Post-Race Analysis:
Camden, South Carolina - November 19, 2006: McDynamo won the 37th
running of the $150,000 Grade I Colonial Cup, running down pace
setter Mon Villez (Fr) in deep stretch to prevail by a length with
Hirapour (Ire) just a half-length back in third. The victory should
seal the 2006 steeplechase Eclipse award for McDynamo, who increased
his career bankroll to $1,163,104, an American steeplechase record.
McDynamo tracked Mon Villez throughout the first 2 ˝ miles of the
race before challenging for the lead at the top of the long stretch.
Mon Villez fought back gamely when confronted by McDynamo, pressing
the favorite over the final quarter-mile. But McDynamo refused to
be denied, edging away in the shadow of the wire to notch his third
Colonial Cup victory in the last four years.
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McDynamo won the Grade I Colonial Cup
for the third time in the last four years.
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Trained by Sanna Hendriks and ridden by Jody Petty, McDynamo came
into the race off a historic fourth consecutive win in the Grade
I Breeders' Cup Grand National on October 28th, but he needed the
Colonial Cup to ensure this year's Eclipse Award. The 9-year old
son of Dynaformer left no doubt, sewing up the 2006 earnings title
with $285,000 including the $90,000 Colonial Cup winner's check.
As a result McDynamo, who also earned the Eclipse Award 2003 and
2005, is odds-on to become the seventh three-time steeplechase champion
in American steeplechase history.
"He definitely had to work today, but that's what makes him the
horse he is," said Petty. "When I needed it, he gave it to me. He
was all out today and showed he wanted to win it more than anyone
else."
McDynamo covered the 2 3/4 miles and 17 fences in 5:16 1/5, more
ten seconds off the Springdale Race Course record set by Hirapour
in the 2004 Colonial Cup. McDynamo improved to 3-for-4 this year
(including three consecutive wins), and 14-for-22 overall in steeplechase
races.
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Hirapour finished third in the Colonial
Cup and was retired after the race.
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"It was really nerve-wracking today," said Hendriks. "It looked
to me like maybe the Breeders' Cup took more out of him than I saw,
but he had great jumps down the backside and did that on pure guts.
You don't know if they're going to have that until they need it,
and he found a lot extra. It's pretty special to be associated with
him. He's got that unbelievable determination to win. To keep coming
up with performances like that is something."
This year's Colonial Cup marked the end of a remarkable rivalry
between McDynamo and Hirapour, as these two titans of the turf faced
each other 6 times throughout their illustrious careers, with McDynamo
claiming victory on four of those occasions. Hirapour, the 2004
steeplechase champion, was retired after the race by Eldon Farm
and trainer Doug Fout.
JUMPING AROUND: Danielle Hodsdon finished the season with 21 wins
to claim his first jockey title while two-time defending champion
Matt McCarron, finished second with 18.....Hall of Fame conditioner
Jonathan Sheppard won the training title for a record 23rd time
(his first since 1999) with 26 wins, while last year's leading trainer
Sanna Hendriks settled for second with 22 victories this season…..Kinross
Farm was this year's leading owner with $376,975 in earnings…..The
Colonial Cup was the first American steeplechase to carry a $100,000
purse when it was created in 1970; the race has been won by 15 champions.
Edited from NSA press release
The complete order of finish for the Colonial Cup is set forth
below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
McDynamo |
156 |
Petty |
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Michael J. Moran |
|
2
|
Mon Villez (Fr) |
156 |
C. Miller |
F. Bruce Miller |
Calvin Houghland |
|
3
|
Hirapour (Ire) |
156 |
McCarron |
Doug Fout |
Eldon Farm Racing Stable |
|
4
|
Mixed Up |
156 |
Hodsdon |
Jonathan Sheppard |
William L. Pape |
|
5
|
Chivite (Ire) |
156 |
Young |
F. Bruce Miller |
Calvin Houghland |
|
Scr
|
Class Vantage |
|
|
Lilith Boucher |
Mede Cahaba Stable |
|
Scr
|
Challenge (NZ) |
|
|
Doug Fout |
Hound's Cry Stable |
|
Scr
|
Moneytrain (Ger) |
|
|
Jonathan Sheppard |
Hudson River Farm |
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Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for McDynamo's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of Thoroughbred
Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2005 |
McDynamo (8) |
Petty |
156 |
Hirapour (Ire) (9) |
156 |
Erin Go Bragh (NZ) (6) |
156 |
| 2004 |
Hirapour (Ire) (8) |
McCarron |
156 |
Preemptive Strike (7) |
156 |
Sur La Tete (7) |
156 |
| 2003 |
McDynamo (6) |
Thornton |
156 |
Lord Zada (10) |
156 |
Pelagos (Fr) (8) |
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
