Post-Race Analysis:
Camden, S.C. - November 21, 2004: Hirapour (Ire) established a
new course record as he rallied through the stretch to win the 35th
annual $100,000 Marion du Pont Scott Colonial Cup by 3 3/4 lengths
over pace setter Preemptive Strike. Sur La Tete finished third while
last year's steeplechase champion McDynamo was fourth. Hirapour
covered the 2 3/4 miles over 17 natural brush fences in 5:04 3/5,
four-fifths of a second faster than the previous Springdale Race
Course record set by McDynamo in last year's Colonial Cup.
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Hirapour and jockey Matt McCarron won
the Grade I Colonial Cup in course record time.
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The win was the second Grade I victory this year for Eldon Farm's
Hirapour, and makes the 8-year-old son of Kahyasi the favorite to
win this year's Eclipse award honors.
Second behind McDynamo in the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase four weeks
ago, Hirapour turned the tables thanks to some tactical changes
by this year's leading steeplechase jockey, Matt McCarron.
Preemptive Strike took the early lead and held on tenaciously as
the field rounded the final bend, as neither Sur La Tete in second
nor McDynamo in third could close any ground. Meanwhile Hirapour,
who was rated behind the early pace, saved ground on the rail around
the final turn, reached even terms with Preemptive Strike at the
last fence and drew off on the run-in under a heady ride from McCarron.
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Hiropour, shown here in the Breeders'
Cup Steeplechase, was bred in Ireland by the Aga Khan.
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"We weren't as far out the back today, and I can't say I thought
I'd be ahead of McDynamo early but we were," McCarron told the National
Steeplechase Association (NSA). "I was never less than two lengths
behind him the whole way, and that made a difference. He was very
competitive when I needed him to be, and he just wore that other
horse (Preemptive Strike) down and was absolutely legless exhausted
when he pulled up. He gave every bit of his heart in the stretch."
For winning trainer Doug Fout, the win was a repeat of his victory
as a jockey aboard Sailor's Clue in 1980 and the Virginia-based
trainer was touched by the history involved in duplicating that
feat as a trainer.
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McDynamo and jockey Craig Thornton had
won six hurdle races in a row before finishing fourth in the
Colonial Cup.
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"I won it riding and I've been trying to win and trying to win
it as a trainer," he said. "It's coming back like it was yesterday.
There's nothing like this race. The history is here, and you always
have all the best horses in the country just like we did today."
The Colonial Cup has been a proving ground for champions since
its inaugural running in 1970. As the first steeplechase race in
the United States to offer a purse of $100,000, the Colonial Cup
has been won by three Hall of Famers and 14 champions.
Five horses (Hirapour, Preemptive Strike, Sur La Tete, McDynamo
and Tres Touche) came into the 2004 race with legitimate Eclipse
Award aspirations, and Fout's horse seized the opportunity with
his best effort.
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Preemptive Strike and Robbie Walsh lead
until the final fence and finished second in the Grade I Colonial
Cup.
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"This is a true course and usually the best horse wins," said Fout.
"To have all the horses here today run, and to win is just fantastic."
Hirapour ran his 2004 record to two wins and two seconds in four
starts, and gained the inside position for the steeplechase Eclipse
Award. His $199,625 in yearly earnings (including $60,000 in the
Colonial Cup) are second to Sur La Tete in the National Steeplechase
Association standings, but Hirapour won both of their meetings,
and most of Sur La Tete's earnings came in races restricted to novices.
Tres Touche could also be considered for championship honors off
his two Grade I victories this year, but like Sur La Tete, Tres
Touche was defeated by Hirapour both times they met.
Bred in Ireland by the Aga Khan Stud, Hirapour was imported by
Eldon Farm (owned by Atlanta, Georgia resident Ken Luke) last summer
after winning five times in England. The 8-year-old son of Kahyasi
improved to 3-for-5 with two seconds and $259,625 earned in his
U.S. career. He opened 2004 with a win in the Grade I Royal Chase
at Keeneland in April, and skipped the summer in favor of a fall
campaign.
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Preemptive Strike (right), shown here
winning the Grade III Appleton at Far Hills, finished second
to Hirapour in two Grade I races this year.
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Polaris Stable's Preemptive Strike capped a solid year that saw
him finish first or second in five of his six trips to the post,
including three stakes victories and a pair of second-place finishes
at the hands of Hirapour the only two times Preemptive Strike tried
Grade I competition. The 6-year-old son of Roanoke defeated Hirapour
in the Grade III Carolina Cup this spring, coming on again to catch
Hirapour in the final yards after being passed late.
Michael Moran's McDynamo won last year's edition of the Colonial
Cup en route to the Eclipse award, but lost his chance for a repeat
Eclipse when he finished fourth and last. The 7-year-old son of
Dynaformer had won six straight hurdle races prior to the Colonial
Cup, including the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase in his last start,
which came after an 11-month layoff.
Tres Touche, Gallant Turk, and Imperial Gold were all pulled up.
The complete order of finish for the Colonial Cup is set forth
below.
NSA CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
Owner: Kinross Farm, owned by Virginia's Zohar Ben-Dov,
handily defeated Gillian Johnston. The title was Kinross Farm's
first, and the first for a Virginia owner since Marion du Pont Scott's
Montpelier stable won the crown in 1972.
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Leading owner Zohar Ben-Dov greets jockey
Chris Read and Sur La Tete after their victory in the Grade
I Meadow Brook earlier this year.
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Trainer: Last year's champion Jack Fisher repeated for
the second year in a row. His 27 wins was eight more than second-place
finisher Sanna Hendriks. The Maryland-based Fisher dominated the
season in terms of starters with more than 150 on the year.
Jockey: Matt McCarron, nephew of Hall of Fame jockey Chris
McCarron, captured his second title in a row with 24 wins. A resident
of Pennsylvania, McCarron lead second-place finisher Tom Foley by
nine victories.
Horse: The NSA gives an award to the overall leading earner
of the year while the official champion is the Eclipse Award winner.
The Eclipse Award (decided on a vote of national racing writers
and other experts) will be announced in January. Kinross Farm's
Sur La Tete edged Hirapour in the money race.
Novice Hurdler: Given to the horse who earned the most money
after starting the year as a maiden over hurdles, this award will
go to Paradise's Boss. The 4-year-old won four of seven starts and
earned $116,400 for Ann Stern and Jack Fisher.
Filly/Mare: Kinross Farm's Gold Mitten edged Arcadia Stable's
Footlights in the earnings race.
Timber Horse: Northwood Stable's Bug River pocketed $48,000
this spring with wins in the Maryland Hunt Cup and the Grand National
before going to the sidelines to notch more earnings than Bubble
Economy, Secret Impression and Joe At Six.
Results:
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FP
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Horse
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lbs
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Jockey
|
Trainer
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Owner
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| 1 |
Hirapour (Ire) |
156 |
Matt McCarron |
Doug Fout |
Eldon Farm |
| 2 |
Preemptive Strike |
156 |
Robbie Walsh |
Paul Rowland |
Polaris Stable |
| 3 |
Sur La Tete |
156 |
Chris Read |
Neil Morris |
Kinross Farm |
| 4 |
McDynamo |
156 |
Craig Thornton |
Sanna Hendriks |
Michael Moran |
| PU |
Tres Touche |
156 |
Robert Massey |
Ricky Hendriks |
Barracuda Stable |
|
PU
|
Gallant Turk |
156 |
Ted Thompson |
Dabney Thompson |
Gone Away Farm |
| PU |
Imperial Gold |
156 |
Chip Miller |
Doug Fout |
Eldon Farm |
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
to follow.....
Pedigrees compliments of Thoroughbred
Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2003 |
McDynamo (6) |
Thornton |
156 |
Lord Zada |
156 |
Pelagos (FR) |
156 |
| 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 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
