Post-Race Analysis:
Saratoga Springs, NY - August 31, 2006: Mixed Up captured the 65th
running of the $159,000 Grade I New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap
defeating Top of the Bill by one length. It was another 1 3/4-lengths
back to pace setter Mark the Shark who stayed on well to finish
third. Odds-on favorite Hirapour (Ire) faltered under his 164-pound
impost as he failed to reach contention at any point in the race
before finishing a dull fifth. The time for the 2 3/8ths miles run
over a turf course labelled "good" was 4:27.23, well off
the track record of 4:12.04 established by Hokan in 1998 and tied
by It's A Giggle over a rock-hard course in 2001.
|
|
|
Mixed Up leads Erin Go Bragh, Underbidder,
Hirapour, Toughkenamon (obscured) and Top of the Bill at the
7th fence of the New York Turf Writers' Cup Handicap.
|
Mark the Shark went straight to the front under jockey William
Dowling and opened up an 8-length lead on Mixed Up for the first
circuit of the course. Dowling increased his advantage the second
time through the stretch and led Mixed Up by 15 lengths as the field
straightened away down the backstretch the last time. Jockey Danielle
Hodsdon and Mixed Up started to close the gap around the final turn,
challenged for the lead coming to the last of 10 fences and forged
to the front upon landing despite stumbling slightly. Top of the
Bill also challenged for the lead approaching the last fence and
fought gamely through the stretch before setting for second.
|
|
|
Underbidder leads Hirapour & Top of the
Bill at the 3rd fence of the New York Turf Writers' Cup Handicap.
|
Owned by William L. Pape and trained by Jonathan Sheppard, Mixed
Up came into the Turf Writers' riding a two-race win streak after
having captured the Flatterer and the Grade III Marcellus Frost
in his last two starts. The Turf Writers' was the first Grade I
win for the 7-year-old son of Carnivalay, who carried 148 pounds,
18 less than Hirapour and six less than second place finisher Top
of the Bill. Mixed Up improved his record to six wins from 11 lifetime
starts over hurdles and increased his career bankroll to $356,051.
|
|
|
Owner William L. Pape (blue blazer) and
trainer Jonathan Sheppard with Mixed Up and jockey Danielle
Hodsdon in the winner's circle at historic Saratoga Race Course.
|
The victory gave trainer Jonathan Sheppard a record
12th win in the New York Turf Writers Cup, although it was the Hall
of Fame conditioner's first score in this Grade I fixture since
2001 when It's a Giggle, also owned by William L. Pape, won the
race.
|
|
|
Top of the Bill (Carl Rafter up) finished
second in the New York Turf Writers' Cup Handicap, his first
start against open company.
|
"We were getting a nice bit of weight today which
didn't hurt," said Sheppard after the race. "I think it
was hard for the riders when Mark the Shark opened such a big lead.
When (jockey Danielle Hodsdon) decided to go after him, she got
up to him quickly."
"I don't think Hirapour ran his best race," Sheppard
added.
|
|
|
Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard
won the New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap for the 12th time.
|
Sheppard scoffed at the idea that it had become routine for him
to win the Turf Writers' a dozen times:
"Not at all, no," he said. "Most of those races were some years
ago. To be truthful, I don't really think about that stuff that
much, but when you read it, then you start looking at the dates
and the years. I think it's been five years. You could say maybe
we were due for one."
"We've knocked at the door most of those other years, seconds and
thirds and stuff, but that's not quite the same as winning. We're
real, real happy. It was great."
"The race worked out well for us," said Hodsdon after notching
her first Grade I victory. "I was lucky to have Mark the Shark in
front of me. He made a nice target."
|
|
|
Danielle Hodsdon was all smiles after
earning her first Grade I victory in the New York Turf Writers'
Cup Handicap.
|
"I was obviously concerned at the last fence of where Hirapour
might be," continued the 29-year-old. "I didn't have much
horse left at the finish and I was very lucky that that there wasn't
another closing horse coming at the end."
Jockey Matt McCarron was at a loss to explain Hirapour's dull effort:
"He made a mistake at the first fence down the backstretch the
last time and didn't jump that one well," said McCarron of his mount's
struggles. "He's never done something like that before. He should
have fallen at that fence but somehow, he found a leg."
|
|
|
2004 Steeplechase Champion Hirapour in
the paddock before the start of the New York Turf Writers'
Cup Handicap.
|
"Maybe it was the weight getting to him," McCarron continued.
"He felt the pressure of the race sooner than he normally does.
Maybe he tired too hard. I really don't have an explanation."
The complete order of finish for the Grade I New York Turf Writers
Cup Handicap is set forth below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Mixed Up |
148 |
Hodsdon |
Jonathan Sheppard |
William L. Pape |
|
2
|
Top of the Bill |
154 |
Rafter |
James Day |
Randleston Farm |
|
3
|
Mark the Shark |
142 |
Dowling |
Jack Fisher |
Cohiba Stable |
|
4
|
Underbidder |
138 |
Slater |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Timber Bay Farm |
|
5
|
Hirapour (Ire) |
164 |
McCarron |
Doug Fout |
Eldon Farm |
|
6
|
Toughkenamon |
138 |
Walsh |
Katherine N. McKenna |
Armata Stable |
|
7
|
Erin Go Bragh (NZ) |
144 |
Murphy |
Doug Fout |
Brigadoon Stable |
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for Mixed Up's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of Del
Mar Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 1970 |
El Martirio (6) |
Plain |
138 |
Wustenchef (5) |
151 |
Shadow Brook (6) |
155 |
| 1971 |
Soothsayer (4) |
Fishback |
153 |
Predominio (7) |
141 |
Shadow Brook (7) |
162 |
| 1975 |
Life's Illusion (4) |
Quanbeck |
145 |
Soothsayer (5) |
161 |
Artic Joe (8) |
148 |
| 1976 |
Happy Intellectual (10) |
Elser |
152 |
Life's Ilusion (5) |
160 |
Strait and True (6) |
155 |
| 1977 |
Happy Intellectual (11) |
Aitcheson |
152 |
Naval Person(5) |
143 |
Cassamayor(7) |
150 |
| 1978 |
Happy Intellectual (12) |
Martin |
152 |
Popular Hero (5) |
148 |
Leaping Frog (5) |
157 |
| 1979 |
Leaping Frog (6) |
Christinson |
159 |
Tan Jay (7) |
150 |
Canadian Regent (5) |
143 |
| 1980 |
Zaccio (4) |
McWade |
157 |
Running Comment (6) |
142 |
Leaping Frog (7) |
152 |
| 1981 |
Running Comment (7) |
McWade |
143 |
Codicioso (6) |
144 |
Red Invader (8) |
142 |
| 1982 |
Zaccio (6) |
Hendriks |
161 |
Give a Whirl (5) |
146 |
Running Comment (8) |
145 |
| 1983 |
Double Reefed (7) |
Cushman |
161 |
Sugar Bee (5) |
135 |
Census (5) |
148 |
| 1984 |
Flatterer (5) |
Fishback |
164 |
Census (6) |
155 |
Double Reefed (8) |
158 |
| 1986 |
Le Sauteur (7) |
Houghton |
157 |
Twas Ever Thus (7) |
15o |
Eremite (6) |
146 |
| 1987 |
Chief Of The Clan (4) |
Lawrence |
148 |
Gateshead (8) |
154 |
Chammsky (8) |
152 |
| 1988 |
Rio Claro (5) |
Morris |
152 |
Steve Canyon (8) |
162 |
Jive With Five (4) |
146 |
| 1989 |
Double Bill (6) |
Guessford |
142 |
Uptown Swell (7) |
152 |
Polar Pleasure (7) |
149 |
| 1990 |
Double Bill (7) |
Guessford |
146 |
French Hill (5) |
154 |
Peer Prince (5) |
134 |
| 1991 |
Yaw (9) |
Smart |
145 |
Moonstruck (8) |
148 |
Double Bill (8) |
149 |
| 1992 |
Yaw (10) |
Smart |
146 |
Three Bells For Me (5) |
140 |
Make Azilion (8) |
142 |
| 1993 |
Warm Spell (5) |
Lawrence |
161 |
Castlwworth (7) |
142 |
Darby Sky (6) |
145 |
| 1994 |
Mistico (8) |
Thornton |
168 |
Cheering News (7) |
142 |
Lonesome Glory (6) |
168 |
| 1995 |
Lonesome Glory (7) |
B.Miller |
166 |
Mistico (9) |
160 |
Rowdy Irishman (6) |
142 |
| 1996 |
Petroski (6) |
O'Brien |
160 |
T.V. Gold (6) |
140 |
Prime Legacy (7) |
138 |
| 1997 |
Bisbalense (8) |
Kingsley |
142 |
Confidente (8) |
140 |
Lonesome Glory (9) |
156 |
| 1998 |
Hokan (5) |
Clancy |
142 |
Romantic (6) |
143 |
Sundin (7) |
142 |
| 1999 |
Campanile (5) |
B. Miller |
148 |
Willstown |
138 |
Romantic (7) |
152 |
| 2000 |
Ninepins (13) |
Kingsley |
150 |
Campanile (6) |
160 |
Allgrit |
138 |
| 2001 |
It's A Giggle |
B. Miller |
142 |
Canta Ke Brave |
152 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) |
160 |
| 2002 |
Zabenz (NZ) |
Thornton |
146 |
Double Leaf (GB) |
140 |
Flat Top |
150 |
| 2003 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (8) |
Brown |
150 |
Tres Touche (6) |
148 |
Indispensable (9) |
142 |
| 2004 |
Tres Touche (7) |
Bentley |
152 |
Cherokeeinthehills |
138 |
Barzulu (NZ) |
144 |
| 2005 |
Hirapour (Ire) (9) |
McCarron |
158 |
Three Carat |
140 |
Party Airs |
146 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
