Post-Race Analysis:
Saratoga Springs, NY - September 2, 2004: Tres Touche won the $100,000
New York Turf Writers' Cup Handicap in flag-to-wire fashion, holding
off the late charging Cherokeeinthehills by a length. It was another
4 lengths back to Barzulu (NZ) in third, as heavily favored Praise
the Prince (NZ) never fired, finishing last of the five horses to
complete the course. The race marked the first time in 21 career
starts over hurdles that Praise The Prince failed to hit the board.
The time for the 2 3/8ths miles run over a firm course that included
10 fences was 4:19.46, well off the track record of 4:12.04 established
by Hokan in 1998 and tied by It's A Giggle over a rock-hard course
in 2001.
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Tres Touche leads Cherokeeinthehills
(obscured) and Barzulu at the finish of the Grade I New York
Turf Writers' Cup Handicap.
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Barracuda Stables' Tres Touche lead the 8-horse field along at
a decent clip for the first 1 1/2 miles while fencing beautifully.
As the field straightened away down the backstretch the last time
jockey David Bentley asked Tres Touche for more, and the 7-year-old
gelding responded by extending his lead before denying the challenges
of Party Airs and Barzulu around the final turn. As the field straightened
away at the top of the stretch Cherokeeinthehills ranged up on the
outside but Tres Touche was not to be denied, as he turned back
that challenge as well to pull clear by a length in the shadow of
the wire.
"He did great today," Bentley said of Tres Touche after the race.
"He jumped real well and got a perfect trip. He's a horse that loves
distance. The more you can give him the better it is for him. I
was confident in him today. He was second in this race last year,
and he always runs good up here. I thought we had a good shot going
into the race, and we did."
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Tres Touche leads (left-to-right) Party
Airs, Sanenay, Barzulu, Tallow, Praise The Prince and Cherokeeinthehills
at the third fence of the New York Turf Writers' Cup Handicap.
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The Grade I victory, his second of the year, established Tres Touche
as the leading candidate for this year's steeplechase Eclipse award.
Last year's champion, McDynamo, has been sidelined all year but
is aiming for a come back in the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase on October
23rd, the next Grade I race on the steeplechase circuit. He is trained
by former steeplechase jockey Ricky Hendricks, who won the New York
Turf Writers' Cup Handicap as a jockey on Zaccio in 1982.
"We always break him sharp," said Hendricks in the winner's circle.
"If someone wants to go by, fine. If not, that's fine, too. I had
a good feeling when Dave turned on the backside and opened up on
them. I was like, `Oh, he's going really good.' And then, he jumped
beautifully the last three fences. I said, `Oh, good,' when Dave
sat him down for the last fence. The firm turf helped him today
– it carries him. The older he's gotten, the tougher it is for him
to run over soft going."
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Tres Touche and jockey David Bentley
return to the winner's circle after winning the Grade I New
York Turf Writers' Cup Handicap.
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With the winner's purse of $63,030, Tres Touche bumped his career
total to $556,566. The son of Poles Apart (by Danzig) improved his
career record to 10-10-4 from 31 starts over fences.
Augustin Stable's Praise the Prince came into the New York Turf
Writers' Cup Handicap as the dominant steeplechase horse at Saratoga
over the last two years. The 9-year-old son of Prince of Praise
(NZ) won last year's edition of the New York Turf Writers by 1 1/2
lengths and annexed the Grade II A.P. Smithwick at Saratoga earlier
this year by a half-length after losing the lead in the stretch.
He has racked up over $590,000 in career earnings for trainer Sanna
Hendricks.
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Barzulu and jockey Gerry Carwood finished
third in both of the graded stakes run at Saratoga this summer.
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"For him, that was a real clunker," she said of Praise the Prince.
"I thought he might labor under the weight (high weight of 158 pounds).
He was giving 20 pounds to Cherokeeinthehills. He's not a particularly
big horse. That's got to be a factor. I just hope he's okay."
Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who has won this race a
record 11 times, almost notched his 12th with Cherokeeinthehills,
who was making his third start at Saratoga this season.
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Cherokeeinthehills and jockey Tom Foley
finished a game second in the New York Turf Writers'
Cup Handicap.
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"My horse ran well but just came up a little short at the
end," said Sheppard. "We'll take another shot in the Breeders'
Cup."
Tallow and Mulahen both failed to finish. Tallow went off course
before the 10th jump and Mulahen was pulled up after the sixth fence.
Party Airs fell at he last fence but both he and jockey Cyril Murphy
escaped serious injury.
Click here for Daily Racing
Form Past Performance charts for the New York Turf Writers' Cup
Handicap.
Past performance charts are provided by the Daily
Racing Form.
Results:
|
PP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Tres Touche |
152 |
Bentley |
Ricky Hendriks |
Barracuda Stable |
|
2
|
Cherokeeinthehills |
138 |
Foley |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Marilyn S. Ketts |
|
3
|
Barzulu (NZ) |
144 |
Carwood |
Doug Fout |
Brigadoon Stable |
|
4
|
Sanenay (Fr) |
150 |
McCarron |
Doug Fout |
Eldon Farm |
|
5
|
Praise The Prince (NZ) |
158
|
Brown
|
Sanna Hendriks |
Augustin Stable |
|
F
|
Party Airs |
146 |
Murphy |
Thomas H. Voss |
Ken & Sarah Ramsey |
|
PU
|
Tallow |
146 |
C. Miller |
F. Bruce Miller |
Kenneth C. Avanzino |
|
PU
|
Mulahen (GB) |
142 |
Massey |
Katherine Neilson |
Mrs. S.K. Johnston, Jr. |
| Winner: |
Tres Touche - Dark Bay or Brown Gelding, February
21, 1997
Bred by John A. Manfuso in MD |
| Pedigree: |
Poles Apart - Princess Smoggy , by Smoggy
(GB) |
| Pgm |
Horse |
Win |
Place |
Show |
Total WPS
Pool: $244,682 |
| 3 |
Tres Touche |
17.20 |
8.60 |
5.30 |
|
| 8 |
Cherokeeinthehills |
|
8.90 |
5.40 |
|
| 2 |
Barzulu (NZ) |
|
|
5.30 |
|
| Wager Type |
Winning Numbers |
Payoff |
Pool |
Carryover |
| $2 Exacta |
3-8 |
143.50 |
243,744 |
|
| $2 Trifecta |
3-8-2 |
967.00 |
190,986 |
|
| Pgm |
Comment |
| 3 |
Tres Touche: made pace in hand, resolutely
after final jump, clear late |
| 8 |
Cherokeeinthehills: reserved early, 3 wide
run final turn, game finish outside |
| 2 |
Barzulu (NZ): close up inside, saved ground,
no response when roused |
| 4 |
Santenay (FR): close up outside, wide throughout,
tired after ninth fence |
| 1 |
Praise the Prince (NZ): outrun early, inside
trip, empty |
| 6 |
Party Airs: speed outside, chased winner,
stumbled over last fence, fell |
| 5 |
Tallow: tired, left course before tenth |
| 7 |
Mulahen (GB): jumped poorly, pulled up |
| Footnotes
|
|
TRES TOUCHE quickly established
control of the pace, led over every fence, dug in resolutely
on the flat run to the wire and was clear under the line.
CHEROKEEINTHEHILLS was reserved early, rallied three wide
on the final turn and finished gamely outside but could not
get to the winner. BARZULU (NZ) raced close up while saving
ground and had no response when roused. SANTENAY (FR) raced
close up outside, was wide throughout and tired after the
ninth fence. PRAISE THE PRINCE (NZ) was outrun early, raced
inside and came up empty when called on. PARTY AIRS chased
the winner from the outside, stumbled over the final fence
and fell. TALLOW left the course before the tenth fence. MULAHEN
(GB) jumped poorly and was pulled up before the eighth fence.
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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. |
| 1970 |
El Martirio (6) |
Plain |
138 |
Wustenchef (5) |
151 |
Shadow Brook (6) |
155 |
| 1971 |
Soothsayer (4) |
Fishback |
153 |
Predominio (7) |
141 |
Shadow Brook (6) |
162 |
| 1975 |
Life's Illusion (4) |
Quanbeck |
145 |
Soothsayer (5) |
161 |
Artic Joe (8) |
148 |
| 1976 |
Happy Intellectual (10) |
Elser |
152 |
Life's Ilusion (5) |
160 |
Strait and True (6) |
155 |
| 1977 |
Happy Intellectual (11) |
Aitcheson |
152 |
Naval Person(5) |
143 |
Cassamayor(7) |
150 |
| 1978 |
Happy Intellectual (12) |
Martin |
152 |
Popular Hero (5) |
148 |
Leaping Frog (5) |
157 |
| 1979 |
Leaping Frog (6) |
Christinson |
159 |
Tan Jay (7) |
150 |
Canadian Regent (5) |
143 |
| 1980 |
Zaccio (4) |
McWade |
157 |
Running Comment (6) |
142 |
Leaping Frog (7) |
152 |
| 1981 |
Running Comment (7) |
McWade |
143 |
Codicioso (6) |
144 |
Red Invader (8) |
142 |
| 1982 |
Zaccio (6) |
Hendriks |
161 |
Give a Whirl (5) |
146 |
Running Comment (8) |
145 |
| 1983 |
Double Reefed (7) |
Cushman |
161 |
Sugar Bee (5) |
135 |
Census (5) |
148 |
| 1984 |
Flatterer (5) |
Fishback |
164 |
Census (6) |
155 |
Double Reefed (8) |
158 |
| 1986 |
Le Sauteur (7) |
Houghton |
157 |
Twas Ever Thus (7) |
15o |
Eremite (6) |
146 |
| 1987 |
Chief Of The Clan (4) |
Lawrence |
148 |
Gateshead (8) |
154 |
Chammsky (8) |
152 |
| 1988 |
Rio Claro (5) |
Morris |
152 |
Steve Canyon (8) |
162 |
Jive With Five (4) |
146 |
| 1989 |
Double Bill (6) |
Guessford |
142 |
Uptown Swell (7) |
152 |
Polar Pleasure (7) |
149 |
| 1990 |
Double Bill (7) |
Guessford |
146 |
French Hill (5) |
154 |
Peer Prince (5) |
134 |
| 1991 |
Yaw (9) |
Smart |
145 |
Moonstruck (8) |
148 |
Double Bill (8) |
149 |
| 1992 |
Yaw (10) |
Smart |
146 |
Three Bells For Me (5) |
140 |
Make Azilion (8) |
142 |
| 1993 |
Warm Spell (5) |
Lawrence |
161 |
Castlwworth (7) |
142 |
Darby Sky (6) |
145 |
| 1994 |
Mistico (8) |
Thornton |
168 |
Cheering News (7) |
142 |
Lonesome Glory (6) |
168 |
| 1995 |
Lonesome Glory (7) |
B.Miller |
166 |
Mistico (9) |
160 |
Rowdy Irishman (6) |
142 |
| 1996 |
Petroski (6) |
O'Brien |
160 |
T.V. Gold (6) |
140 |
Prime Legacy (7) |
138 |
| 1997 |
Bisbalense (8) |
Kingsley |
142 |
Confidente (8) |
140 |
Lonesome Glory (9) |
156 |
| 1998 |
Hokan (5) |
Clancy |
142 |
Romantic (6) |
143 |
Sundin (7) |
142 |
| 1999 |
Campanile (5) |
B. Miller |
148 |
Willstown |
138 |
Romantic (7) |
152 |
| 2000 |
Ninepins (13) |
Kingsley |
150 |
Campanile (6) |
160 |
Allgrit |
138 |
| 2001 |
It's A Giggle |
B. Miller |
142 |
Canta Ke Brave |
152 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) |
160 |
| 2002 |
Zabenz (NZ) |
Thornton |
146 |
Double Leaf (GB) |
140 |
Flat Top |
150 |
| 2003 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (8) |
Brown |
150 |
Tres Touche (6) |
148 |
Indispensable (9) |
142 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
