Post-Race Analysis:
Saratoga Springs, NY - August 28, 2008: Beverly R. Steinman’s Dark
Equation bounced back from a loss to his stablemate earlier this
meet to take the 67th running of the Grade 1, $159,300 New York
Turf Writers Cup Steeplechase Handicap by a half-length over Be
Certain. Stablemate High Action, who defeated Dark Equation in the
Grade II A.P. Smithwick Memorial here on August 7th, finished third.
Trained by Paul Fout and ridden by Matt McCarron, who teamed up
to win the New York Turf Writers Cup in 2005 with Hirapour, 7-year-old
Dark Equation completed the two miles and three-eighths over 10
fences in 4:31.28 on the firm course. He paid $19 to win.
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Dark Equation defeating Be Certain (right)
and High Action at the finish of the Grade I New York Turf
Writers' Cup Handicap.
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Longshot Four Schools and Salford City, two Irish-breds, separated
themselves from the rest early and after seven furlongs were completed,
they held a 20-length lead.
That long lead continued as they went to the clubhouse turn on
the final lap.
Salford City then claimed the lead after the second backstretch
fence, as the pace caught up to Four Schools. The margin between
leader and field began to shorten, and soon Salford City was a casualty
as well.
Heading to the final fence, Dark Equation was clear on the outside,
High Action was on the inside and Be Certain was in the middle.
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Duke of Earl lead Luongo, Dark Equation
and High Action at the 3rd fence of the New York Turf Writers'
Cup Handicap.
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Be Certain, who was carrying 139 pounds, while Dark Equation and
High Action carried 152 and 150, respectively, took the lead over
the final fence, but Dark Equation came on for the victory.
“One-three is not bad,” said Fout, who kept Dark Equation in Saratoga
this meet, while High Action shipped back and forth from his Virginia
farm. “Unfortunately, the other horse got stopped. Matt (McCarron)
had a perfect trip today. I kept Dark Equation up here in Saratoga
because he does better up here. I was hoping to get second with
the other one, but poor Paddy (Young) stuck exactly to what I had
told him. He might have been better off following Dark Equation.”
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Salford City (left) and Four Schools
lead the rest of the field at the 7th fence of the New York
Turf Writers' Cup Handicap.
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McCarron, the son of former jockey/TV correspondent Greg McCarron
and nephew of retired Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, marveled
at the effort Dark Equation put in to earn his fourth win from 13
career starts over the jumps.
“What a phenomenal spin!,” McCarron said “Doug (Fout) thought he
would thrive up here. Coming over the last fence, Be Certain was
getting 13 pounds from Dark Equation. But he is a good, stout horse.
Be Certain, I’ve ridden him before, and who knows who good he is
going to be?
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Matt McCarron and Dark Equation.
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“My horse is a deliberate jumper; he would be a good show jumper.
He is almost too good as a jumper, he over-jumps. Be Certain had
the advantage on him over the last fence. The race certainly didn’t
play out the way we anticipated. We didn’t think we’d see that kind
of speed. The plan was to lay off the pace, sit second or third,
and that went out the window. Luckily the speed came back and I
was able pass horses pretty easily. He really moved past them on
his own.”
Duke of Earl was fourth, followed by Free Admission, Luongo, Salford
City, Four Schools and Look at Him, who was eased after the eighth
fence and left the course.
Edited from NYRA press release.
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
|
Dark Equation |
152
|
McCarron |
Doug Fout |
Beverly R. Steinman |
|
2
|
Be Certain |
139
|
Whelan |
Thomas H. Voss |
Alnoff Stable |
|
3
|
High Action |
150
|
Young |
Doug Fout |
Carl D. Barnes |
|
4
|
Duke of Earl (Ire) |
136
|
Aizpuru |
Jack Fisher |
Mrs. Henry F. Stern |
|
5
|
Free Admission |
142
|
Hodsdon |
Jonathan Sheppard |
William L. Pape |
|
6
|
Luongo |
136
|
Dowling |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Lucy M. Lindsay |
|
7
|
Salford City (Ire) |
154
|
Carberry |
Gordon Elliot |
Galvin & Lord |
|
8
|
Four Schools (Ire) |
142
|
Rafter |
Richard Valentine |
Mrs. George L. Ohrstrom |
|
PU
|
Look At Him |
136
|
R. Walsh |
Jonathan Sheppard |
William L. Pape |
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for Dark Equation's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of PedigreeQuery.com
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 |
| 2006 |
Mixed Up (7) |
Hodsdon |
148 |
Top of the Bill |
154 |
Mark the Shark |
142 |
| 2007 |
Footlights (7) |
Aizpuru |
133 |
Underbidder |
136 |
The Looper |
140 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
