Post-Race Analysis:
Lexington, Kentucky - April 21, 2006: Sur La Tete, making his first
start in almost a year, cruised to the lead with three-eighths of
a mile remaining en route to an easy win in the $150,000 Grade 1
Royal Chase at Keeneland. Carrying second high weight of 158 pounds,
the 8-year-old son of Sky Classic ran the 2 ½ miles over a soft
turf course that included 13 fences in 4:56.34, well off the course
record of 4:34.40 set by Pompeyo (Chi) in 2001.
Run in a steady rain, Mauritania and Free Asmission set the early
pace in the Royal Chase while Sur La Tete sat just off the flank
of two-time steeplechase champion and high-weight McDynamo early.
Sur La Tete eased into contention as the pace increased down the
backside the final time and took over with a sweeping move going
into the final turn. From there he accelerated away from the rest
of the field to jump the final two fences in the stretch alone and
romp home a 10-length winner. Mauritania stayed on gamely to hold
off the 12-year-old mare Feeling So Pretty by a neck for second.
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Despite fencing poorly at at the last
hurdle (above), Sur La Tete and Chris Read won the rain-soaked
Grade I Royal Chase by 10 lengths.
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"The plan was to stay as close to McDynamo as we could and watch
the chess game unfold," winning jockey Chris Read told the NSA after
the race. "We got up close to him going to the last on the back,
I sort of popped to the outside a little bit and my horse arrived.
I thought we may have moved a little early, but I didn't want to
stop my horse's momentum so I just let him go", Read continued.
"He had a couple of more gears and he just kept jumping and
striding out."
Bred in Kentucky by Rutledge Farm, Sur La Tete never raced for
his breeder and was purchased by Kinross Farm as an unruly 3-year-old.
Still a nervous type, he requires special care leading up to his
races, so winning trainer Neil Morris opted to send Sur La Tete
to Pin Oak (home of Sur La Tete's sire) a few days ahead of the
race to get settled.
"Sur La Tete is somewhat complicated, a little bit of a freak and
that's the reason we have him," Morris told the NSA. "We have to
get him here earlier, he takes a little more care but it's just
him. You have to listen to the horse, understand what he's telling
you."
The victory improved Sur La Tete's record to 8-for-17 over jumps
(including 11 straight top-three finishes) and the $93,825 winner's
share lifted his steeplechase bankroll to $537,050. Sur La Tete
beat McDynamo twice last spring, but missed the fall season with
a foot injury.
"Every time we get him to the races, he runs a big race,"
Morris continued. "He had a little foot problem last fall when
we were aiming for the Breeders' Cup and we couldn't get him there.
This is the first big race of the spring and we got him here and
he showed up for the races. We thought it was going to be a bit
more of a technical 'chess game' and then it started raining and
it became a test of stamina."
2003 and 2005 steeplechase champion McDynamo, bidding for a second
Royal Chase win, was assigned top weight of 166 pounds and went
to the post as the 6-5 favorite. However the 9-year-old son of Dynaformer
was not himself as he sat uncharacteristically off the early pace
instead of going straight to the lead, a tactic that had resulted
in a pair of Grade I victories in his last two starts. While McDynamo
did battle for the lead down the backstretch the last time, he dropped
out of contention after two miles and was pulled up at the top of
the stretch.
"I think the weight really got the best of him today," said jockey
Jody Petty. "He was giving between eight and 32 pounds to the other
horses in the field. He usually likes the soft going but he just
wasn't himself today."
Erin Go Bragh lost jockey Matthew McCarron and at the ninth fence
and Free Admission fell with jockey Danielle Hodsdon at the next-to-last
fence. Both horses and jockeys were uninjured.
The complete order of finish for the Royal Chase is set forth below.
Edited from press releases.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Sur La Tete |
158 |
Read |
Neil Morris |
Kinross Farm |
|
2
|
Mauritania |
138 |
Massey |
Richard L. Valentine |
Whitewood Stable |
|
3
|
Feeling So Pretty |
135 |
Boucher |
F. Lee McKinney |
F. Lee McKinney |
|
4
|
Capital Peak |
134 |
Houston |
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Augustin Stable |
|
5
|
Free Admission |
138 |
Hodsdon |
Jonathan Sheppard |
William L. Pape |
|
PU
|
McDynamo |
166 |
Petty |
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Michael Moran |
|
PU
|
Swoop and Soar |
136 |
Aizpuru |
Richard J. Hendriks |
Otto Stolz |
|
LR
|
Erin Go Bragh (NZ) |
148 |
McCarron |
Doug Fout |
Brigadoon Stable |
|
| WINNER- Bay g, 8, by Sky Classic
- Rutledge Place by Caro (IRE) |
| TRAINER- Morris Neil R.
Bred By Rutledge Farm (KY) |
| SCRATCHED: NONE |
|
| SUR LA TETE, never far back,
advanced steadily to take over nearing the eleventh fence,
was in command when sharply roused after the final fence and
drew off as much the best. MAURITANIA vied for the lead
from early on, held on well for eleven fences and weakened
gradually. FEELING SO PRETTY, outrun to the final turn,
made a bold run into the upper stretch, swerved in leaving the
course after clearing the final fence, was alertly angled
back on to the course and continued on for her position.
CAPITAL PEAK tired on the final turn. FREE ADMISSION fell
over the twelfth fence after contesting the pace from the outset.
MCDYNAMO left the course after the twelfth fence. SWOOP AND
SOAR tired and was pulled up soon after clearing the ninth
fence. ERIN GO BRAGH (NZ) unseated the rider after landing
awkwardly when clearing the ninth fence. |
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Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for Sur La Tete's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of Del
Mar Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2005 |
Hirapour (Ire) (9) |
McCarron |
160 |
Sur La Tete (7) |
156 |
McDynamo (8) |
162 |
| 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 | Entries
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
