Post-Race Analysis:
Saratoga Springs, New York - August 8, 2005: Paradise's Boss won
the 26th running of the $75,000 A.P. Smithwick at historic Saratoga
Race Course, defeating Serazzo by 2 1/2 lengths with favorite Hirapour
(Ire) another half-length back in third. Paradise's Boss completed
the 2 1/16th miles over the firm course that included nine fences
in 3:43.4, well off the track record of 3:26.2 set by Hudson Bay
while carrying 147 pounds in 1996.
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Paradise's Boss (right) won the Grade
II A.P. Smithwick by 2 1/2 lengths.
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Party Airs set the early pace under jockey Cyril Murphy and held
the lead until the first fence down the backstretch the last time
when Paradise's Boss jumped his way to a short lead. As they entered
the far turn Paradise's Boss exhibited a blazing turn-of-foot, quickly
opening up six lengths as he sprinted away from his rivals. Hirapour
(Ire), who had been tracking the leaders, took chase in second but
never threatened before being passed by the late-closing Serazzo
after the last fence in the home stretch. 10-year-old Praise The
Prince (NZ), a two-time winner of the Smithwick who won last year's
edition of the Grade II race, finished a dull fifth.
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Party Airs leads Paradise's Boss and
Hirapour (Ire) at the sixth fence.
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Mrs. Henry F. Stern's Paradise's Boss has now won three graded
steeplechase stakes races in a row. He came into the Smithwick off
victories in the $75,000 Grade II Meadow Book at Belmont Park in
June and the Grade III Ferguson at Colonial Downs in July. Bred
in Florida by Juan Escobar, Paradise’s Boss raced on the flat with
trainer Terri Pompay until purchased by Fisher late in 2003. Over
jumps, the former $20,000 claimer has won seven his 12 career starts
and earned over $248,000. The 5-year-old son of That's Our Buck
(by Buckaroo) won four races last year en route to earning the 2004
novice championship. Based on those credentials, Paradise’s Boss
was the heavy Triple Crown favorite at the start of the season,
but the gelding faltered in the first two legs of the series before
winning the final leg. He is trained by Jack Fisher and was ridden
by Xavier Aizpuru.
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| Party Airs opened up a big lead on Paradise's Boss at the
second fence. |
“Earlier this year, we were disappointed with the
way he ran," recounted winning trainer Jack Fisher after the
race. "He has always been a brilliant jumper, and that really
showed today. Last year, I thought he was a good horse, but I didn’t
think he was one of my better horses because I didn’t think he had
the speed. Obviously, I was wrong. He showed us all today that he
has plenty of acceleration and speed. He has gotten better about
settling early in a race instead of fighting the jockey, and that
helped him today as well.”
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Jockey Xavier Aizpuru gives Paradise's
Boss a pat on the neck as they return to the winner's circle.
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“I thought we went a very generous pace. Not awfully
quick, like you would expect in these high stakes races, but fast
enough," said winning jockey Xavier Aizpuru. "I turned
down the backstretch for the last time, and he jumped the first
fence real well and landed in front. He didn't use too much energy
getting there, so I let him just gallop along on the lead. Then
after the next fence I asked him for an effort and he picked up
and just flew around the final turn. He’s an absolute natural. He
loves jumping. He epitomizes how a horse can excel when he enjoys
what he’s doing.”
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Paradise's Boss has now won three graded
steeplechase stakes races in a row.
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Smithwick Biography: A. P. (Paddy) Smithwick rode 398 steeplechase
winners during his career, second only to Joe Aitcheson's total
of 440. Mr. Smithwick was the nations leading steeplechase jockey
in 1956, 1957, 1958, and again in 1962. He won the Temple Gwathmey,
at the time the country's most prestigious steeplechase race, run
in the late fall at Belmont Park, four times. He won the Meadow
Brook Handicap and the Georgetown Handicap six times each, the International
Handicap and the Beverwyck Handicap five times each, and the New
York Turf Writers and the Grand National three times each. Mr. Smithwick
said the greatest horse he ever rode was Mrs. Ogden Phipps three-time
champion Neji, who retired in 1960 as the leading steeplechase earner
of all time. In 1958 Mr. Smithwick was aboard Neji when he won the
Grand National carrying 173 pounds. Forced to retire from riding
in 1966 after a spill at Monmouth Park that left him partially paralyzed
in the left arm, Mr. Smithwick went on to train two stakes winners
on the flat including Bel Sheba, the dam of Kentucky Derby winner
Alysheba and a full sister to Wac, the dam of Campanile's sire,
Lear Fan. Mr. Smithwick died of cancer at the age of 46 in 1973,
shortly after he was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame.
Daily Racing Form
Past Performance Charts for the A.P. Smithwick
Past performance charts are provided by the Daily
Racing Form
Click
here to play the Steeplestakes.com Summer 2005 Handicapping
Contest.
The complete order of finish for the A.P. Smithwick Memorial is
set forth below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Paradise's Boss |
150 |
Aizpuru |
Jack Fisher |
Mrs. Henry F. Stern |
|
2
|
Serazzo |
150 |
Waterman |
Thomas H. Voss |
Martin Cherry |
|
3
|
Hirapour (Ire) |
158 |
C. Miller |
Doug Fout |
Eldon Farm |
|
4
|
Understood |
154 |
Dubbin |
Richard Valentine |
Whitewood Farm |
|
5
|
Praise The Prince (NZ) |
154 |
Petty |
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Augustin Stables |
|
6
|
Mulahen (GB) |
150 |
Massey |
Katherine N. McKenna |
Mrs. S.K. Johnston, Jr. |
|
7
|
Party Airs |
150 |
Murphy |
Thomas H. Voss |
Kenneth Ramsey |
|
8
|
Bow Strada (GB) |
154 |
Walsh |
F. Bruce Miller |
Calvin Houghland |
| Winner: |
Paradise's Boss - Bay Gelding, April 22, 2000
Bred by Juan A. Escobar in FL |
| Pedigree: |
Thats Our Buck - Paradise Land (URU) , by
Paradise Bay (GB) |
| Pgm |
Horse |
Win |
Place |
Show |
Total WPS
Pool: $141,753 |
| 1 |
Paradise's Boss |
10.60 |
6.00 |
3.00 |
|
| 5 |
Serazzo |
|
6.30 |
3.10 |
|
| 6 |
Hirapour (IRE) |
|
|
2.30 |
|
| Wager Type |
Winning Numbers |
Payoff |
Pool |
Carryover |
| $2 Exacta |
1-5 |
46.60 |
152,096 |
|
| $2 Trifecta |
1-5-6 |
89.00 |
113,181 |
|
| Pgm |
Comment |
| 1 |
Paradise's Boss: in hand early, took over
after eighth fence, drew away, driving |
| 5 |
Serazzo: outrun early, wide move, game finish
outside |
| 6 |
Hirapour (IRE): in hand early, stayed on well |
| 8 |
Understood: had no rally |
| 4 |
Praise the Prince (NZ): no response when roused |
| 2 |
Mulahen (GB): inside trip, tired |
| 3 |
Party Airs: made pace, gave way |
| 7 |
Bow Strada (GB): outrun |
| Footnotes
|
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PARADISE'S BOSS raced in hand
early, took over after the eighth fence, drew away and was
kept to a drive to the finish. SERAZZO was outrun early, rallied
wide and finished gamely outside. HIRAPOUR (IRE) raced in
hand early and stayed on well to the wire. UNDERSTOOD had
no rally. PRAISE THE PRINCE (NZ) had no response when roused.
MULAHEN (GB) raced inside and tired. PARTY AIRS made the pace
and gave way at the eighth fence. BOW STRADA (GB) was outrun.
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Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for Paradise's Boss 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of Del
Mar Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 1980 |
Cookie (5) |
Martin |
141 |
Coconut Creek (6) |
149 |
Pala Mountain (6) |
142 |
| 1981 |
Round the Bay (4) |
Cushman |
140 |
Hill Talk (4) |
136 |
Acromion (4) |
135 |
| 1983 |
Running Comment (9) |
McWade |
148 |
Census (5) |
151 |
Steve Canyon (3) |
147 |
| 1984 |
Double Reefed (8) |
Teter |
152 |
Twas Ever Thus (5) |
155 |
Steve Canyon (4) |
144 |
| 1985 |
Gateshead (6) |
Fishback |
155 |
Le Sauteur (6) |
155 |
Statesmanship (5) |
143 |
| 1986 |
Census (8) |
Teter |
156 |
Le Sauteur (7) |
156 |
Polar Parrallel (5) |
153 |
| 1987 |
Micky Free (4) |
Morris |
141 |
Gateshead (8) |
143 |
Chammsky (8) |
143 |
| 1988 |
Summer Colony (5) |
Smart |
146 |
Jive With Five (4) |
144 |
Rio Claro (5) |
150 |
| 1989 |
Uptown Swell (7) |
Lawrence |
149 |
Rio Claro (6) |
157 |
Double Bill (6) |
142 |
| 1990 |
Summer Colony (7) |
Smart |
158 |
French Hill (5) |
154 |
Victorian Hill (5) |
154 |
| 1991 |
Yaw (9) |
Smart |
143 |
Mihmaz (6) |
144 |
Three Bells For Me (4) |
136 |
| 1992 |
Master McGrath (5) |
Guessford |
139 |
Peer Prince (7) |
140 |
Double Bill (9) |
147 |
| 1993 |
Warm Spell (5) |
Lawrence |
158 |
Castleworth (7) |
140 |
Rolling Cart (8) |
145 |
| 1994 |
Warm Spell (6) |
Lawrence |
164 |
Mistico (8) |
168 |
Cheering News (7) |
146 |
| 1995 |
Lonesome Glory (7) |
B.Miller |
164 |
Irish Aproach (6) |
146 |
Mistico (9) |
160 |
| 1996 |
Cheering News (9) |
C.Miller |
158 |
Stop and Listen (6) |
144 |
Petroski (6) |
148 |
| 1997 |
Brigade of Guards (5) |
Kiser |
144 |
Water Skipper (7) |
140 |
Mario (6) |
156 |
| 1998 |
Romantic (6) |
Kingsley |
140 |
Brigade of Guards (6) |
156 |
Bisbalense (9) |
144 |
| 1999 |
Campanile (5) |
B. Miller |
142 |
Ninepins (10) |
144 |
Approaching Squall (5) |
150 |
| 2000 |
Campanile (6) |
B. Miller |
158 |
Golden Rule (GB) (5) |
154 |
Aggro Craig (8) |
146 |
| 2001 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (6) |
Brown |
158 |
Aggro Crag (9) |
142 |
Spring Salute |
144 |
| 2002 |
It's A Giggle (8) |
Brown |
158 |
Tres Touche (5) |
154 |
Indispensable (8) |
150 |
| 2003 |
Anofferucantrefuse (6)
|
Murphy |
150 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (8) |
150 |
Tres Touche (6) |
150 |
| 2004 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (9) |
Massey |
154 |
Najjm |
142 |
Barzulu (NZ) |
142 |
Post-Race Analysis |Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
