Doc Cebu, always in command in the $30,000 Genesee Valley Hunt Cup, drew away to a seven-length victory Saturday in a reprise of his 2017 victory at the New York race meet.
Owned by Charlie Fenwick, Michael Hankin, and Charles Noell, Doc Cebu established his position on the front end with jockey Hadden Frost and drew away after the last fence to a dominant victory in the 3 1/2-mile timber stakes.
Black and Blue Stable’s Monstaleur, ridden by trainer Forrest Kelly, finished second, 2 3/4 lengths clear of Frank Bonsal’s Stand Down, who tasted defeat for the first time in three career starts. Be Great finished fourth. Never worst than third over fences, Doc Cebu ran the Genesee Valley Hunt Cup distance in 8:11.20 on yielding turf.
Trained by Jack Fisher, Doc Cebu is on course for an assault on a second straight timber championship. He won the Willowdale Steeplechase for the second straight year in May and opened his fall campaign with a decisive victory in Shawan Downs’ Brown Advisory Legacy Chase on Sept. 29.
The victory lifted Fisher, the champion trainer for the last six years, into a tie with Ricky Hendriks for the lead on the trainer table by wins. Each has 15 leads. Jack Doyle added a win at Virginia Fall aboard Michael A. Smith’s Le Chevalier in the $40,000 National Sporting Library & Museum Cup and leads the jockey standings with 14 victories.