Post-Race Analysis:
Dade City, FL - March 7, 2004: Preemptive Strike just lasted to
win the fourth running of the Little Everglades Stakes, defeating
El Guardaespalda (Chi) by a half-length. It was another three lengths
back to recent Irish import Raise A Storm (Ire) in third, while
last year's winner of the Little Everglades Stakes, Al Skywalker,
struggled home last. The final time for the 2 1/8th miles test was
3:46.80.
Al Skywalker took command of the early lead and held that position
until the field reached the turn for home. Preemptive Strike assumed
the lead at the point and looked to be an easy winner until he faltered
over the last two fences. El Guardaespalda was coming hard at that
point and looked like he might make the lead, but Preemptive Strike
battled back gamely, just outlasting the Chilean-bred to prevail
by a half-length.
They say there's a first time for everything, and when Preemptive
Strike crossed the finish line first, it represented a trio of firsts:
the first career stakes victory for Preemptive Strike, the first
career stakes victory for his trainer, Paul Rowland, and the first
career stakes victory for his jockey, Robbie Walsh.
"I didn't want to take the lead too early, but he just dragged
me to the front as we left the backstretch the last time,"
said Walsh. "I figured we would win the race at that point,
but then he started to tire when we straightened away for home and
he didn't jump the last two fences very well, but as it turned out
he had enough in reserve. He's a tough horse and he gave me everything
he had."
Conditioner Paul Rowland used to work for Michael Dickinson in
England, and followed Dickinson to the United States where he worked
for him for six years. Rowland then took a job with former steeplechase
trainer Rusty Carrier before accepting a position as farm manager
for Gail and Dixon Thayer, the owners of Polaris Stable, in Unionville,
Pennsylvania. He came by Preemptive Strike at the end of his 3-year-old
year through his friend, Cloe Carroll: "Cloe had bred and trained
Preemptive Strike, but he was a horse that was too tough to rain
on the race track," said Rowland. "He does much better
on a farm where he can gallop in fields and be turned out during
the day.
Rowland's relationship with Dickinson came in handy this past winter
when bad weather hit the Unionville area: "We shipped Preemptive
Strike to Dickinson's farm to work over his all-weather surface
five or six times this winter," explained Rowland. "The
rest of the time we would take him across the street to [former
Olympic gold medal winner] Bruce Davidson's indoor ring. I only
gave him four weeks off after his fall campaign, so we didn't have
to do too much to get him cranked up again," explained Rowland.
"I'll take him back home to Unionville and then point him to
the Carolina Cup in three weeks."
The Little Everglades Stakes was the first win for Preemptive Strike
since he scored an allowance victory at Radnor last May. The 6-year-old
son of Roanoke (by Pleasant Colony) came close in a pair of novice
stakes races since then, finishing third at Far Hills and second
at Calloway Gardens last fall.
Rick Michaels' El Guardaespalda (Chi) closed strongly through the
stretch but ran out of real estate at the wire. The 7-year-old son
of Onward (by Fappiano) looked like he could have won the race had
it been a hundred yards longer. He is trained by Sanna Hendriks
and was ridden by Jody Petty.
William C. Lickle Raise A Storm (Ire) had his chances compromised
in his United States debut when he lost right-front shoe during
the running of the race. The 7-year-old son of Storm Bird (by Northern
Dancer) was stakes-placed over fences in Ireland last year and is
trained by last year's second-leading steeplechase trainer Kathy
Neilson. He was ridden by Neilson's new stable jockey, Robert Massey.
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|
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Jennifer Majette's 11-year-old Al Skywalker
failed in his attempt to capture the Little Everglades Stakes
for the second year in a row.
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Jennifer Majette's Al Skywalker won last year's Little Everglades
Stakes by 19-lengths and used that race as a springboard for success
in the Grade I Carolina Cup. However, the 11-year-old son of Skywalker
(by Relaunch) has gone off-form since suffering a leg injury and
a case of salmonella poisoning last summer. He was ridden for the
first time in his career by David Bentley, as his regular rider,
Tom Foley, is currently riding over fences in Japan.
The Little Everglades Steeplechase Races were run for the benefit
of the Dade City Family YMCA, the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA and
the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village.
Click here
to play the Steeplestakes.com Spring 2004 Handicapping Contest.
The complete results for the Little Everglades Stakes are set
forth below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Preemptive Strike |
146 |
Walsh |
Rowland |
Polaris Stable |
|
2
|
El Guardaespalda (Chi) |
150 |
Petty |
S. Hendriks |
J. Patrick Michaels |
|
3
|
Raise A Storm (Ire) |
142 |
Massey |
K. Neilson |
William C. Lickle |
|
4
|
Al Skywalker |
158 |
Bentley |
Majette |
Jennifer Y. Majette |
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Pedigree of Winner:
to follow.....
Pedigrees compliments of Pedigree
Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2003 |
Al Skywalker (10) |
Foley |
158 |
Swoop and Soar |
142 |
Brown Lad (Fr) |
146 |
| 2002 |
Tres Touche (5) |
Bentley |
158 |
Electron |
152 |
Cold Cat |
146 |
| 2001 |
War Talk (6) |
Kingsley |
148 |
Emancipate |
150 |
Pelagos (Fr) |
142 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
