Petticoats Loose Stable’s Choral Society, upset winner of Saratoga Race Course’s A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1), heads a field of 10 for Thursday’s $75,000 William Entenmann Memorial Novice Stakes. The Entenmann Memorial kicks off the Belmont Park program at 12:55 p.m. and will be followed by the $150,000 Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1).
Trained by Jack Fisher, Choral Society lost his rider in his first start this year, the Queen’s Cup MPC ’Chase, and had a troubled trip in the Iroquois Steeplechase’s Marcellus Frost Novice Stakes, in which he finished fourth and was placed third on May 9.
That record gave Saratoga bettors little hope for success at the sport’s top level in the Smithwick Memorial on Aug. 6, and the Florida-bred Choral Society went off as the race’s 16.20-to-1 longshot. Ridden by Paddy Young, the six-year-old Holy Bull gelding swept to the lead after the last fence and drew clear to a 1 1/2-length victory.
With Young again riding Edith Dixon’s Schoodic for Fisher, Jack Doyle takes over the mount on Choral Society for the 2 1/4-mile Entenmann, which is limited to horses in their first seasons of racing over fences.
Like Choral Society, Schoodic returns to novice competition after finishing second in the New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1) on Aug. 27.
Fisher, who dominates the 2015 trainer standings by wins and earnings, also entered Woodslane Farm’s Overwhelming, winner of a Saratoga allowance hurdle, and Gil Johnston’s Broxbourne. Sean McDermott rides Overwhelming, and Darren Nagle will be aboard Broxbourne.
Elizabeth Voss, who won the New York Turf Writers with The Fields Stable’s Bob Le Beau, entered that stable’s Wanganui, who prepped with a close second on the flat at Suffolk Downs on Sept. 5. Gus Dahl has the mount.
Leading owner Irv Naylor will be represented by Gimme Five, who won a Saratoga optional allowance in his first American start for trainer Cyril Murphy. Ross Geraghty will ride.
Here is the field in post-position order for the $75,000 William Entenmann Memorial Novice Stakes, which is named for the longtime steeplechase owner who died in 2011.
Perfect Union. 2011 dk. b. or br. g., Purim—Blue Northern, by Top Account. Owner: Beverly Steinman. Trainer: Doug Fout. Jockey: Kieran Norris. Breeder: Nelson E. Clemmons (Ky.). 2015 record: 4-0-2-1, $19,700. 2014 record: 3-1-1-1, $21,500. Three-year-old champion last year after winning Far Hills’ Peapack and finishing second in the Raymond G. Woolfe Memorial at the Colonial Cup. Finished second in Saratoga allowance hurdle on July 29, then fell in similar race on Sept. 3. Finished second in Middleburg Spring optional allowance on April 15 and was third in Radnor allowance hurdle on May 16.
Artie’s Jasper. 2009 b. g., Artie Schiller—Slew’s Peak, by Peaks and Valleys. Owner: Never Better Stables and John Padden. Trainer: Richard Valentine. Jockey: Robbie Walsh. Breeder: Never Better Stables (Ky.) 2015 record: No starts. 2014 record: 2-1-0-0, 12,900. Returning to the races after more than a year absence. Pulled up in Monmouth Park allowance hurdle after winning High Hope maiden hurdle in May 2014.
Schoodic. 2010 b. g., Tiznow—Aunt Henny, by Hennessy. Owner: Edith R. Dixon. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Paddy Young. Breeder: Edith R. Dixon (Ky.) 2015 record: 1-0-1-0, $23,500. 2014 record: 6-2-0-1, $67,500. Kicked off 2015 season with second in Queen’s Cup MPC ’Chase near Charlotte, N.C., on April 25, then was second in Saratoga’s New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1). Pulled up in 2014 Foxbrook Champion Hurdle at Far Hills, N.J. Scored impressive win in Saratoga’s Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes before seventh in Belmont Park’s William Entenmann Novice Stakes. Three-year-old champion of 2013.
Long House Saint (Ire). 2009 b. g., Antonius Pius—Mintaka (Ire), by Fairy King. Owner: Rosbrian Farm. Trainer: Ricky Hendriks. Jockey: Willie McCarthy. Breeder: John Duggan (Ire). 2015 record: 2-0-0-0, $0. 2014 NSA record: 2-2-0-0, $44,100. Fell in Queen’s Cup MPC ‘Chase, his 2015 debut, and in Iroquois’ Marcellus Frost Novice Stakes. Landed in America and immediately won allowance hurdles at Far Hills, N.J. and Colonial Cup meet in Camden, S.C. Before export, scored maiden victory over fences in August at Kilbeggan Race Course in Ireland.
Wanganui. 2008 ch. g., Love of Money–Distant Drumroll, by Eastern Echo. Owner: The Fields Stable. Trainer: Elizabeth Voss. Jockey: Gus Dahl. 2014 record: 3-0-1-0, $14,200. In only 2015 start, finished second by a nose in Suffolk Downs flat race for hurdlers. Finished second in Saratoga allowance hurdle to close out his 2014 season. Champion three-year-old in 2011.
Gimme Five (GB). 2011 b. g., Champs Elysses (GB)—Waitingonaclous, by In the Wings (GB). Owner: Irv Naylor. Trainer: Cyril Murphy. Jockey: Ross Geraghty. Breeder: Granham Farm Partnership (GB). 2015 NSA record: 2-1-0-0, $42,500. Took immediately to American jump racing and won a $65,000 optional allowance hurdle on Aug. 5 before fourth in similar race on Sept. 2. Had a moderately successful career in England and won Eventmasters Handicap Stakes at Wolverhamption last October.
Overwhelming. 2010 b. g., Hard Spun—Oh What a Windfall, by Seeking the Gold. Owner: Woodslane Farm. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Sean McDermott. Breeder: Phipps Stable (Ky.) 2015 record: 3-1-1-0, $46,500. 2014 NSA record: 6-1-2-1, $27,250. Had a rough trip when fifth in Saratoga optional allowance hurdle on Sept. 2. Won Saratoga allowance hurdle by 8 1/4 lengths on July 29. Won his maiden victory over fences at Colonial Cup in Camden, S.C., last fall and finished second in Ratings Handicap at Atlanta Steeplechase in his only other 2015 start.
Broxbourne. 2009 dk. b. or br. g., Purim—Morlana, by More Than Ready. Owner: Gil Johnston. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Darren Nagle. Breeders: Jason Litt and Howard Litt (Ky.) 2015 record: 2-0-0-0, $1,750. 2014 record: 6-2-0-0, $48,750. Finished fourth in Queen’s Cup Ratings Hurdle on April 25 before sixth in Ratings Handicap at Fair Hill four weeks later. Capped 2014 season with victory in Steeplechase at Callaway’s Crown Royal allowance hurdle. Won maiden hurdle at Atlanta, finished fourth in Iroquois Steeplechase’s Bright Hour Stakes, and fell early in a Monmouth Park optional allowance hurdle on June 13.
Fog Island. (138) 2006 b. g., Rossini—Orchid Island, by Broad Brush. Owner: Anne Pape. Trainer: Richard Valentine. Jockey: Bernie Dalton. Breeder: Diane Snowden (Ky.). 2015 record: 3-0-0-1, $13,100. 2014 record: 5-0-0-2, $21,250. Pressed early pace in Carolina Cup and held well to finish third, beaten two lengths. Had two subsequent fifth-place finishes, in Iroquois’ Marcellus Frost Novice Stakes and Saratoga optional allowance hurdle. Finished third in his final two 2014 starts, Far Hills’ Foxbrook Champion Hurdle and Montpelier’s Noel Laing Handicap. Finished fourth in Saratoga’s Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes after fifth in Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes. Won the 2012 Foxbrook.
Choral Society. 2009 gr. or ro. g., Holy Bull—Star Singer, by Awesome Again. Owner: Petticoats Loose Farm. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Jack Doyle. Breeders: Mayo West Farm and Liam Benson (Fla.) 2015 record: 3-1-0-1, $82,500. 2014 record: 6-2-1-1, $39,250. Pulled a 16.20-to-1 upset in A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1) on Aug. 6. Finished fourth, placed third, in Marcellus Frost Novice Stakes at Iroquois Steeplechase on May 9. Lost rider in Queen’s Cup MPC ’Chase, his 2015 debut.