Post-Race Analysis:
Middleburg, Virginia - April 22, 2006: South Of Fifty won the $75,000
Grade II Temple Gwathmey, the second leg of the Steeplechase Triple
Crown, defeating Top Of The Bill, winner of the series' first stage.
South Of Fifty, the only 4-year-old in the race, dueled with Top
of the Bill approaching the last fence but then kicked clear with
a powerful move to draw away from his rival by 1 1/4 lengths on
the run-in. The final time for the 2 1/4-mile test over a rain-soaked
Glenwood Park course that included 11 fences was 4:16.80.
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Kinross Farm's South of Fifty (left)
won the Grade II Temple Gwathmey while Top of the Bill (right)
was disqualified for causing The Next Man to fall. Tod
Marks photo.
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After a lengthy stewards' inquiry following the finish
of the Temple Gwathmey, Top Of The Bill was disqualified and declared
unplaced for interfering with The Next Man (Ire), causing the later
to fall after clipping heels on the backstretch the last time. Top
Of The Bill had bested The Next Man by a mere 1 1/2 lengths three
weeks earlier in the Carolina Cup, the first leg of the Steeplechase
Triple Crown. As a result of the disqualification, Good Night Shirt
was moved up to second with Sweeps Week was moved up to third.
The Temple Gwathmey was South of Fifty second career
victory over fences from five starts. The son of Family Calling
(by Mr. Prospector) broke his maiden in a 3-year-old stakes at Camden
last Fall and finished 5th in the Carolina Cup, the first leg of
the Steeplechase Triple Crown, his only other start this year. South
of Fifty is owned by Kinross Farm and trained by Neil Morris, the
same connections who sent out Sur La Tete to capture the $150,000
Grade I Royal Chase at Keeneland the previous day. The winner was
ridden by Richard Boucher, who substituted for Matt McCarron after
McCarron suffered an injury in a race held earlier in the day.
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South of Fifty (left) defeated Top of
the Bill (obscured) by 1 1/4 lengths in the second leg of
the Steeplechase Triple Crown. Tod Marks photo.
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The hot streak continued for trainer Morris and Kinross Farm as
they also won the $20,000 open timber race at Middleburg with Miles
Ahead, who remained undefeated in 6 lifetime starts over timber
and aims for a repeat win in the Virginia Gold Cup in two weeks.
The stable started the day with a $20,000 maiden claiming hurdle
score by Extra Check, who rallied up the inside to catch Defrocked
in the final yards. Suntara finished third.
Other Middleburg winners were Oobitwa for owner Bruce Smart, trainer
Jimmy Day and jockey Carl Rafter in the $25,000 maiden hurdle; Betsy
Mead's Lot One (Xavier Aizpuru) in the $20,000 allowance hurdle
for trainer Doug Fout; and Irv Naylor's Run Up The Flag (Darren
Nagle) for trainer Tom Foley in the $20,000 Alfred Hunt Steeplechase.
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Jockey Richard Boucher and South of Fifty
exhibit perfect form over the sixth fence of the Temple Gwathmey.
Tod Marks photo.
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In other weekend action, Irv Naylor's Askim (Charlie
Fenwick III) won the Grand National timber stakes at Butler, Md.
Saturday. Ann Stewart trained the winner, a 10-year-old New Zealand
import most likely headed to the Virginia Gold Cup. Naylor added
a second win with Allimac (Blake Curry) in the $15,000 allowance
timber for trainer Sanna Hendriks. In the finale, Stewart Family
Stable's Secret Impression (Fenwick) won the amateur highweight
timber.
At Block House in Tryon, N.C. Grade I stakes horse Cherokeeinthehills
launched a comeback with a win in the $25,000 allowance hurdle feature.
Owned by Marilyn Ketts and trained by Jonathan Sheppard, the winner
outran Barrington to give jockey Danielle Hodsdon the second of
her two wins on the day. She also steered Water Hunter home in a
$15,000 conditioned claimer for Dale Thiel and trainer Toby Edwards.
Memory Lane Farm's Character Witness (Michael Traurig) won the $15,000
maiden claiming hurdle for trainer Mike Berryman. Mimi Voss' Brave
Intent (Cyril Murphy) opened the day with a $15,000 maiden hurdle
win for Tom Voss.
The complete order of finish for the Temple Gwathmey is set forth
below.
Edited from NSA press release.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
South Of Fifty |
138 |
Boucher |
Neil Morris |
Kinross Farm |
|
2
|
Good Night Shirt |
151 |
Aizpuru |
Jack Fisher |
Harold A. Via, Jr. |
|
3
|
Bon Fleur |
151 |
Dalton |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Marablue Farm |
|
4
|
Sweeps Week |
151 |
Petty |
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Augustin Stable |
|
5
|
Rouge Sensation |
148 |
Doran |
James Lawrence |
Dresden Farm |
|
DQ
|
Top Of The Bill |
151 |
Rafter |
James Day |
Randleston Farm |
|
F
|
The Next Man (Ire) |
148 |
Massey |
Ricky Hendriks |
Barracudu Stable |
|
PU
|
Bulawayo |
148 |
Murphy |
Russell Carrier |
Gregory S. Bentley |
|
Scr
|
Meet At Eleven (Ire) |
151 |
Walsh |
Kathy N. McKenna |
William C. Lickle |
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for South Of Fifty's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of Pedigree
Query.com
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2005 |
Toughkenamom (6) |
Massey |
148 |
Erin Go Bragh (NZ) (6) |
151 |
Paradise's Boss |
157 |
| 2004 |
Sur La Tete (6) |
McCarron |
151 |
Cherokeeinthehills |
148 |
Mauritania |
151 |
| 2003 |
Trebizond (Ire) (7) |
Massey |
151 |
Naughty Prince |
141 |
Fighting Star |
151 |
| 2002 |
McDynamo (5) |
G. Brown |
151 |
Najjm (5) |
160 |
Miles Ahead (5) |
148 |
| 2001 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (6) |
G. Brown |
157 |
Tres Touche (4) |
141 |
War Talk (6) |
151 |
| 2000 |
Pompeyo (Chi) (6) |
G. Brown |
148 |
Sharahere (5) |
148 |
Turkish Corner (4) |
142 |
| 1999 |
Popular Gigalo (5) |
C. Miler |
150 |
Lafitte The Pirate (6) |
150 |
Moshe (6) |
148 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
