Duodecim Stable’s All for Us and Robert A. Kinsley’s Unsinkable will share the 156-pound highweight in a $65,000 allowance hurdle on Wednesday as Saratoga Race Course kicks off its rich schedule of jump races. First post time is 1 p.m.
All for Us, trained by Jack Fisher, won his maiden start over fences in May after a successful flat career and was a fast-closing second in a Ratings Handicap at Monmouth Park on June 16. Connor Hankin, currently tied for second in the jockey standings, will ride.
Trained by Elizabeth Voss, Irish-bred Unsinkable won his maiden start in the U.S. in April and most recently won a division of a flat race for hurdlers at Parx Racing on July 10. Leading jockey Jack Doyle has the mount.
Maryland-based Voss also entered The Fields Stable’s Berland, who would be making his first start after a racing career in England. A maiden hurdle winner last December for former trainer John Ferguson, the Darley-bred four-year-old by Cape Cross has finished in the money in his four jumps starts.
Trainer Leslie Young entered Dyna’s Vow, owned by Amy Taylor Rowe, and Ballybristol Farm’s Blue Atlantic. Dyna’s Vow most recently finished third in a Suffolk Downs Ratings Handicap on July 9, and Blue Atlantic will be making his first U.S. start over fences after finishing fifth in the second division of Parx’s flat race for hurdlers.
Gavin Sheehan, who was the regular jockey for Blue Atlantic in his overseas career, was named aboard Dyna’s Vow.
Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who is looking to extend his string of at least one Saratoga victory to 48 years, entered his As You Like It, a Florida-bred by Shakespeare who won his first start over fences and then was second in an optional claiming hurdle at the High Hope Steeplechase in Kentucky in May. Gerard Galligan has a return call.
Here is the field for the $65,000 allowance hurdle at 2 1/16 miles. The horse’s National Steeplechase Association rating is in parentheses at the end of each profile.
Help From Heaven. 2012 ch. g., Divine Park—Harlan Helper, by Friends Lake. Owner: Virginia Lazenby Racing Stable. Trainer: Doug Fout. Jockey: Kieran Norris. Breeders: Brereton C. Jones and Jimmy Blanton (Ky.) 2016 record: 3-1-1-0, $23,400. Two-time winner on flat in Louisiana began jumps career with second at 2016 Middleburg Spring meet, was taken down in Iroquois maiden hurdle and easily won a Monmouth Park maiden hurdle on June 17. (111)
Albany Road. 2007 ch. g., Mr. Greeley—Jane’s the Name, by Trempolino. Owner: The Elkstone Group. Trainer: Richard Valentine. Jockey: Willie McCarthy. Breeder: Gainesway Thoroughbreds (Ky.) 2016 record: 3-0-1-0, $6,600. 2015 record: No starts. 2014 record: 6-0-0-3, $22,450. Came back after long absence to set pace in 2016 Sandhills Cup optional allowance hurdle at Stoneybrook Steeplechase and held on for good second. Pulled up in Virginia Gold Cup allowance hurdle, then finished fourth in Parx Ratings Handicap. (118)
Dyna’s Vow. 2011 dk. b. or br. g., Broken Vow—Dyna’s Greeley, by Dynaformer. Owner: Amy Taylor Rowe. Trainer: Leslie Young. Jockey: Gavin Sheehan. Breeder: Clifford Grum (Ky.) 2016 record: 3-0-0-2, $5,800. 2015 NSA record: 2-1-0-1, $26,000. Finished third in Ratings Handicap at 2016 Queen’s Cup, then was pulled up in Marcellus Frost Novice Stakes at Iroquois Steeplechase. Finished third in Suffolk Downs Ratings Handicap. (114)
Unsinkable (Ire). 2010 gr. g., Verglas—Heart’s Desire, by Royal Applause (GB). Owner: Robert A. Kinsley. Trainer: Elizabeth Voss. Jockey: Jack Doyle. Breeder: Stephanie Hanly (Ire). 2016 NSA record: 3-1-0-1, $21,500. 2015 NSA record: No starts. Won 2016 Middleburg Spring maiden hurdle and then fell in Virginia Gold Cup allowance hurdle after being forced into wing by loose horse. Finished third in Radnor Hunt Cup allowance hurdle. (116)
Kensington Court. 2012 dk. b. or br. g., Giant’s Causeway—Backseat Driver, by El Corredor. Owner: Oakwood Stable. Trainer: Julie Gomena. Jockey: Mark Watts. Breeder: Paul Pompa Jr. (Ky.) 2016 record: 3-1-1-0, $24,600. 2015 NSA record: 2-0-1-0, $5,750. Won Fair Hill maiden hurdle in fifth start over fences. Finished second to three-year-old champion Ice It in Far Hills’ Gladstone and was fifth in Colonial Cup’s Raymond G. Woolfe Memorial. (111)
All for Us. 2011 dk. b. or br. g., Tiz Wonderful—Patricias Prospect, by A.P. Indy. Owner: Duodecim Stable. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Connor Hankin. Breeder: Spendthrift Farm (Ky.) 2016 NSA record: 2-1-1-0, $30,300. After closing out flat career with two wins at Tampa Bay Downs, won his jumps debut in a $40,000 Sport of Kings maiden hurdle at the Virginia Gold Cup on May 7, then was a closing second in Monmouth Park Ratings Handicap. (120)
Berland (Ire). 2012 b. g., Cape Cross (Ire)—Ballantrae, by Diktat. Owner: The Fields Stable. Trainer: Elizabeth Voss. Jockey: Gus Dahl. Breeder: Darley (Ire). 2016 NSA record: No starts. Formerly trained by John Ferguson, won juvenile hurdle in his first start over fences in England and has never finished off the board in four jump starts. (127)
Blue Atlantic. 2011 b. g., Stormy Atlantic—Bluemamba, by Kingmambo. Owner: Ballybristol Farm. Trainer: Leslie Young. Jockey: Paddy Young. Breeder: Skymarc Farm (Ky.) 2016 NSA record: No starts. Kicked off return to U.S. with a fifth in Parx flat race for hurdlers on July 10. Won his first start over fences in late 2014 and had a second in a Wincanton handicap hurdle in April. (122)
As You Like It. 2012 b. g., Shakespeare—Fiddle, by Pine Bluff. Owner-trainer: Jonathan Sheppard. Jockey: Gerard Galligan. Breeder: Allison Hill Roulston (Fla.) 2016 record: 2-1-1-0, $16,500. 2015 record: No NSA starts. Non-winner on flat made transition to steeplechase racing and won his debut at Foxfield Spring with a 5 3/4-length victory before second in High Hope optional allowance hurdle. (111)