Pre-Race Analysis:
March 29, 2003 - Camden, South Carolina: Al Skywalker dominated
the $100,000 Grade I Carolina Cup leading every step of the way
to win by 6 3/4 lengths over Tres Touche. Turkish Corner finished
third with Dynamite Vic checking in fourth. Al Skywalker, who also
won this race in 2001, covered the 2 3/8 miles in 4:23.8, well off
the stakes record of 4:16.4 set by Mr. Yankee in 1995.
Michael Watt's Al Skywalker was the only Grade I winner in the
race, and carried high-weight of 150 pounds. The 10-year-old son
of Skywalker (by Relaunch), mixed bold jumping and a strong gallop
to control the pace. He lead by 15 lengths at the third of 14 natural
fences, but that margin had decreased to three lengths by the race's
midway point. Down the backstretch the last time Al Skywalker accelerated
away from his rivals, and the race was essentially over.
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Al Skywalker captured the Grade I Carolina
Cup for the second time in his career.
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"I thought for a second that he got out to the lead too fast,"
winning jockey Tom Foley said after the race. "But then the rest
of the field got a little close when we came around the front stretch
the first time and I was a little concerned. I was talking and coaxing
him and he relaxed and ran his race after that."
"As soon as he got over the first fence on the backstretch, I knew
it was over," Foley added. "He saw the other horses getting close,
and when he knew we had those last five fences to go, he took control.
He just took off. He's probably the most natural jumper I've ever
seen, I just try not to fall off. He pulls me along and comes right
up in my hands when he jumps."
When Al Skywalker went straight to he lead at the start of the
race that was exactly what his trainer, Jennifer Majette, expected.
Throughout his career, Al Skywalker has been a confirmed front-runner
that always wanted to set the pace.
"There's always a chance that if he doesn't jump well, getting
out early isn't good," Majette said. "It's still a horse race, so
anything can happen. But he likes to get out front and set the pace."
Majette was confident that Al Skywalker was going to run a strong
race. He sometimes has what she refers to as a "Muhammad Ali
walk" that he exhibited during his morning exercise. Majette
also knew coming in that both Al Skywalker and Foley liked the Springdale
course.
"Al Skywalker has always liked the rolling courses and he always
seems to run good here," Majette said. "Plus, Foley likes this course,
so between the two, that's a good thing. When we saw him this morning,
he had the Ali walk that he's famous for. After I saw that, I felt
good."
The victory was the 11th of Al Skywalker's career and pushed the
gelding's lifetime steeplechase earnings to $387,456 (16th on the
all-time list). He improved to 2-for-2 this year, and is unbeaten
in his last three U.S. starts (Al Skywalker was eased in the Grade
II Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham, England in December). Bred in California
by Evergreen Thoroughbreds, Al Skywalker raced unsuccessfully on
the flat with trainer Jenine Sahadi and was sold for the price of
a van ride from California to North Carolina. In his hurdle debut
in 1997, the bay gelding ran for an $8,000 claiming price.
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Tres Touche is still looking for his
first Grade I score after finishing second in the Carolina
Cup.
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Contrarian Stable's Tres Touche has now finished second
in all three of his last Grade I starts. While the 6-year-old son
of Poles Apart (by Danzig) has never won a Grade I race, he has
captured a steeplechase stakes race in each of the last three seasons.
Tres Touche has seven lifetime steeplechase victories to his credit
and has earned $347,861 from 31 career starts. He is trained by
Ricky Hendricks and was ridden by David Bentley, who has been aboard
for all of Tres Touche's career starts over hurdles.
Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords Turkish Corner continues to
search for the form he showed in 1999 and 2000, when he wan a steeplechase
stakes race in each of those years. The 7-year-old son of Turkoman
(by Alydar) is winless in his last 11 starts over fences. He was
ridden by Robbie Walsh and trained by F. Bruce Miller, who's daughter
Blythe has retired from the saddle.
Like Turkish Corner, Yadkin Way Farm's Dynamite Vic
remains winless since 2000. The 7-year-old son of Dynaformer (by
Roberto) won two races over hurdles when owned by Daniel Borislow
(of Toccet fame) in 2000, but has battled leg troubles ever since.
The supplemental entry is trained by Daniel McCullum and was ridden
by Patrick Cooney.
William C. Lickle's Trebizond (Ire) was making his fourth straight
start in a Grade I race. The 7-year-old gelding broke his maiden
over fences last year at Radnor, and then came back to win an allowance
race at Saratoga. Trebizond is winless in all five of his attempts
in steeplechase stakes races. He is trained by Katherine Neilson
and was ridden by Robert Massey.
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Trbizond (Ire) is bred along the same
pedigree pattern as 1996 steeplechase Champion Correggio (Ire).
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The connections of 2002 Steeplechase Champion Flat Top and 2002
Novice Champion McDynamo elected to pass the Carolina Cup.
Daily Racing Form Past Performance Charts
for the Carolina Cup!
Past performance charts are provided by the Daily
Racing Form
Click here
to play the Steeplestakes.com Spring 2003 Handicapping Contest.
The complete order of finish for the Carolina Cup is set forth
below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Al Skywalker |
150 |
T. Foley |
Jennifer Majette |
Michael H. Watt |
|
2
|
Tres Touche |
142 |
D. Bentley |
Ricky Hendricks |
Contrarian Stables |
|
3
|
Turkish Corner |
142 |
R. Walsh |
F.Bruce Miller |
Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords |
|
4
|
Dynamite Vic (S) |
142 |
P. Cooney |
Dan McCullum |
Yadkin Way Farm |
|
5
|
Trebizond (Ire) |
142 |
R. Massey |
Katherine Neilson |
William C. Lickle |
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
|
AL SKYWALKER G, 1993
DP = 7-6-11-0-0 (24) DI = 3.36 CD = 0.83
|
AL
SKYWALKER
1993
347,456 as of 03/30/03 |
SKYWALKER
(USA)*
dkb/br. 1982
20-8-3-3
$2,226,750
Website |
RELAUNCH
(USA)*
gr. 1976
18-5-5-4
$278,100 |
IN
REALITY (USA)*
b. 1964 [BC]
27-14-9-2
$795,824 |
INTENTIONALLY
(USA)*
blk. 1956 [BI] |
INTENT
(USA) |
ch. 1948 |
8-c |
| MY RECIPE
(USA) |
b. 1947 |
5-j |
MY
DEAR GIRL (USA)*
ch. 1957 |
ROUGH'N
TUMBLE (USA) |
b. 1948 [BC]* |
1-o |
| ILTIS
(USA) |
b. 1947 |
21-a |
FOGGY
NOTE (USA)
gr. 1965
34-10-6-2
$111,820 |
THE
AXE (USA)*
gr. 1958 |
MAHMOUD
(FR) |
gr. 1933 [IC]* |
9-c |
| BLACKBALL
(USA) |
dkb/br. 1950 * |
1-s |
SILVER
SONG (USA)
gr. 1957 |
ROYAL
NOTE (USA) |
b. 1952 |
12-b |
| BEADAH
(USA) |
gr. 1953 * |
3-o |
BOLD
CAPTIVE (USA)
b. 1971
29-10-2-5
$82,640 |
BOLDNESIAN
(USA)
b. 1963
5-4-0-0
$107,625 |
BOLD
RULER (USA)*
dkb/br. 1954 [BI] |
NASRULLAH
(GB) |
|
b. 1940 [B]* |
9-c |
| MISS
DISCO (USA) |
b. 1944 ** |
8-d |
ALANESIAN
(USA)*
b. 1954 |
POLYNESIAN
(USA) |
|
br. 1942 [I]* |
14-a |
| ALABLUE
(USA) |
b. 1945 * |
4-m |
CAPTIVE
AUDIENCE (USA)
b. 1962
Unraced |
NATIVE
DANCER (USA)*
gr. 1950 [IC]
Book |
POLYNESIAN
(USA) |
|
br. 1942 [I]* |
14-a |
| GEISHA
(USA) |
gr. 1943 * |
5-f |
HOME
PORT (USA)
br. 1956 |
COUNT
FLEET (USA) |
br. 1940 [C]* |
6-a |
| HOME-MADE
(USA) |
b. 1950 |
2-d |
BINT
ALNASR
1984 |
AL
NASR (FR)*
br. 1978
12-7-2-1
$268,404 |
LYPHARD
(USA)
b. 1969 [C]
12-6-1-0
$202,332 |
NORTHERN
DANCER (CAN)*
b. 1961 [BC]
Book |
NEARCTIC
(CAN) |
br. 1954 * |
14-c |
| NATALMA
(USA) |
b. 1957 * |
2-d |
GOOFED
(USA)
ch. 1960 |
COURT
MARTIAL (GB) |
ch. 1942 [B]* |
1-p |
| BARRA
(FR) |
ch. 1950 |
17-b |
CARETTA
(IRE)
1973 |
CARO
(IRE)*
gr. 1967 [IC] |
FORTINO
(FR) |
gr. 1959 |
4-r |
| CHAMBORD
(GB) |
ch. 1955 |
3-o |
KLAINIA
(FR)
b. 1960 |
KLAIRON
(FR) |
b. 1952 * |
1-w |
| KALITKA
(FR) |
b. 1954 |
4-r |
COROLINA
1979 |
NASHUA
(USA)*
b. 1952 [IC]
30-22-4-1
$1,288,565
Book |
NASRULLAH
(GB)*
b. 1940 [B] |
|
NEARCO
(ITY) |
br. 1935 [BC]* |
4-r |
| MUMTAZ
BEGUM (GB) |
b. 1932 * |
9-c |
SEGULA
(USA)
dkb/br. 1942 |
JOHNSTOWN
(USA) |
b. 1936 * |
17-b |
| SEKHMET
(FR) |
ch. 1929 |
3-m |
NOBILE
DECRETUM
1975 |
NOBLE
DECREE (USA)
dkb/br. 1970 |
VAGUELY
NOBLE (GB) |
b. 1965 [CP]* |
1-d |
| HIDDEN
SECRET (USA) |
1963 |
16-c |
MID
EVENING (USA)
b. 1957 |
BILLINGS
(USA) |
ch. 1945 |
23-b |
| MIDEAU
(USA) |
b. 1942 |
4-m |
|
|
Pedigrees compliments of Del
Mar Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
|
2002
|
Canta Ke Brave (6) |
Massey |
146 |
Al Skywalker (9) |
154 |
Lord Zada (9) |
154 |
|
2001
|
Al Skywalker (8) |
Foley |
142 |
Campanile (7) |
150 |
Assurance (9) |
146 |
|
2000
|
Invest West (6) |
Kingsley |
154 |
Snuggle (NZ) (8) |
142 |
Darn Tipalarm (7) |
146 |
|
1999
|
Lonesome Glory (11) |
B. Miller |
154 |
Assurance (7) |
154 |
Romantic (7) |
154 |
|
1998
|
Master McGrath (11) |
Kingsley |
146 |
Brigade of Guards (6) |
146 |
Fifth Creek (8) |
142 |
|
1997
|
Lonesome Glory (9) |
B. Miller |
154 |
Hudson Bay (7) |
154 |
Prime Legacy (8) |
154 |
|
1996
|
To Ridley (6) |
Clancy |
146 |
Eskimo Cove (8) |
146 |
Leandro (7) |
140 |
|
1995
|
Mr. Yankee (8) |
Delozier |
140 |
Mistico (9) |
166 |
Victorian Hill (10) |
154 |
|
1994
|
Moonstruck (11) |
Thornton |
151 |
Castleworth (8) |
144 |
Victorian Hill (9) |
156 |
|
1993
|
Mistico (7) |
Thornton |
160 |
Victorian Hill (8) |
158 |
Woodlast (8) |
145 |
|
1992
|
Castleworth (6) |
Clancy |
139 |
Timely Encounter (9) |
141 |
Moonstruck (9) |
154 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
