Post-Race Analysis:
Far Hills, New Jersey - October 22, 2005: McDynamo dominated the
$200,000 Grade I Breeders' Cup Steeplechase, winning North America's
richest steeplechase for the third consecutive year, the first horse
to do so in the 14 runnings of the race. In the process, the 8-year-old
son of Dynaformer halted a five-race losing streak and leaped into
the race for the 2005 Eclipse Award as champion steeplechaser. McDynamo
completed the 2 5/8ths-mile course that had been softened by intermittent
rain in a slow 5:46 3/5, almost 53 seconds off the track record
of 4:53 4/5 established by All Gong (GB) in 2000 over a firm course.
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McDynamo made history by winning the
Grade I Breeders' Cup Steeplechase for the third consecutive
year.
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Michael Moran's McDynamo took advantage of the scratch of likely
pacesetter Preemptive Strike and went right to the front where he
stayed over all 14 fences. Ridden for the first time by Jody Petty,
McDynamo controlled the pace while jumping fluidly in the heavy
going. Petty let McDynamo accelerate on the final run down the backstretch
and the 8-year-old Kentucky-bred powered into the stretch with a
clear lead. He won by nine lengths over the late-running Three Carat,
ridden by Danielle Hodsdon. Hirapour and jockey Matt McCarron settled
for third.
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McDynamo leads (right-to-left) Three
Carat, Hirapour, Mon Villez and Understood at the 4th fence
of the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase.
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Tactical changes helped win the race as winning trainer Sanna N.
Hendriks told Petty to set the pace in the race. "McDyanmo loves
soft turf and I was worried that if there wasn't a legitimate pace
in the race that Hirapour would out-kick us," said Hendriks. "If
it was going to be the two of us, which it looked like it was on
paper, I wanted to make sure Jody made the most of McDynamo's huge
gallop, and he did that."
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McDynamo leads Hirapour and Understood
at the 9th fence of the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase.
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Uncharacteristically, 2003 Eclipse winner McDynamo came into the
Breeders' Cup as an underdog thanks to four losses this year in
as many starts. Hirapour, the 2004 Eclipse winner, beat McDynamo
at Keeneland in April and added the Grade I New York Turf Writers
Cup at Saratoga to head to Far Hills as the title leader. That changes
somewhat now, and makes the Grade I Colonial Cup in Camden, South
Carolina on November 26th the deciding race. A win by either Hirapour
or McDynamo there would assure the season championship.
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McDynamo, shown here landing over the
last fence, is the Fourstardave of Far Hills, as he has now
won a race over that course an amazing five years in a row.
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The Breeders' Cup Steeplechase victory was worth $110,000
for McDynamo, who reached the No. 3 spot on the career National
Steeplechase Association earnings list with $743,104 lifetime over
fences. Bred by Nathan Fox, Richard Fox and Richard Kaster, the
Keeneland Sales yearling purchase also won for the fifth consecutive
time at Far Hills after breaking his maiden over the course in 2001,
winning a novice hurdle stakes in 2002 and taking the last three
editions of the Breeders' Cup. The Grade I triple moved McDynamo
ahead of two-time race winners Highland Bud (1989 & 1992) and
Morley Street (1990-1991).
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Despite finnishing 3rd in the Breeders'
Cup Steeplechase, Hirapour remains the leading earner in 2005
and is the only horse to have captured two Grade I races this
year.
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NOTES: Moran Moran spent $80,000 to buy McDynamo at Keeneland as
a yearling in 1998 and has been rewarded nearly 10-fold as his horse
improved his steeplechase mark to 10 wins in 17 starts . . . Hendriks
also saddled a pair of winners for Augustin Stables on the card,
as she sent Thari out to capture the $50,000 New Jersey Hunt Cup
under Stewart Strawbridge and she gave Petty a leg-up on Move West,
who took the Grade I Foxbrook Novice Hurdle. . . The Breeders' Cup
will be televised by ESPN2 as part of the Wire to Wire program this
Wednesday, October 26th at 3:30 p.m. Eastern.
(Edited from NSA press release)
The complete order of finish for the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase
is set forth below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
McDynamo |
156 |
Petty |
Sanna Hendriks |
Michael Moran |
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2
|
Three Carat |
156 |
Hodsdon |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Jonathan Sheppard |
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3
|
Hirapour (Ire) |
156 |
McCarron |
Doug Fout |
Eldon Farm |
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4
|
Understood |
156 |
Aizpuru |
Richard Valentine |
Whitewood Farm |
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5
|
Mon Villez (Fr) |
156 |
C. Miller |
F. Bruce Miller |
Calvin Houghland |
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Scr
|
Preemptive Strike |
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Paul A. Rowland |
Polaris Satable |
Off at 3:20 Start Good for all. Won Ridden Out. Time-5:46 3/5 Weather:
Showery,55. Track: Soft.
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MCDYNAMO took control in the early stages, set the pace under good
handling for most of the way, extended his advantage while taking
command after the tenth fence, held a long lead entering the stretch,
remained well clear into midstretch and drew off under intermittent
urging. THREE CARAT raced with the early pace, fell back after the
sixth fence, continued to lag well behind after going thirteenth
fences, regaining his best stride launched a rally leaving the turn
and finished strongly through the stretch to clearly best the others
. HIRAPOUR (IRE) stalked the winner from outside through ten fences,
dropped back on the turn and steadily tired thereafter. UNDERSTOOD
stalked the leaders to the far turn and gave way. MON VILLEZ (FR)
raced with the early pace and gave way after the seventh fence .
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for McDynamo's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of Del
Mar Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
|
YEAR
|
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
|
2004
|
McDynamo (7) |
Thornton |
156 |
Hirapour (Ire) (8) |
156 |
Sur La Tete (6) |
156 |
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2003
|
McDynamo (6) |
Thornton |
156 |
Pelagos (FR) (8) |
156 |
Mullahen |
156 |
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2002
|
Flat Top (9) |
Massey |
156 |
Tres Touche (5) |
156 |
All Gong (GB) (8) |
156 |
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2001
|
Quel Senor (Fr) (6) |
Murphy |
156 |
Lord Zada (8) |
156 |
Praise The Prince (6) |
156 |
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2000
|
All Gong (GB) (6) |
B. Miller |
156 |
Popular Gigalo (6) |
156 |
Allgrit (5) |
156 |
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1993
|
Lonesome Glory (5) |
B. Miller |
156 |
Highland Bud (8) |
156 |
Mistico (7) |
156 |
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1992
|
Highland Bud (7) |
Dunwoody |
156 |
Mistico (6) |
156 |
Sassello (5) |
156 |
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1991
|
Morley Street (7) |
Frost |
156 |
Declare Your Wish (5) |
156 |
Cheering News (4) |
146 |
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1990
|
Morley Street (6) |
Frost |
156 |
Summer Colony (7) |
156 |
Moonstruck (7) |
156 |
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1989
|
Highland Bud (4) |
Dunwoody |
146 |
Polar Pleasure (7) |
156 |
Victorian Hill (4) |
146 |
|
1988
|
Jimmy Lorenzo (6) |
McCourt |
156 |
Kalankoe (7) |
153 |
Polar Pleasure (6) |
156 |
|
1987
|
Gacko (6) |
Duchene |
156 |
Inlander (6) |
156 |
Gateshead (8) |
156 |
|
1986
|
Census (8) |
Teter |
156 |
Kesslin (6) |
156 |
Pont du Loup (6) |
156 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
