Post-Race Analysis:
April 26, 2002 - Lexington, Kentucky: It's A Giggle used his tactical
speed to win the $175,000 Grade I Royal Chase, defeating pace setter
Al Skywalker by 2 lengths. It was another 22 1/4 lengths back to
Flat Top, who finished third. The final time for the 2 1/2 mile
test with 13 fences was 4:39.42, more than three seconds off the
track record established by Lonesome Glory in 1999.
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It's A Giggle and Blythe Miller (left)
jump the last fence with Al Skywalker and jockey Tom Foley.
Note that Miller is with her mount over the fence, while Foley
has been "left" in the saddle, a mistake that cost
him at least a length upon landing. Ted Cushny photo.
|
Dispatched as the 3.40-1 third choice, It's A Giggle tracked Al
Skywalker and Quel Senor (Fr) for the first two miles before moving
into second place as the field rounded the last turn. As they straightened
away, It's A Giggle pulled along side Al Skywalker as that pair
approached the final two fences, with Quel Senor close behind. Al
Skywalker had lead for the entire race, and battled back gamely
along the rail over the last fence, putting in a huge jump that
caught jockey Tom Foley by surprise, leaving him far back in the
saddle. Blythe Miller and It's A Giggle took advantage of the miscue
to sprint clear upon landing, as Al Skywalker stayed on well in
defeat. Quel Senor, who had tracked Al Skywalker in second place
until passed by the winner around the final turn, was still in striking
distance when he fell over the second-to-last fence.
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It's A Giggle (left) and Al Skywalker
landing over the last fence in the $175,000 Grade I Royal
Chase. Ted Cushny photo.
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It's A Giggle is owned by William L. Pape and is trained by Hall-of-Fame
trainer Jonathan Sheppard. He was ridden by Blythe Miller, who was
the leading steeplechase rider in 1994 and 1995, and who leads all
active jump jockeys in career wins with almost 200 steeplechase
victories. The Royal Chase represented Miller's fifth straight victory
aboard It's A Giggle. Those two won three races at Saratoga last
summer, including the Grade I New York Turf Writers' Cup, and tuned-up
for the Royal Chase with a victory in the $25,000 Sandhills Cup
in North Carolina April 6. It's A Giggle made two other starts in
between Saratoga and the Sandhills Cup with different jockeys, and
finished off the board in both of those races. The 8-year-old son
of all-time leading U.S. jump sire Northern Baby (by Northern Dancer)
runs his best races when he can relax on an easy lead, but showed
versatility in the Royal Chase by laying third for the first two
miles of the race.
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Bythe Miller leads all active steeplechase
jockeys in career wins with almost 200 steeplechase victories.
Ted Cushny photo.
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While Blythe Miller has now won three of the five runnings of the
Royal Chase, It's A Giggle's victory was the first for a steeplechase
horse conditioned by Jonathan Sheppard. The Hall-of-Fame trainer
knew the race would be a challenge, because It's a Giggle's had
always won on the lead.
''It's was very obvious we wouldn't get a clear lead, so we thought
this was going to be a real test for him,'' Sheppard said. ''To
tell you the truth, I wasn't sure Blythe would be able to hold him,
but she did a fantastic job and had him well-placed hroughout the
entire race."
Rand (NZ) was scratched. Turkish corner was pulled up towards the
end of the backstretch the last time, and Shamrock Isle pulled up
around the far turn the last time.
Click Here for Daily Racing Form past performance
charts for the Royal Chase.
Past performance charts are provided by the Daily
Racing Form
To play the Steeplestakes.com Spring 2002 Handicapping Contest
click here.
Results:
|
PP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
It's A Giggle |
158
|
B. Miller |
Jonathan Sheppard |
William L. Pape |
|
2
|
Al Skywalker |
158
|
T. Foley |
Jennifer Majette |
Jennifer Majette |
|
3
|
Flat Top |
158
|
R. Massey |
Janet Elliot |
Mrs. Henry A. Gerry |
|
4
|
Lord Zada |
158
|
G. Brown |
Sanna Neilson |
Augustin Stables |
|
PU
|
Shamrock Isle |
158
|
A. Kingsley |
Jack Fisher |
Mrs. F. Eugene Dixon |
|
PU
|
Turkish Corner |
158
|
C. Miller |
F. Bruce Miller |
Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords |
|
Fell
|
Quel Senor (Fr) |
158
|
C. Murphy |
Tom Voss |
Coppertree Farm |
|
SCR
|
Rand (NZ) |
158
|
|
Mark Oulaghan |
Eamon J. Cleary |
| Winner: |
It's a Giggle - Bay Gelding, May 26, 1994
Bred by William L. Pape & Jonathan E. Sheppard in PA |
| Pedigree: |
Northern Baby - Martie's Delighted , by Mo
Bay |
| Scratched Horses: |
Rand (NZ) |
| Pgm |
Horse |
Win |
Place |
Show |
Total WPS
Pool: $183,090 |
| 2 |
It's a Giggle |
8.80 |
5.40 |
3.80 |
|
| 3 |
Al Skywalker |
|
9.00 |
5.00 |
|
| 8 |
Flat Top |
|
|
3.40 |
|
| Wager Type |
Winning Numbers |
Payoff |
Pool |
Carryover |
| $2 Pick 3 |
8-3/8-2 |
218.60 |
52,796 |
|
| $2 Exacta |
2-3 |
92.60 |
116,405 |
|
| $2 Quinella |
2-3 |
59.40 |
8,950 |
|
| $2 Trifecta |
2-3-8 |
418.60 |
110,110 |
|
| Pgm |
Comment |
| 2 |
It's a Giggle: in behind pacesetter, angled
3-4w lane,driving,clear late |
| 3 |
Al Skywalker: galloped along on easy lead,clear
into lane, no match late |
| 8 |
Flat Top: within striking distance, improved
position,no threat |
| 6 |
Lord Zada: in contention,empty in drive |
| 1 |
Quel Senor (FR): forwardly near inside, fell
in upper stretch |
| 4 |
Shamrock Isle: tired, left course, far turn |
| 7 |
Turkish Corner: outrun, pulled up approaching
end of backstretch |
| Footnotes
|
|
IT'S A GIGGLE, within easy
striking distance from the outset while racing in behind front-running
AL SKYWALKER, eased out three or four wide approaching the
stretch, then closed determinedly to win going away. AL SKYWALKER
gained a clear advantage early, galloped along on an easy
lead, settled into the stretch with a clear margin wasn't
a match for the winner late but was superior to the others
. FLAT TOP, well off the inside, failed to threaten while
improving position. LORD ZADA, in contention until the stretch,
was empty thereafter. QUEL SENOR (FR), well placed early while
in behind pacesetting AL SKYWALKER, saved ground much of the
way and fell over the next-to-last fence. SHAMROCK ISLE left
the course concluding the backstretch. TURKISH CORNER was
pulled up approaching the final turn.
|
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
IT'S A GIGGLE (USA) b. G, 1994 DP
= 8-3-6-5-0 (22) DI = 1.75 CD = 0.64
|
IT'S
A GIGGLE (USA)
b. 1994
|
NORTHERN
BABY (CAN)
b. 1976
17-5-2-5
$337,357 |
NORTHERN
DANCER (CAN)*
b. 1961 [BC]
18-14-2-2
$580,806 |
NEARCTIC
(CAN)*
br. 1954
47-21-5-3
$152,384 |
NEARCO
(ITY)*
br. 1935 [BC]
Article |
|
PHAROS
(GB)* |
b. 1920 [I] |
13-e |
| NOGARA
(ITY)* |
b. 1928 |
4-r |
LADY
ANGELA (GB)
ch. 1944 |
HYPERION
(GB)* |
ch. 1930 [BC] |
6-e |
| SISTER
SARAH (GB)* |
br. 1930 |
14-c |
NATALMA
(USA)*
b. 1957
7-3-0-2
$16,015 |
NATIVE
DANCER (USA)*
gr. 1950 [IC] |
POLYNESIAN
(USA)* |
br. 1942 [I] |
14-a |
| GEISHA
(USA)* |
ro. 1943 |
5-f |
ALMAHMOUD
(USA)**
ch. 1947 |
MAHMOUD
(FR)* |
gr. 1933 [IC] |
9-c |
| ARBITRATOR
(USA) |
b. 1937 |
2-d |
TWO
RINGS (USA)
b. 1970
31-9-5-4
$51,472 |
ROUND
TABLE (USA)*
b. 1954 [S]
66-43-8-5
$1,749,869 |
PRINCEQUILLO
(GB)*
b. 1940 [IS] |
|
PRINCE
ROSE (GB) |
b. 1928 [C] |
10-c |
| COSQUILLA
(IRE) |
b. 1933 |
1-b |
KNIGHTS
DAUGHTER (GB)**
b. 1941 |
SIR
COSMO (IRE) |
br. 1926 [B] |
6-a |
| FEOLA
(GB)* |
br. 1933 |
2-f |
ALLOFTHEM
(USA)
ch. 1964
16-4-3-3
$17,785 |
BAGDAD
(USA)
br. 1956 |
DOUBLE
JAY (USA)* |
|
dkb/br. 1944 [B] |
14-a |
| BAZURA
(GB) |
ch. 1947 |
14-b |
GAL
I LOVE (USA)
ch. 1959 |
NASRULLAH
(IRE)* |
|
b. 1940 [B] |
9-c |
| GALLITA
(USA) |
ch. 1945 |
17-b |
MARTIE'S
DELIGHTED
1977
|
MO
BAY
dkb/br. 1969
71-22-10-16
$350,898 |
CYANE
(USA)
b. 1959
14-6-4-1
$176,367 |
TURN-TO
(IRE)*
b. 1951 [BI] |
ROYAL
CHARGER (GB)* |
ch. 1942 [B] |
9-c |
| SOURCE
SUCREE (FR)* |
br. 1940 |
1-w |
YOUR
GAME (USA)
br. 1948 |
BEAU
PERE (GB)* |
br. 1927 |
3-e |
| WINKLE
(GB) |
b. 1939 |
16-b |
RUM
BOTTLE BAY
b. 1959
34-4-8-6
$27,015 |
THINKING
CAP
dkb/br. 1952 |
ROSEMONT
(USA)* |
b. 1932 |
4-m |
| CAMARGO |
b. 1944 |
1-a |
SEA
SNACK
b. 1943 |
HARD
TACK* |
ch. 1926 |
9 |
| MISS
FERDINAND |
b. 1937 |
1-a |
MARTIE'S
MAD
1966
|
MARTINS
RULLAH
b. 1955
61-8-4-9
$103,572 |
NASRULLAH
(IRE)*
b. 1940 [B] |
|
NEARCO
(ITY)* |
|
br. 1935 [BC] |
4-r |
| MUMTAZ
BEGUM (FR)* |
b. 1932 |
9-c |
SHY
KATIE
b. 1945 |
ROMAN
(USA)* |
b. 1937 |
20-a |
| FAIR
WEATHER |
b. 1940 |
1-m |
WIG
CRAZE
1961
|
DEDICATE
(USA)
b. 1952 |
PRINCEQUILLO
(GB)* |
|
b. 1940 [IS] |
1-b |
| DINI
(USA) |
ch. 1936 |
23-b |
JOTA
JOTA
br. 1954 |
DOUBLE
JAY (USA)* |
|
dkb/br. 1944 [B] |
14-a |
| HOPEFULLY |
1947 |
19-c |
Pedigrees compliments of Del
Mar Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2001 |
Pompeyo (Chi) (7) |
Brown |
154 |
All Gong (GB) (7) |
154 |
Rand (NZ) (7) |
154 |
| 2000 |
Flat Top |
B. Miller |
154 |
Campanile (6) |
154 |
Pinkie Swear (6) |
154 |
| 1999 |
Lonesome Glory |
B. Miller |
154 |
Dalton River (11) |
154 |
Master McGrath (12) |
154 |
| 1998 |
Clearance Code (6) |
Petty |
154 |
Master McGrath (11) |
154 |
Cofidente (9) |
154 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
