Post-Race Analysis:
Saratoga Springs, New York - August 10, 2006: Hirapour (Ire) made
his 2006 debut a winning one with a victory in the 27th running
of the $75,000 A.P. Smithwick at historic Saratoga Race Course.
The 2004 Eclipse Award-winning steeplechaser completed the 2 1/16
mile test over the firm course that included nine fences in 3:42.26
while carrying highweight of 158 pounds. The Smithwick was his 11th
victory in 20 career starts over the jumps.
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Hirapour and Matt McCarron winning the
Grade II A.P. Smithwick by 4 lengths.
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Mark The Shark set the early pace in the Smithwick with Mauritania
keeping him company on the front-end. Those two lead the rest of
the field by as many as 20 lengths half way through the race, but
Hirapour and Good Night Shirt started to close the gap with a half
mile to run and made a steady advance around the final turn, collaring
the front runners at the top of the stretch. Hirapour and Good Night
Shirt jumped the last fence together, but the outcome was never
in doubt after they landed, as Hirapour pulled away to win by 4
widening lengths over Good Night Shirt while Mauritania stayed on
well for third. The crowd at Saratoga, well aware that this was
a comeback race for Hirapour, cheered the former champion when he
crossed the finish line and again when he left the winner's circle.
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Hirapour pulling away from Good Night
Shirt and Mauritania near the finish of the A.P. Smithwick.
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Owned Eldon Farm, Hirapour had not started since undergoing ankle
surgery following a second-place finish in the Grade I Colonial
Cup last November. Trainer Doug Fout brought the10-year-old son
of Kahyasi (by Ile de Bourbon) back to the races this year with
only one goal in mind: to win an Eclipse Award for the second time
in three years.
"He's just a special horse," said Fout after the race. "When you
have a horse of this caliber and there are so many expectations,
it's tough. I was worried about him going down the backside because
that is the farthest out that he had to make a move. But he is a
superstar, and he proved it again today."
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| Hirapour and Good Night Shirt jumping the last fence together. |
"Our goal is to win the Turf Writers' Cup, then to the Breeders'
Cup and then to the Colonial Cup," Fout continued. "We
want to win the Eclipse; he's got three more races to get it done.
Then at the end of the season we're going to retire him."
The winner was ridden by Matt McCarron, nephew of Hall of Fame
jockey Chris McCarron, who attended the race. "If he (Matt) was
20 pounds lighter and 20 years younger, he'd break all my records,"
the elder McCarron joked in the winner's circle.
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Good Night Shirt and Malagash lead (left-to-right)
Hirapour, Erin Go Bragh and Sound Blaster at the 6th fence.
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The Smithwick was run at a distance short of Hirapour's best, and
when the front-runners opened up a huge early lead, McCarron had
to ask Hirapour for his best run a little earlier than usual.
"We had to let the front-runners go and they were going at a good
clip," McCarron said. "Going down the backside, he was struggling
a little bit. We were hoping they would come back, and they did.
They got away from us again going around the far turn, but Good
Night Shirt and my horse managed to reel them in and go past them.
He (Hirapour) is a true, gritty athlete. He is so genuine. When
you call on him, he digs in so deep and finds whatever it takes.
He has the biggest heart I've ever seen in any horse."
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A triumphant Hirapour with Matt McCarron
returning to the winner's circle.
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Smithwick Biography: A. P. (Paddy) Smithwick rode 398 steeplechase
winners during his career, second only to Joe Aitcheson's total
of 440. Mr. Smithwick was the nations leading steeplechase jockey
in 1956, 1957, 1958, and again in 1962. He won the Temple Gwathmey,
at the time the country's most prestigious steeplechase race, run
in the late fall at Belmont Park, four times. He won the Meadow
Brook Handicap and the Georgetown Handicap six times each, the International
Handicap and the Beverwyck Handicap five times each, and the New
York Turf Writers and the Grand National three times each. Mr. Smithwick
said the greatest horse he ever rode was Mrs. Ogden Phipps three-time
champion Neji, who retired in 1960 as the leading steeplechase earner
of all time. In 1958 Mr. Smithwick was aboard Neji when he won the
Grand National carrying 173 pounds. Forced to retire from riding
in 1966 after a spill at Monmouth Park that left him partially paralyzed
in the left arm, Mr. Smithwick went on to train two stakes winners
on the flat including Bel Sheba, the dam of Kentucky Derby winner
Alysheba and a full sister to Wac, the dam of Campanile's sire,
Lear Fan. Mr. Smithwick died of cancer at the age of 46 in 1973,
shortly after he was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame.
The complete order of finish for the A.P. Smithwick Memorial is
set forth below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Hirapour (Ire) |
158 |
McCarron |
Doug Fout |
Eldon Farm |
|
2
|
Good Night Shirt |
150 |
Aizpuru |
Jack Fisher |
Harold A. Via, Jr. |
|
3
|
Mauritania |
146 |
Massey |
Richard L. Valentine |
Whitewood Stable Inc. |
|
4
|
Mark the Shark |
146 |
Dowling |
Jack Fisher |
Cohiba Stable |
|
5
|
Toughkenamon |
142 |
Walsh |
Katherine N. McKenna |
Armata Stable |
|
6
|
Erin Go Bragh (NZ) |
150 |
Hodsdon |
Doug Fout |
Brigadoon Stable |
|
7
|
Sound Blaster (Ire) |
148 |
C. Miller |
F. Bruce Miller |
Bear Creek Stable |
|
8
|
Malagash |
142 |
Murphy |
Thomas H. Voss |
Mrs. Thomas H. Voss |
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for Hirapour's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of Del
Mar Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 1980 |
Cookie (5) |
Martin |
141 |
Coconut Creek (6) |
149 |
Pala Mountain (6) |
142 |
| 1981 |
Round the Bay (4) |
Cushman |
140 |
Hill Talk (4) |
136 |
Acromion (4) |
135 |
| 1983 |
Running Comment (9) |
McWade |
148 |
Census (5) |
151 |
Steve Canyon (3) |
147 |
| 1984 |
Double Reefed (8) |
Teter |
152 |
Twas Ever Thus (5) |
155 |
Steve Canyon (4) |
144 |
| 1985 |
Gateshead (6) |
Fishback |
155 |
Le Sauteur (6) |
155 |
Statesmanship (5) |
143 |
| 1986 |
Census (8) |
Teter |
156 |
Le Sauteur (7) |
156 |
Polar Parrallel (5) |
153 |
| 1987 |
Micky Free (4) |
Morris |
141 |
Gateshead (8) |
143 |
Chammsky (8) |
143 |
| 1988 |
Summer Colony (5) |
Smart |
146 |
Jive With Five (4) |
144 |
Rio Claro (5) |
150 |
| 1989 |
Uptown Swell (7) |
Lawrence |
149 |
Rio Claro (6) |
157 |
Double Bill (6) |
142 |
| 1990 |
Summer Colony (7) |
Smart |
158 |
French Hill (5) |
154 |
Victorian Hill (5) |
154 |
| 1991 |
Yaw (9) |
Smart |
143 |
Mihmaz (6) |
144 |
Three Bells For Me (4) |
136 |
| 1992 |
Master McGrath (5) |
Guessford |
139 |
Peer Prince (7) |
140 |
Double Bill (9) |
147 |
| 1993 |
Warm Spell (5) |
Lawrence |
158 |
Castleworth (7) |
140 |
Rolling Cart (8) |
145 |
| 1994 |
Warm Spell (6) |
Lawrence |
164 |
Mistico (8) |
168 |
Cheering News (7) |
146 |
| 1995 |
Lonesome Glory (7) |
B.Miller |
164 |
Irish Aproach (6) |
146 |
Mistico (9) |
160 |
| 1996 |
Cheering News (9) |
C.Miller |
158 |
Stop and Listen (6) |
144 |
Petroski (6) |
148 |
| 1997 |
Brigade of Guards (5) |
Kiser |
144 |
Water Skipper (7) |
140 |
Mario (6) |
156 |
| 1998 |
Romantic (6) |
Kingsley |
140 |
Brigade of Guards (6) |
156 |
Bisbalense (9) |
144 |
| 1999 |
Campanile (5) |
B. Miller |
142 |
Ninepins (10) |
144 |
Approaching Squall (5) |
150 |
| 2000 |
Campanile (6) |
B. Miller |
158 |
Golden Rule (GB) (5) |
154 |
Aggro Craig (8) |
146 |
| 2001 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (6) |
Brown |
158 |
Aggro Crag (9) |
142 |
Spring Salute |
144 |
| 2002 |
It's A Giggle (8) |
Brown |
158 |
Tres Touche (5) |
154 |
Indispensable (8) |
150 |
| 2003 |
Anofferucantrefuse (6)
|
Murphy |
150 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (8) |
150 |
Tres Touche (6) |
150 |
| 2004 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (9) |
Massey |
154 |
Najjm |
142 |
Barzulu (NZ) |
142 |
| 2005 |
Paradise's Boss (5) |
Aizpuru |
150 |
Serazzo |
150 |
Hirapour (Ire)(9) |
158 |
Post-Race Analysis |Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
