurdle. However, once returned
to American soil the gray gelding hit the board in all three of
his starts prior to the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase: he was third
to Praise The Prince (NZ) and P.C. Plod over a yielding course in
the Grade III Temple Gwathmey in April before claiming the Grade
III Marcellus Frost Stakes at Iroquois this May, his only victory
of the year. Pelagos tuned up for the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase
by finishing a good second to Tres Touche at Shawan Downs on September
28th. His owner, Michael Hoffman, rode to Solo Lord to victory in
the 2001 Maryland Hunt Cup. Trainer Bruce Miller gave last year's
apprentice sensation Tom Foley a leg up.
Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords' Turkish Corner came to the
Breeders' Cup Steeplechase having failed to win a hurdle race in
almost two years, and struggled home fifth. Matt McCarron, nephew
of Hall of Fame flat jockey Chris McCarron, rode the gelding for
trainer Bruce Miller.
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Winning trainer Janet Elliot captured
the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase for the first time since she
won the inagural running in 1986. Van Cushny photo.
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Timber Bay Farm's Double Leaf finished sixth, failing to hit the
board for the first time in three starts this year. Then the 9-year-old
son of Sadler's Wells (by Northern Dancer) was third in an allowance
race at Saratoga before running second to Zabenz in the Grade I
New York Turf Writers' Cup. Michael Traurig, who finished second
on all five of the horses that he rode at Saratoga this year, retains
the ride.
Double Leaf (GB) is trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Jonathan
Sheppard, who has won the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase three times.
His first victory came in 1988 with Jimmy Lorenzo, and notched his
second and third victories with Highland Bud in 1989 and 1992. The
English-born Sheppard, 61, has trained six steeplechase Eclipse
Award winners: Athenian Idol, Cafe Prince, Flatterer, Jimmy Lorenzo,
Highland Bud and Martie's Anger. Elected to the Hall of Fame in
1990, he is also trains With Anticipation, who will be one of the
favorites for the Breeders' Cup Turf next week.
Last year, Coppertree Farm's Quel Senor won the race for hometown
owners Guy Torsilieri, Carl Torsilieri and Orlando DiRienzo, but
the 7-year-old son of Tel Quel (Fr) (by Akarad (Fr)) has not won
a race since that victory, and was pulled up today before the last
fence.
A complete order of finish for the Grade I Breeders' Cup Steeplechase
is set forth below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Flat Top |
156 |
Robert Massey |
Janet Elliot |
Mrs. Henry A.Gerry |
|
2
|
Tres Touche |
156 |
David Bentley |
Ricky Hendriks |
Contrarian Stable |
|
3
|
All Gong (GB) |
156 |
Chip Miller |
F. Bruce Miller |
Calvin Houghland |
|
4
|
Pelagos (Fr) |
156 |
Tom Foley |
F. Bruce Miller |
Michael Hoffman |
|
5
|
Turkish Corner |
156 |
Matt McCarron |
F. Bruce Miller |
Mrs. W. M. Jeffords |
|
6
|
Double Leaf (GB) |
156 |
Michael Traurig |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Timber Bay Farm |
|
PU
|
Quel Senor (Fr) |
156 |
Cyril Murphy |
Thomas H. Voss |
Coppertree Farm |
|
F
|
Zabenz (NZ) |
156 |
Craig Thornton |
Robert Smerdon |
Michael Watt |
| Pgm |
Comment |
| 6 |
Flat Top: led throughout, driving |
| 3 |
Tres Touche: stalked, mild rally |
| 2 |
All Gong (GB): well placed, mild rally |
| 5 |
Pelagos (FR): rated early, jumped 7th and
13th fences awkwardly |
| 8 |
Turkish Corner: trailed, no rally |
| 1 |
Double Leaf (GB): outrun |
| 7 |
Quel Senor (FR): stalked early, tired left
course |
| 4 |
Zabenz (NZ): jumped poorly at eleventh and
twelfth fences, fell |
| Footnotes
|
|
FLAT TOP set the pace under
good handling then prevailed under strong urging. TRES TOUCHE
stalked the pace throughout, rallied mildly leaving the turn
but was no match for the winner. ALL GONG (GB) was well placed
for a good portion of the trip and failed to threaten with
a mild late rally. PELAGOS (FR) was rated in the early going,
jumped awkwardly over the seventh and thirteenth fences then
lacked a late closing response. TURKISH CORNER trailed for
much of the way, angled to the inside on the final turn and
lacked a rally. DOUBLE LEAF (GB) was outrun. QUEL SENOR (FR)
stalked the early pace then tired and left the course. ZABENZ
(NZ) jumped poorly over the 11th and 12th fences then fell
over the 13th fence.
|
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
FLAT TOP (USA) dkb/br. G, 1993 DP
= 8-5-13-1-5 (32) DI = 1.56 CD = 0.31
16 Starts, 8 Wins, 2 Places, 3 Shows Career Earnings:
$533,806
|
FLAT
TOP (USA)
dkb/br. 1993
14-6-2-0
$244,450 |
ALLEGED
(USA)*
b. 1974
10-9-1-0
$636,775 |
HOIST
THE FLAG (USA)*
b. 1968 [BI]
6-5-0-0
$78,145 |
TOM
ROLFE (USA)*
b. 1962 [CP]
31-16-5-5
$671,297 |
RIBOT
(GB)*
b. 1952 [CP] |
TENERANI
(ITY) |
| ROMANELLA
(ITY) |
POCAHONTAS
(USA)*
br. 1955 |
ROMAN
(USA) |
|
| HOW (USA) |
WAVY
NAVY (USA)
b. 1954
35-2-5-8
$16,275 |
WAR
ADMIRAL (USA)*
br. 1934 [C]
Book |
|
MAN O'WAR
(USA) |
| BRUSHUP (USA) |
TRIOMPHE
(FR)
b. 1947 |
TOURBILLON
(FR) |
| MELIBEE (FR) |
PRINCESS
POUT (USA)
b. 1966
31-13-2-5
$260,265 |
PRINCE
JOHN (USA)*
ch. 1953 [C]
9-3-3-0
$212,818 |
PRINCEQUILLO
(IRE)*
b. 1940 [IS] |
PRINCE
ROSE (GB) |
| COSQUILLA (IRE) |
NOT
AFRAID (USA)*
br. 1948 |
COUNT
FLEET (USA) |
| BANISH
FEAR (USA) |
DETERMINED
LADY (USA)
b. 1959
11-2-2-1
$8,625 |
DETERMINE
(USA)*
gr. 1951 |
ALIBHAI (GB) |
| KOUBIS (USA) |
TUMBLING
(USA)
b. 1953 |
WAR
ADMIRAL (USA) |
|
| UP THE
HILL (USA) |
LADY
OF THE LIGHT
1985 |
THE
MINSTREL (CAN)*
ch. 1974
9-7-1-1
$570,605 |
NORTHERN
DANCER (CAN)*
b. 1961 [BC]
18-14-2-2
$580,806
Book |
NEARCTIC
(CAN)*
br. 1954 |
NEARCO
(ITY) |
|
| LADY
ANGELA (IRE) |
NATALMA
(USA)*
b. 1957 |
NATIVE
DANCER (USA) |
| ALMAHMOUD
(USA) |
FLEUR
(USA)
b. 1964
22-3-1-3
$9,235 |
VICTORIA
PARK (CAN)*
b. 1957 |
CHOP CHOP
(USA) |
| VICTORIANA
(USA) |
FLAMING
PAGE (CAN)**
b. 1959 |
BULL
PAGE (USA) |
| FLARING TOP
(USA) |
BEACONAIRE
(USA)
1974
$48,929 |
VAGUELY
NOBLE (GB)*
b. 1965 [CP]
9-6-2-1
Pds 18443 & 1544150Nfrs |
VIENNA
(GB)
ch. 1957 |
AUREOLE
(GB) |
| TURKISH BLOOD
(GB) |
NOBLE
LASSIE (GB)
b. 1956 |
NEARCO
(ITY) |
|
| BELLE SAUVAGE
(GB) |
OLE
LIZ (USA)*
dkb/br. 1963
12-6-2-0
$98,271 |
DOUBLE
JAY (USA)*
dkb/br. 1944 [B] |
BALLADIER
(USA) |
| BROOMSHOT (USA) |
ISLAY
MIST (USA)
dkb/br. 1949 |
ROMAN
(USA) |
|
| EVENING MIST
(USA) |
Pedigrees compliments of Del
Mar Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2001 |
Quel Senor (Fr) (6) |
Murphy |
156 |
Lord Zada (8) |
156 |
Praise The Prince (6) |
156 |
| 2000 |
All Gong (GB) (6) |
B. Miller |
156 |
Popular Gigalo (6) |
156 |
Allgrit (5) |
156 |
| 1993 |
Lonesome Glory (5) |
B. Miller |
156 |
Highland Bud (8) |
156 |
Mistico (7) |
156 |
| 1992 |
Highland Bud (7) |
Dunwoody |
156 |
Mistico (6) |
156 |
Sassello (5) |
156 |
| 1991 |
Morley Street (7) |
Frost |
156 |
Declare Your Wish (5) |
156 |
Cheering News (4) |
146 |
| 1990 |
Morley Street (6) |
Frost |
156 |
Summer Colony (7) |
156 |
Moonstruck (7) |
156 |
| 1989 |
Highland Bud (4) |
Dunwoody |
146 |
Polar Pleasure (7) |
156 |
Victorian Hill (4) |
146 |
| 1998 |
Jimmy Lorenzo (6) |
McCourt |
156 |
Kalankoe (7) |
153 |
Polar Pleasure (6) |
156 |
| 1987 |
Gacko (6) |
Duchene |
156 |
Inlander (6) |
156 |
Gateshead (8) |
156 |
| 1986 |
Census (8) |
Teter |
156 |
Kesslin (6) |
156 |
Pont du Loup (6) |
156 |
Distance was 2 3/8ths miles in 1986. Run at Fair
Hill, Maryland from 1986-1988; Belmont Park in 1990, 1992 and 1993,
and Far Hills, New Jersey in 1989 and 2000-2001. Not run from 1994-1999.
Far Hills stakes record of 4:53.4 established by All Gong (GB) in
2000.
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
