Post-Race Analysis:
Lexington, Kentucky - April 22, 2005: Hirapour (Ire) won the $150,000
Grade I Royal Chase at Keeneland for the second year in a row, defeating
Sur La Tete by a 1 1/4 lengths with McDynamo another 3 1/2 lengths
behind in third. Ridden by Matt McCarron for trainer Doug Fout,
the winner covered the 2 1/2 miles in 4:42.08 as the 2-1 second
choice in a field of eight.
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Hirapour leads McDynamo and Sur La Tete
at the last fence of the Grade I Royal Chase. Ted Cushny
Photo.
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The 9-year-old Irish import spent much of the race
biding his time in traffic before going after McDynamo on the final
turn. The latter, the Royal Chase victor in 2003, left the backstretch
with a lead but was quickly joined by Hirapour at the three-furlong
pole. Rallying around the outside, Hirapour took the lead before
the last fence and scored by 1 1/4 lengths over Sur La Tete, who
rallied late for second. McDynamo finished third.
Fout compared Hirapour to world-class flat horses
during the final half-mile. “At the end of a race, he’s going as
fast as anybody in this country wants to ride,” said the trainer.
“It’s plenty fast enough. If you can get him to turn off early in
a race, he’ll just idle along and be there at the end. We were a
little wide today but we didn’t want to get stopped. If you get
stopped against these horses, you’re never going to get there.”
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Tres Touche leads Sur La Tete and Mulahen
at the 7th fence of the Royal Chase. Ted Cushny photo.
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The Royal Chase, the second-richest steeplechase in
North America behind the Breeders’ Cup in October, attracted a standout
field of eight including five Grade I winners headed by the last
two Eclipse Award champions (Hirapour in 2004, McDynamo in 2003).
McCarron, nephew of Hall of Fame flat jockey Chris McCarron, said
the race hinged on the 11th of 13 fences. At that point (just before
the final turn), 3-2 favorite McDynamo led and Hirapour was mounting
a challenge outside of horses.
“Everybody starts picking it up there and the fence
for my horse just came up a little bit too long,” said the two-time
defending National Steeplechase Association jockey champion. “Either
he leaves [the ground] and lands running or he has to go short and
it takes all the momentum out of him. If that happens, he’s probably
fourth. He just gave every ounce of courage, and landed with those
other horses.”
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Trainer Neil Morris (right) sent Sur La Tete out to
finish an impressive second in the Grade I Royal Chase.
Ted Cushny photo.
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From there, it was a footrace and Hirapour (who won
the 2004 Royal Chase with a similar move on the turn) surged past
McDynamo and headed for the finish with his ninth steeplechase win
in 15 starts. Brought to the U.S. by Fout in 2003, the son of Kahyasi
has finished first or second in all eight American starts and earned
$355,184 Stateside. The Keeneland win avenged a head loss to Sur
La Tete in the Carolina Cup April 2.
“The roles were reversed this time. We had the jump
on him as opposed to last time,” said McCarron. “Whichever horse
you might find in front is going to be bound and determined to not
let the other horse by.”
NOTES: Hirapour leads all steeplechasers in 2005 earnings
with $104,550, but will bypass the next Grade I stop – the $150,000
Iroquois at Nashville, Tenn. May 14. His next start could come at
Saratoga in the New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. I) Sept. 1 . . .
Hirapour is the first repeat winner of the Royal Chase, which was
run for the eighth time. The race has been won by five champions
. . . Cherokeeinthehills, who was pulled up in the race, collapsed
from heat exhaustion afterward but was treated on the track and
walked into the horse ambulance for the ride to the stable area.
The horse was reported fine . . . Total handle on the race was $725,565.
Edited from NSA press release.
Click here for Daily Racing Form past performance
charts of the Royal Chase.
Past performance charts are provided by the Daily
Racing Form
Click here
to play the Steeplestakes.com Spring 2005 Handicapping Contest.
The complete order of finish for the Royal Chase is set forth below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Hirapour (Ire) |
160 |
McCarron |
Doug Fout |
Eldon Farm Racing Stable |
|
2
|
Sur La Tete |
156 |
Read |
Neil Morris |
Kinross Farm |
|
3
|
McDynamo |
162 |
Thornton |
Sanna Hendriks |
Michael Moran |
|
4
|
Mulahen (GB) |
140 |
Massey |
Kathy McKenna |
Mrs. S.K. Johnston, Jr. |
|
5
|
Tres Touche |
150 |
Bentley |
Ricky Hendriks |
Barracuda Stable |
|
6
|
Il Capitano (GB) |
152 |
Hodsdon |
Doug Fout |
Eldon Farm Racing |
|
7
|
Cherokeeinthehills |
142 |
Foley |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Marilyn Ketts |
|
8
|
Airolo (Fr) |
140 |
Chipperfield |
Bruce Miller |
Calvin Houghland |
| Winner: |
Hirapour (IRE) - Bay Gelding, April 28, 1996
Bred by His Highness the Aga Khans Studs S. C. in IRE |
| Pedigree: |
Kahyasi - Himaya (IRE) , by Mouktar |
| Pgm |
Horse |
Win |
Place |
Show |
Total WPS
Pool: $252,760 |
| 3 |
Hirapour (IRE) |
6.80 |
3.40 |
2.40 |
|
| 5 |
Sur La Tete |
|
4.40 |
2.80 |
|
| 6 |
McDynamo |
|
|
2.60 |
|
| Wager Type |
Winning Numbers |
Payoff |
Pool |
Carryover |
| $2 Pick 3 |
2-6-3 (3 correct)
|
44.60 |
24,970 |
|
| $2 Exacta |
3-5 |
25.40 |
187,441 |
|
| $2 Quinella |
3-5 |
14.40 |
9,425 |
|
| $2 Superfecta |
3-5-6-4 |
412.40 |
90,857 |
|
| $2 Trifecta |
3-5-6 |
64.20 |
185,082 |
|
| Pgm |
Comment |
| 3 |
Hirapour (IRE): unhurried,edge up far turn,
took over 4-5w,bobble,steady drive |
| 5 |
Sur La Tete: settled,moved 4w,split foes into
lane,loomed,second best |
| 6 |
McDynamo: never far back, tracked pace, took
over, weakened lane |
| 4 |
Mulahen (GB): always well placed, flattened
out |
| 2 |
Tres Touche: came away running, pace to far
turn, tired |
| 7 |
Il Capitano (GB): tired after eight fences,
faded |
| 1 |
Cherokeeinthehills: gave way, pulled up, collapsed,vanned
off |
| 8 |
Airolo (FR): gave way, pulled up |
| Footnotes
|
|
HIRAPOUR (IRE), never far back,
moved to the front approaching the stretch, bobbled when landing
over the last fence, then was under pressure to hold sway.
SUR LA TETE, unhurried early, advanced three or four wide
on the far turn, loomed between foes in the drive and was
second best. MCDYNAMO, within easy striking distance, went
up to press front-running TRES TOUCHE, took over on the far
turn but weakened entering the stretch. MULAHEN (GB), always
well placed, flattened out badly when the test came. TRES
TOUCHE came away from the flag running to quickly open a clear
advantage, made the pace to the far turn and tired. IL CAPITANO
(GB) was finished after eight fences. CHEROKEEINTHEHILLS raced
in contention over nine fences, gave way and was pulled up
entering the stretch. After leaving the course, CHEROKEEINTHEHILLS
collapsed after being unsaddled. He was revived and vanned
off. AIROLO (FR) faded after eight fences and was pulled up
leaving the backstretch.
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Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for Hirapour's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of Thoroughbred
Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2004 |
Hirapour (Ire) (8) |
Chipperfield |
148 |
Lord Zada |
158 |
Preemptive Strike |
150 |
| 2003 |
McDynamo (6) |
Thornton |
158 |
Shamrock Isle (8) |
158 |
Praise The Prince |
158 |
| 2002 |
It's A Giggle (7) |
B. Miller |
158 |
Al Skywalker |
158 |
Flat Top |
158 |
| 2001 |
Pompeyo (Chi) (7) |
Brown |
154 |
All Gong (GB) (7) |
154 |
Rand (NZ) (7) |
154 |
| 2000 |
Flat Top (6) |
B. Miller |
154 |
Campanile (6) |
154 |
Pinkie Swear (6) |
154 |
| 1999 |
Lonesome Glory |
B. Miller |
154 |
Dalton River (11) |
154 |
Master McGrath (12) |
154 |
| 1998 |
Clearance Code (6) |
Petty |
154 |
Master McGrath (11) |
154 |
Cofidente (9) |
154 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
