Post-Race Analysis:
May 10, 2003 - Nashville, Tennessee: Pelagos (Fr) won the 62nd
running of the $100,000 Iroquois, defeating Praise The Prince (NZ)
by 1 1/2 lengths and earning the first Grade I victory of his career
in the process. Storm Touch finished third another 13 lengths behind
Praise The Prince. The final time for the 3-mile test was run over
a turf course labelled "good" was 5:46.6, well off the
stakes record of 5:24.2 set by Uncle Edwin in 1986.
|
|
|
Pelagos (right), shown here losing the
2001 Meadow Brook to Praise The Prince by a head, turned the
tables on him in the Iroquois to capture his first Grade I
Race.
|
Storm Touch led by as much as 12 lengths early in the race and
held that lead until Heartbreak Hill when he began to fade. Pelagos
and Praise The Prince passed Storm Touch going up the steep incline,
with Pelagos asserting himself by the time he reached the summit,
slowly pulling away from favorite Praise the Prince and Storm Touch.
''They don't call it the Heartbreak Hill here for nothing,'' said
winning jockey Tom Foley. ''They fly in and they crawl home. I just
saved enough, and my guy just flew up it. He just loves to battle."
''The race was won on the fence on the bend,'' Foley said. ''I
got about a half-length in front of Praise The Prince and I was
just going for a big fence. Praise The Prince went with me, but
I could just feel him back off a little bit when we landed. I knew
I had it then, and I just rock and rolled home.'' Pelagos' last
two hurdles on the 18-jump race were so strong that it seemed to
take the fight out of Praise the Prince, who finished second in
the Iroquois for the second consecutive year.
|
|
|
Winning jockey Tom Foley (shown here
on Al Skywalker) said that Pelagos broke the heart of second
place finisher Praise The Prince.
|
''Horses are like people,'' Foley said. ''If I'm running
the marathon and a guy is running away from me, I'm just going to
give up. Horses have hearts just like us. I just took the heart
out of Praise The Prince there, and we turned for home and the show
was over.''
''It's better going into the race when you're not favored,'' Foley
continued. ''There's no pressure on you. That way, you look better
when you win. Pelagos is a tough horse and I love him. I've ridden
him seven times in races, and we've always been in the money. He's
a small horse. He's tiny, probably the smallest horse around here
today, but he's got a heart of pure gold and just keeps trying.
You can't train a horse to have heart, but he has it in abundance.
What he doesn't have in size he makes up for in heart. He's as tough
as they come.''
Michael E. Hoffman's Pelagos (Fr) won the Grade III Marcellus Frost
over the Iroquois course last year, the only stakes victory of his
career before today. The 8-year-old son of Exit To Nowhere (by Irish
River (Fr)) has racked up $192,528 in career steeplechase earnings,
not bad for a horse that cost only $15,000.
|
|
|
Winning trainer F. Bruce Miller called
Pelagos "the best jumper I've had since Lonesome Glory".
|
''Pelagos is the best jumper I've had since Lonesome Glory,'' said
winning trainer F. Bruce Miller, referring to the five-time U.S.
champion. ''I think that's what kept him in the race the whole way
and Tom rode a great finish. Pelagos is a jumping machine. 'I never
expected to win,'' Miller said. ''I thought Praise the Prince would
win it, and we just wanted to be a nice second. Tom got a bigger
last fence and Pelagos just kept running.''
Augustin Stables' Praise The Prince (NZ) is a multiple stakes winner,
having captured the Grade I Hard Scuffle and the Grade I Meadow
Brook as well as the Grade II A.P. Smithwick against open company
as a novice two years ago. The 8-year-old son of Prince of Praise
(NZ) (by Crossways (GB)) just missed winning the Iroquois last year,
when he was beaten a neck by the recently deceased All Gong (GB).
He is trained by Sanna Neilson and was ridden by last year's champion
jockey David Bentley.
|
|
|
Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard
sent out Storm Touch to finish third in the Grade I Iroquois.
|
''My horse didn't do anything wrong, said Bentley after the race."
He ran well, jumped well. As they say, it was Pelagos' day. He did
it quite nicely in the end. My horse ran his race. Pelagos was a
better horse on the day. It might be different if we meet him again
at a different course with a different distance.''
Calvin Houghland's Storm Touch is still looking for his first
victory since breaking his maiden in 2001. The 7-year-old son of
Storm Bird (by Northern Dancer) finished second in a pair of allowance
races at Saratoga last summer, and sports a career record over fences
of 1-4-1 from eight starts. He is trained by Hall of fame conditioner
Jonathan Sheppard and was ridden by Michael Traurig
Ice Bullet never threatened in the Iroquois and finished a distant
fourth. The 10-year-old son of Mi Selecto (by Explodent) won an
allowance race at Charleston last year, as well as a $10,000 claiming
race. Danielle Hodsdon rode for owner-trainer Peter Levendis.
Only four horses faced the starter in the Iroquois, as Gallant
Turk was a late scratch.
Click here for Daily Racing Form Past Performance
Charts for the Iroquois.
Past performance charts are provided by the Daily
Racing Form.
The complete order of finish for the Iroquois is set forth below.
ARCH KINGSLEY JR. RETIRES: Arch Kingsley Jr. announced on May
9th that he is hanging up his tack after nine years as a steeplechase
jockey. During the course of his career, the 30-year-old Virginia
native accounted for 123 wins from 665 starts, $3,285,511 in earnings,
a national title, and some of the most memorable moments in the
sport.
|
|
|
Arch Kingsley Jr. has hung up his tack.
|
Seldom out of the top five, he led the national standings at the
time of his announcement with eight wins, two seconds and five thirds
from 24 starts, to the tune of $119,710.
Citing repeated concussions as the reason for his retirement, Kingsley
noted, "I've taken time off before, hoping that it would help. Whether
it's the way I fall or my biochemistry, I just don't seem to hit
the ground well. "I can't complain about any of the luck I've been
dealt; I feel like I've been more than blessed," he continued. "I'm
so grateful for the horses that have carried me, and the people
that have given me the opportunities -- and I wouldn't trade it
for anything."
Kingsley's decision came after a spill with the Kathy Neilson-trained
Mulahen in a $25,000 allowance at the May 3 Virginia Gold Cup Races
(VA). "He just took an awkward fence; and a stride or two after
the fence, his legs kind of got tangled," he recalled. "Then he
hit the ground almost like a horse that had clipped heels. He went
down hard, lightning-fast, and disappeared."
The son of equestrians Archibald and Katharine Kingsley, he grew
up in the hunt country of northern Virginia. A rider from an early
age, he didn't compete "between the flags" until 1994. That fall,
he rode his first winner - a horse called Come On Gerald ---- in
a maiden claimer at the Virginia Fall Races in Middleburg. "It was
probably [jockey-turned-trainer] Chuck Lawrence who put me over
the top," Kingsley said. "He helped me put my energies towards achieving
a goal, accomplishing something, and focusing on the riding."
Banner years followed, with Kingsley riding for such well-known
trainers as Janet Elliot, Jonathan Sheppard and Ricky Hendriks.
He also spent time with flat trainer Bill Mott, and counts fellow
jockeys Craig Thornton, Ben Guessford, and the late Jonathan Kiser
among his biggest influences.
In 1997, Kingsley tied Kiser for the jockeys' races-won championship.
That same year he won the jockeys' money-won title, a feat he would
repeat in 1999.
Although he's ridden many top 'chasers (including 1996 Eclipse
Award winner Correggio), Kingsley considers Hudson River Farms'
Ninepins one of his all-time favorite mounts. In 1999, the Jonathan
Sheppard trainee stunned the steeplechase world by winning the Breeders'
Cup Grand National (NJ) and the Colonial Cup (SC) - both Grade I
stakes - at the advanced age of 12. A year later, Ninepins silenced
all doubters with a resounding victory over Campanile in the Grade
I New York Turf Writers Cup (NY). "He was always a talent - it just
took a long time for it to come out," Kingsley recalled fondly.
Then there's Arcadia Stable's Maipo, a gifted timber-topper with
whom Kingsley won the International Gold Cup (VA) and the Pennsylvania
Hunt Cup (PA) in 2000. "Maipo was just raw talent and ability, and
one of the finest horses I ever jumped a fence on," he maintained.
Hudson Bay is another favorite, and in Kingsley's words, "…one
of the greatest horses I've had, in terms of heart and honesty.
I rode a lot of talented horses, but the ones that stick out in
my mind are the ones that tried hard and made more of what they
had than maybe what they were."
His favorite race: without question, the 2000 Colonial Cup, which
he won with Timber Bay Farm's Romantic on the eve of his wedding
to Wendy Fletcher. "That was the best," he said. "But winning five
races at Saratoga was also great. And every one of my Grade I wins
was certainly special.
"I especially loved riding horses that were true professionals,
that only took tactical planning on the jockey's part and not too
much babysitting," he continued. "Those are the most meaningful
times, when horse and rider are one and the rest of the world seems
far away."
For the past year, Kingsley has been preparing for his eventual
retirement by apprenticing with farrier Keith Crawford in his adopted
home of Camden, SC. "Having that lined up certainly makes it a lot
easier to make the move," he mused. "Two years ago, when I was asking
some hard questions, I really didn't have any answers. Now the time
has come, and I've got a place to go."
Kingsley also plans to train a few horses on the side. At the moment,
the 21-acre farm that he shares with wife Wendy is home to not only
retired 'chaser Hudson Bay, but current competitors Unalienable
Right and Sir Charleston, as well as a promising 2-year-old.
"I never thought that I'd be hanging it up this early," he said.
"But no regrets - it's been a great ride."
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Pelagos (Fr) |
158 |
Foley |
F. Bruce Miller |
Michael E. Hoffman |
|
2
|
Praise The Prince (NZ) |
158 |
Bentley |
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Augustin Stable |
|
3
|
Storm Touch |
158 |
Traurig |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Calvin Houghland |
|
4
|
Ice Bullet |
158 |
Hodsdon |
Peter Levendis |
Peter Levendis |
|
Scr
|
Gallant Turk |
158 |
|
Dabney S. Thompson |
Calvin Houghland |
|
Scr
|
McDynamo |
158 |
|
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Michael Moran |
|
Scr
|
Tres Touche |
158 |
|
Ricky Hendricks |
Contrarian Stables |
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
|
PELAGOS (FR) gr. G,
1995 DP = 9-5-14-0-0 (28) DI = 3.00 CD = 0.82
|
PELAGOS
(FR)
gr. 1995 |
EXIT
TO NOWHERE (USA)*
b. 1988
10-4-3-2
$ 364,915 |
IRISH
RIVER (FR)*
ch. 1976
12-10-0-1
$622,739 |
RIVERMAN
(USA)*
br. 1969 [IC]
8-5-2-1
$247,876 |
NEVER
BEND (USA)*
dkb/br. 1960 [BI] |
NASRULLAH
(GB) |
b. 1940 [B]* |
9-c |
| LALUN
(USA) |
b. 1952 * |
19-b |
RIVER
LADY (USA)
b. 1963 |
PRINCE
JOHN (USA) |
ch. 1953 [C]* |
14-f |
| NILE LILY
(USA) |
dkb/br. 1954 |
10-a |
IRISH
STAR (FR)
b. 1960
10-3-?-?
$10,316 |
KLAIRON
(FR)*
b. 1952 |
CLARION
(FR) |
b. 1944 |
1-n |
| KALMIA
(FR) |
b. 1931 |
1-w |
BOTANY
BAY (FR)
b. 1954 |
EAST
SIDE (GB) |
dkb/br. 1939 |
10-a |
| BLACK
BROOK (GB) |
br. 1945 |
1-w |
COUP
DE FOLIE (USA)**
b. 1982
7-4-0-2
$68,381 |
HALO
(USA)*
blk/br. 1969 [BC]
31-9-8-5
$259,553 |
HAIL
TO REASON (USA)*
br. 1958 [C] |
TURN-TO
(IRE) |
b. 1951 [BI]* |
1-w |
| NOTHIRDCHANCE
(USA) |
b. 1948 |
4-n |
COSMAH
(USA)**
b. 1953 |
COSMIC
BOMB (USA) |
dkb/br. 1944 * |
14-f |
| ALMAHMOUD
(USA) |
|
ch. 1947 ** |
2-d |
RAISE
THE STANDARD (CAN)
b. 1978
Unraced |
HOIST
THE FLAG (USA)*
b. 1968 [BI] |
TOM
ROLFE (USA) |
b. 1962 [CP]* |
9-h |
| WAVY
NAVY (USA) |
b. 1954 |
5-i |
NATALMA
(USA)*
b. 1957 |
|
NATIVE
DANCER (USA) |
gr. 1950 [IC]* |
5-f |
| ALMAHMOUD
(USA) |
|
ch. 1947 ** |
2-d |
SOUTHERN
MAID (USA)
gr. 1976 |
NORTHERN
DANCER (CAN)*
b. 1961 [BC]
18-14-2-2
$580,806
Book |
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 (IRE)
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]
Book |
POLYNESIAN
(USA) |
br. 1942 [I]* |
14-a |
| GEISHA
(USA) |
gr. 1943 * |
5-f |
ALMAHMOUD
(USA)**
ch. 1947 |
|
MAHMOUD
(FR) |
gr. 1933 [IC]* |
9-c |
| ARBITRATOR
(USA) |
b. 1937 |
2-d |
MIDOU
(GB)
gr. 1970 |
SAINT
CRESPIN (GB)*
ch. 1956
-4-0-0
$ 56,410 |
AUREOLE
(GB)*
ch. 1950 [C] |
HYPERION
(GB) |
|
ch. 1930 [BC]* |
6-e |
| ANGELOLA
(GB) |
b. 1945 * |
2-f |
NEOCRACY
(GB)
br. 1944 |
NEARCO
(ITY) |
|
br. 1935 [BC]* |
4-r |
| HARINA
(IRE) |
b. 1933 |
22-a |
MIDGET
(FR)
gr. 1953
10?-6-2-2
$ 42,030 in uk only. |
DJEBE
(FR)
gr. 1945 |
DJEBEL
(FR) |
b. 1937 [I]* |
5-j |
| CATHERINE
(FR) |
gr. 1940 |
22-b |
MIMI
(FR)
b. 1943 |
BLACK
DEVIL (USA) |
dkb/br. 1931 |
17-b |
| MIGNON
(FR) |
b. 1935 |
1-u |
|
|
Pedigrees compliments of Del
Mar Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2002 |
All Gong (GB) (8) |
B. Miller |
158 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (7) |
158 |
Flat Top (9) |
158 |
| 2001 |
Rand (NZ) (7) |
E. Lamb |
158 |
All Gong (GB) (7) |
158 |
Electron (8) |
158 |
| 2000 |
Pinkie Swear (6) |
Clancy |
154 |
All Gong (GB) (6) |
158 |
Greek Hero (7) |
158 |
| 1999 |
Rowdy Irishman (10) |
Marzullo |
156 |
|
|
|
|
| 1998 |
Rowdy Irishman (9) |
Marzullo |
156 |
|
|
|
|
| 1997 |
Correggio (Ire) (6) |
Kingsley |
156 |
|
|
|
|
| 1996 |
To Ridley (6) |
Clancy |
156 |
|
|
|
|
| 1995 |
Lonesome Glory (7) |
B. Miller |
156 |
|
|
|
|
| 1994 |
Mistico (8) |
Thornton |
168 |
|
|
|
|
| 1993 |
Mistico (7) |
S. Neilson |
168 |
|
|
|
|
| 1992 |
Victorian Hill (7) |
B. Miller |
168 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
