Post-Race Analysis:
Camden, South Carolina - November 16, 2003: McDynamo served notice
today that he may be blossoming into one of steeplechasing's all
time greats, establishing a new stakes record en route to capturing
the $100,000 Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup. Previous record-holder
Lord Zada finished second 4 lengths behind McDynamo, while Pelagos
(Fr) checked home third. The final time for the for the 2 3/4 miles
over 17 fences was 5:05 2/5ths, one-fifth of a second faster than
it took Lord Zada to negotiate the same Springdale course in 2001.
McDynamo's victory the 34th edition of this Grade I classic sealed
his fate as the overwhelming favorite to win the steeplechase Eclipse
Award. The 6-year-old son of Dynaformer (by Roberto) was undefeated
this year, closing out his 2003 campaign with his third Grade I
score this year, adding the Colonial Cup to his impressive resume
that already included the Royal Chase and the Breeders' Cup, both
of which offered a purse of $175,000.
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| Michael Moran's McDynamo won the 34th edition of the $100,000
Grade I Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup. |
McDynamo sat just off the early pace of Mulahen (GB) took the early
lead under jockey David Bentley while McDynamo and jockey Craig
Thornton were content to track him in second. Thornton nudged McDynamo
to the lead around the final turn, and opened up by three lengths
at the third-to-last fence. Stablemate Lord Zada took a run at McDynamo
approaching the second-to-last fence, but Thornton simply let it
out one more notch to win going away.
"The pace set-up today suited me so much more than his last race"
Thornton told the National Steeplechase Association. "He really
enjoyed the first part of the race today and from there he was in
good shape. He's done it all; give credit where credit is due. He
doesn't have any chinks in his armor."
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Lord Zada, who won the Colonial Cup in
2001, finished second in this year's edition.
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Owner Michael Moran spent $82,000 to purchase McDynamo
as a yearling at Keeneland in 1998, and raced the powerful bay gelding
on the flat (two wins in nine starts) before pursuing a steeplechase
career in 2001. McDynamo immediately proved to be a steeplechase
sensation, establishing a career over hurdles of 8-for-10 while
earning $466,429. The Colonial Cup victory extend his winning streak
to five straight races and increased his 2003 earnings to a National
Steeplechase Association best $252,025. He is trained by Sanna Hendriks,
who missed the race after giving birth of her first child, a boy
named Parker, one day earlier.
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The Sanna Hendriks stable sent out the
first two finishers in the Colonial Cup a day after Hendriks
gave birth to her first child.
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Jockeys Matt McCarron and David Bentley started the day in a two-way
tie for the National Steeplechase Association jockey championship
with 16 wins each. However, the best that each rider could muster
was a second place finish from four trips each to the post, as the
duo barely outlasted Tom Foley, who won three races on the day to
finish just one behind the top pair. The title was the first for
McCarron, nephew of Hall of Fame flat jockey Chris McCarron, and
the second for Bentley. McCarron opened the fall season with just
six wins (four behind Bentley), but then went on a 10-for-36 tear
with seven wins over the four weekends preceding the Colonial Cup.
Nephew of Hall of Fame flat jockey Chris and the son of flat jockey
turned trainer Gregg, McCarron picked up his 100th career victory
at Charleston earlier this year.
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Al Skywalker has earned two Grade I victories
over the Springdale course at 2 1/4 miles, but could not stay
the 2 3/4 mile distance of the Colonial Cup, finishing sixth.
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Jack Fisher won his first National Steeplechase Association
training title with 25 wins on the year, five more than second place
finisher Kathy Neilson. Three-time defending steeplechase Champion
trainer Tom Voss finished this year in third place with 19 victories.
Fisher had previously finished second in the National Steeplechase
Association training standings three times since 1994.
The Colonial Cup was the first six-figure steeplechase
in United States history when it was founded in 1970, and has been
won by three Hall of Famers and 13 champions since then. The layout
of the course is unique as none of the 17 natural brush fences are
jumped more than once. Steeplechasing returns to the Springdale
course on March 28th, 2004 with the $100,000 Grade I Carolina Cup.
For complete details on ordering tickets log on to www.carolina-cup.org
or call (800) 780-8117.
The complete order of finish for the Colonial Cup is set forth
below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
| 1 |
McDynamo |
156 |
C. Thornton |
Sanna Hendriks |
Michael Moran |
| 2 |
Lord Zada |
156 |
Rob Massey |
Sanna Hendriks |
Augustin Stable |
| 3 |
Pelagos (FR) |
156 |
M. McCarron |
F. Bruce Miller |
Michael Hoffman |
|
4
|
Hotspur |
156 |
Cyril Murphy |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Michael H. Watt |
|
5
|
Mulahen (GB) |
156 |
David Bentley |
Katherine Neilson |
Mrs. S. K. Johnston Jr. |
|
6
|
Al Skywalker |
156 |
Tom Foley |
Jennifer Majette |
Michael H. Watt |
|
2
|
Najjm |
156 |
Chip Miller |
F. Bruce Miller |
Mrs. S. K. Johnston Jr. |
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
to follow.....
Pedigrees compliments of Del
Mar Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2002 |
Flat Top (9) |
Massey |
156 |
Tres Touche (5) |
156 |
All Gong (GB) (8) |
156 |
| 2001 |
Lord Zada (8) |
Brown |
156 |
All Gong (GB) (7) |
156 |
Al Skywalker (8) |
156 |
| 2000 |
Romantic (8) |
Kingsley |
156 |
Campanile (6) |
156 |
All Gong (GB) (6) |
156 |
| 1999 |
Ninepins (12) |
Kingsley |
156 |
Muscle Car (5) |
156 |
Campanile (5) |
156 |
| 1998 |
Flat Top (5) |
Ryan |
156 |
Romantic (6) |
156 |
Dictador (8) |
156 |
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Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
