Post-Race Analysis:
Middleburg, Virginia - April 19, 2007: Fox Ridge Farm's Planets
Aligned won the $75,000 Grade II Temple Gwathmey, the second leg
of the Steeplechase Triple Crown, drawing off to score by 4 lengths
in 4:26 2/5 for the 2 1/4 miles and 12 fences. The Chilean mare
Imagina, winner of the series’ first leg (the Carolina Cup) finished
second; as a result, the Steeplechase Triple Crown will go unclaimed
for the 10th year in-a-row.
Dr. Bloomer set the early pace in the Temple Gwathmey, and was
stalked throughout by the winner, who challenged for the lead along
with Imagina and Irish Embassy along the backstretch the last time.
Jockey Padge Whelan, aboard Planets Aligned for the first time,
asked the homebred son of Gold Fever for his best run around the
final turn, and pair drew off from the rest of the field to win
going away.
|
|
|
Planets Aligned (shown here last Fall
with jockey Chip Miller in the irons) won the Temple Gwathmey,
the second leg of the Steeplechase Triple Crown.
|
Whelan was impressed with Planets Aligned after the race: “I’ve
only just come over so I don’t know the depth of the field, but
my horse has a bit of class and I was always going to win,” said
the jockey, who moved his tack from England this spring. “If anything,
I was worried I was getting to the front too soon. He’s a nice horse.
All he can do is win and he did it well.”
Trained by Tom Voss, Planets Aligned was making his first start
of 2008 after winning three times last season en route to claiming
the National Steeplechase Association novice championship . The
7-year-old improved to 4-for-9 over jumps and added $45,000 to his
steeplechase bankroll which stands at $187,600. Last season, he
broke his maiden in May, took a Saratoga stakes in August and added
a Grade I novice in November. Trained by Pat Kelly for Fox Ridge
Farm on the flat, Planets Aligned moved to the Voss barn (and steeplechasing)
last year.
The Steeplechase Triple Crown concludes with the $75,000 Grade
II National Hunt Cup at the Radnor Races in Malvern, Pennsylvania
on May 17th.
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
|
Planets Aligned |
154 |
Whelen |
Thomas H. Voss |
Fox Ridge Farm |
|
2
|
Imagina (Chi) |
151 |
Petty |
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Augustin Stables |
|
3
|
Dr. Bloomer |
151 |
R. Walsh |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Calvin Houghland |
|
4
|
Irish Embasy |
148 |
C. Miller |
Alexandra White |
L'Escargot |
|
F
|
Swagger Stick |
151 |
Aizpuru |
Jack Fisher |
Mrs. S.K. Johnston, Jr. |
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for the 5-cross pedigree of Planets Aligned.
Pedigrees compliments of Pedigree
Query.com
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
|
2007
|
Gliding (NZ) (7) |
J. Murphy |
151 |
Rare Bush |
151 |
Best Attack |
151 |
|
2006
|
South Of Fifty (4) |
Boucher |
138 |
Good Night Shirt |
151 |
Bon Fleur |
151 |
|
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
