Post-Race Analysis:
November 17, 2002 - Camden, South Carolina: Flat Top jumped his
way to the Steeplechase Eclipse Award today, defeating Tres Touche
by 6 1/4 lengths en route to winning the 33rd edition of the $100,000
Grade I Colonial Cup. All Gong (GB) finished third 15 1/2 lengths
behind Flat Top, and only a hlf-length in front of fourth place
finished Trebizond (Ire). It's A Giggle was scratched when the course
came up soft after a weekend-long rain storm. The time for the 2
3/4 miles over a soft turf course that included 17 natural brush
fences, was 5:25.2, almost 20 seconds slower than the stakes record
of 5:05.6 established last year by Lord Zada.
At the start of the race Flat Top went straight to the front, just
as he had done four weeks previously while winning the Grade I Breeders'
Cup Steeplechase. Tres Touche was content to track Flat Top in second
place for much of the race, before hooking him with about a mile
to run. From that point the battle was joined, as Flat Top and Tres
Touche jumped five consecutive fences together down the backstretch
the last time. Those two warriors but on quite a show, going head-and-head
around the final turn and into the stretch, with Flat Top on the
inside and Tres Touche just outside of him. Flat Top gained a slight
advantage on landing over the 16th of 17 fences at the head of the
stretch. Flat Top maintained a slim lead approaching the last fence,
and finally put away his rival on the run-in.
|
|
|
Flat Top nailed down steeplechase Horse-of-the-Year
honors with his victory in the Grade I Colonial Cup.
|
"I was just hoping that Tres Touche wasn't going to set my horse
alight when he came to me," winning rider Robert Massey told the
NSA. "It would have been a disaster if the two of us had got running
too freely. Thankfully, it didn't bother Flat Top in the slightest.
He stuck to his game plan and stayed relaxed the whole way. It takes
a special type of individual not to be fazed by what's going on
around. It didn't affect his jumping one inch, it didn't set him
alight. He was relaxed, settled and enjoying himself."
It was the second time that Flat Top has captured the Colonial
Cup in his storied career. The 9-year-old son of Alleged (by Hoist
The Flag) first won this steeplechase classic in 1998 on his way
to earning the steeplechase championship that year. With his victory
today, Flat Top became the sixth dual winner of the Colonial Cup.
The other five are: Cafe Prince, Grand Canyon, Zaccio, Flatterer,
Lonesome Glory.
Flat Top made five starts over fences this year, all of them Grade
I races, and compiled a record of 2-0-3. In addition to his victory
in the Colonial Cup, Flat Top also captured the year's richest hurdle
race, the $250,000 Breeders' Cup Steeplechase. He was the only horse
to win more than one Grade I steeplechase race in America this year.
|
|
|
Flat Top captured his second Grade I
race in a row when he won the Colonial Cup.
|
Owned by Mrs. Henry A. Gerry of Locust Valley, New
York, Flat Top has now won nine of his 17 career hurdle starts,
while bankrolling $593,806. He is currently in fourth place on the
National Steeplechase Association's career earnings list behind
Lonesome Glory, Victorian Hill and Rowdy Irishman The Kentucky-bred
was purchased by flat owner Ken Ramsey for $20,000 as a yearling
at Keeneland and raced three times on the flat with trainer Niall
O'Callaghan before switching to steeplechasing. He has been trained
throughout his steeplechase career by Janet Elliot, and was ridden
by Englishman Robert Massey.
Contrarian Stable's Tres Touche ran a very game race
to finish second in a Grade I race for the second time this year.
The 5-year-old son of Poles Apart (by Danzig) has been ultra-consistent
this year, hitting the board in eight of his nine starts over fences,
winning three of them. He finished the year in fourth place on the
NSA earnings list behind Flat Top, McDynamo and It's A Giggle. Tres
Touche is trained by former steeplechase jockey Ricky Hendriks,
and was ridden by David Bentley, who captured his first leading
rider title, outlasting two-time defending champion jockey Gus Brown
(18-17).
William L. Pape's It's A Giggle was undefeated in three starts
this year prior to being pulled up when he failed to handle the
soft going in his last start over fences, the Grade I New York Turf
Writers' Cup. The 8-year-old son of all-time leading United States
jump sire Northern Baby (by Northern Dancer) won the Grade I Royal
Chase at Keeneland in May before taking the Grade II A.P. Smithwick
at Saratoga in August. However, It's A Giggle's connections elected
not to enter him in the last two Grade I races of the American steeplechase
season, the Breeders' Cup and the Colonial Cup, when the going came
up soft for both races.
|
|
|
It's A Giggle passed both the Colonial
Cup and the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase due to soft ground.
|
It's A Giggle is trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Jonathan Sheppard,
who won his first Colonial Cup in 1975 with Cafe Prince, and at
one point in his legendary career (1983-1986) captured four consecutive
runnings of the race with four-time steeplechase champion Flatterer.
The English-born Sheppard, 61, has trained six steeplechase Eclipse
Award winners: Athenian Idol, Cafe Prince, Flatterer, Highland Bud,
Jimmy Lorenzo, and Martie's Anger. Elected to the Hall of Fame in
1990, he is also trains With Anticipation, who finished second in
this year's Breeders' Cup Turf.
|
|
|
Tres Touche (right) and All Gong, shown
here at the fourth fence of the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase,
finished second and third, respectively, in the Colonial Cup.
|
Calvin Houghland's All Gong (GB) could not get as close to Flat
Top and Tres Touche today as he did in his last start, the Breeders'
Cup Steeplechase, where he was only beaten 2 3/4 lengths by those
two. 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. The English-bred excels at longer
distances, but did not like the soft going in this year's Colonial
Cup. All Gong finished second in last year's running of the Colonial
Cup, and was third in 2000 edition. Jockey Chip Miller rode All
Gong in his last three races this year, replacing his sister Blythe
who is sitting out the remainder of this season after suffering
a concussion from a fall at Saratoga.
|
|
|
Trebizond is bred along the same pedigree
pattern as 1996 steeplechase champion Correggio (Ire).
|
William C. Lickle's Trebizond (Ire) will be trying Grade I company
for the second time in the Colonial Cup, having finished third in
his most recent start, the Grade I Supreme Hurdle at Calloway Gardens
on November 2nd. The 6-year-old gelding broke his maiden over fences
earlier this year at Radnor, and then came back to win an allowance
race at Saratoga. He then finished fourth behind Tres Touche and
All Gong in the Legacy Cup, and was third beaten almost 25 lengths
by McDynamo in the Grade II Foxbrook Novice Hurdle stakes at Far
Hills. He is trained by Katherine Neilson and was ridden by Roger
Horgan.
Trebizond was bred in Ireland by Vincent O'Brien, who was the master
of Coolmore's Ballydoyle Farm prior to retiring and turning the
reins over to current trainer Aidan O'Brien. Trebizond is by perennial
leading European sire Saddler's Wells (by Northern Dancer) out of
a mare by Storm Bird (by Northern Dancer) and as such is very closely
inbred (2x3) to Northern Dancer. Trebizond (Ire) is also inbred
2x3 to full sisters Lisadell and Special, the later being the dam
of Nureyev. Both sisters are granddaughters of the blue hen Rough
Shod II. This pedigree pattern is very similar to that of 1996 steeplechase
champion Correggio (Ire), who was also bred by Vincent O'Brien.
Like Trebizond (Ire), Correggio (Ire) is by Saddler's Wells out
of a daughter of Lisadell again resulting in 2x3 inbreding to the
full sisters Lisadell and Special.
|
|
|
Bruce Miller trains All Gong, who hit
the board in the Colonial Cup for the third year in a row.
|
Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords' Turkish Corner entered the Colonial Cup
as a distinct long shot, having failed to win a hurdle race in more
than two years. The 6-year-old son of Turkoman (by Alydar) has made
four starts this year, all in Grade I stakes races, and has yet
to hit the board in any of them. He started the year with a fourth
place finish in the Carolina Cup, was pulled up in the Royal Chase
and finished fifth in the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase. Matt McCarron,
nephew of Hall of Fame flat jockey Chris McCarron, was tabbed to
ride by trainer Bruce Miller.
Mrs. F. Eugene Dixon, Jr.'s Shamrock Isle finished sixth in the
Colonial Cup. The 7-year-old son of Allen's Prospect (Mr. Prospector)
failed to hit the board in all three of his Grade I starts this
year. He finished fourth in the New York Turf Writers' Cup and was
pulled up in the Royal Chase in his other two Grade I efforts. Shamrock
Isle won an allowance race at Saratoga this summer, his only victory
of the year. Shamrok Isle is trained by Jack Fisher and was ridden
by Jonathan Riddell, who recently arrived in America from New Zealand.
Berkley Stables Hendler was pulled-up in the Colonial Cup, his
first start in a graded stakes race. The 5-year-old son of Compliance
(by Northern Dancer) broke his maiden over fences at Radnor this
spring, and then captured an allowance race at Great Meadow in October.
He is trained by former steeplechase jockey Don Yovanovich and was
ridden by Richard Boucher.
The complete order of finish for the Colonial Cup is set forth
below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Flat Top |
156 |
Massey |
Janet Elliot |
Mrs. Henry A.Gerry |
|
2
|
Tres Touche |
156 |
Bentley |
Ricky Hendriks |
Contrarian Stable |
|
3
|
All Gong (GB) |
156 |
C. Miller |
F. Bruce Miller |
Calvin Houghland |
|
4
|
Trebizond (Ire) |
156 |
Horgan |
Kathy Neilson |
William C. Lickle |
|
5
|
Turkish Corner |
156 |
McCarron |
F. Bruce Miller |
Mrs. W. M. Jeffords |
|
6
|
Shamrock Isle |
156 |
Riddell |
Jack Fisher |
Mrs. F. E. Dixon, Jr. |
|
PU
|
Hendler |
156 |
Boucher |
Don Yovonavich |
Berkley Stable |
| Scr |
It's A Giggle |
156 |
Brown |
Jonathan Sheppard |
William L. Pape |
| Pgm |
Comment |
| 8 |
Flat Top: set pressured pace, saved ground,
right handed urging, drew off |
| 2 |
Tres Touche: stalked pace, dueled, led, loomed
boldly, bid, hung, 2nd best |
| 3 |
All Gong (GB): close up, evenly, lacked late
response, no factor |
| 4 |
Trebizond (IRE): unhurried early, trailed,
mild rally, gaining, bobbled, no threat |
| 6 |
Turkish Corner: middle of pack, failed to
menace, tired |
| 1 |
Shamrock Isle: no threat, lacked late response,
outrun |
| 7 |
Hendler: no threat, tired, outrun, pulled
up |
| Footnotes
|
|
FLAT TOP set pressured pace,
saved ground, right handed urging, drew off. TRES TOUCHE stalked
pace, dueled, led, loomed boldly, bid, hung, 2nd best. ALL
GONG (GB) close up, evenly, lacked late response, no factor.
TREBIZOND (IRE) unhurried early, trailed, mild rally, gaining,
bobbled, no threat. TURKISH CORNER middle of pack, failed
to menace, tired. SHAMROCK ISLE no threat, lacked late response,
outrun. HENDLER no threat, tired, outrun, pulled up.
|
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
|
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
(CAN) |
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 |
Lord Zada |
Brown |
156 |
All Gong (GB) |
156 |
Al Skywalker |
156 |
| 2000 |
Romantic (8) |
Kingsley |
156 |
Campanile (6) |
156 |
All Gong (GB) |
156 |
| 1999 |
Ninepins (12) |
Kingsley |
156 |
Muscle Car (5) |
156 |
Campanile (5) |
156 |
| 1998 |
Flat Top (5) |
Ryan |
156 |
156 Romantic (6) |
156 |
Dictador (8) |
156 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
