Whitman's Poetry led to the finish line when scoring his maiden victory at the Far Hills Races last October. (Tod Marks photo)
Jack Fisher, his stable on the march again after a slow start to the 2018 season, will send out a strong pairing of Whitman’s Poetry and Dark Gemini for Wednesday’s $65,000 allowance hurdle at Saratoga Race Course. The 2 1/16-mile race on Saratoga’s inner turf course will be the afternoon’s first race with a 1 p.m. post time.
Owned by the DASH Stable of father-daughter team Rufus Williams and Sheila Fisher, Whitman’s Poetry has finished twice over fences this year, in a Queen’s Cup ratings handicap and an Iroquois Steeplechase allowance hurdle.
Stakes-placed on the flat in 2016, Whitman’s Poetry won his maiden jumps victory at last fall’s Far Hills meet. The seven-year-old Tiznow gelding most recently finished a close second in a Suffolk Downs flat race for hurdlers on July 8. Sean McDermott has the mount.
Fisher also will saddle Serendipity Stables’ Dark Gemini, who closed ground on a very deep Radnor Hunt Cup course to finish second in an allowance hurdle on May 19. The Irish-bred will be ridden by Willie McCarthy.
The reigning champion trainer, Fisher moved to the top of the earnings list at Saratoga on July 24 when Armata Stables’ New Member won the Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes and Bruton Street-US’s Lord Justice finished third. His 2018 earnings now total $377,050.
Ricky Hendriks, displaced from the top spot on the earnings list, also will have two starters for Wednesday’s allowance hurdle for horses who have not won twice over fences.
Rosbrian Farm’s Sixty Five finished third in his only jumps start this year, at Tryon Block House in mid-April. The French-bred gelding won a Virginia Gold Cup flat allowance race with a sharp late move. Ross Geraghty will be in the irons on Wednesday.
Darren Nagle, the reigning champion jockey, will be aboard Eve Ledyard’s Go Get the Basil, a maiden winner at the Georgia Steeplechase on April 7. The New York-bred was subsequently unplaced in two flat starts.
Carrington Stable’s Boss Man will strive to be the boss of the seven-horse field. An allowance winner on the flat, the eight-year-old English Channel gelding collected his maiden victory at the Queen’s Cup Steeplechase on April 28 for trainer Arch Kingsley Jr. Michael Mitchell will ride.
Completing the field are Beverly R. Steinman’s First Friday, a four-year-old maiden winner for trainer Doug Fout, and Gregory D. Hawkins’ Canaveral, a 10-year-old veteran trained by Racing Hall of Fame member Janet Elliot. Barry Foley rides First Friday, and current leading jockey Jack Doyle will be aboard Canaveral.
Here is the field for the $65,000 allowance hurdle in post-position order. The horses’ National Steeplechase Association ratings are in parentheses at the end of their profiles.
Sixty Five (Fr). 2013 b. g., King’s Best—Accusation (Ire), by Barathea (Ire). Owner: Rosbrian Farm. Trainer: Ricky Hendriks. Jockey: Ross Geraghty. Breeder: Haras d’Haspel (Fr). 2018 NSA record: 1-0-0-1, $3,500. 2017 NSA record: 2-1-1-0, $27,000. Opened 2018 with third in Tryon Block House allowance hurdle, then won Virginia Gold Cup flat allowance. A $30,000 claim at Ellis Park in July 2017, finished second at Far Hills in first venture over fences and then won at the Steeplechase at Callaway. (116)
Boss Man. 2010 ch. g., English Channel—Jenny Joy, by Acceptable. Owner: Carrington Holdings. Trainer: Arch Kingsley Jr. Jockey: Michael Mitchell. Breeder: Kinsman Farm (Fla.) 2018 NSA record: 2-1-0-0, $18,000. Graduate of Jason Servis’ flat training operation scored his maiden victory over fences at the 2018 Queen’s Cup. Pulled up in initial start over fences at the Tryon Block House meet. (116)
First Friday. 2014 b. g., Artie Schiller—Vente, by Dynaformer. Owner: Beverly R. Steinman. Trainer: Doug Fout. Jockey: Barry Foley. Breeder: Beverly R. Steinman (N.Y.) 2017 NSA record: 2-1-0-0, $14,000. Won Shawan Downs’ 2017 maiden hurdle for three-year-olds by 1 3/4 lengths, then finished fifth in Far Hills’ Gladstone Stakes. Unplaced in first two career starts on flat at Laurel Park. (111)
Go Get the Basil. 2010 ch. g., Andromeda’s Hero—Images in Jade, by Jade Hunter. Owner: Eva Ledyard. Trainer: Ricky Hendriks. Jockey: Darren Nagle. Breeder: John T. Esposito and Anthony J. Lo Grippo (N.Y.). 2018 record: 2018 NSA record: 2-1-1-0, $22,500. 2017 record: 2-0-1-0, $5,500. Finished second in 2018 Aiken Spring maiden hurdle and then won at Georgia Steeplechase.
Dark Gemini (Ire). 2013 b. g., Dark Angel—Demini Diamond, by Desert King. Owner: Serendipity Stables. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Willie McCarthy. Breeder: Mary Coonan (Ire). 2018 NSA record: 1-0-1-0, $6,300. 2017 record: 2-1-1-0, $25,200. In only 2018 start, closed willingly on deep course to finish second in $35,000 allowance hurdle at Radnor Hunt Races. Won maiden hurdle victory at 2017 Fair Hill meet. (116)
Whitman’s Poetry. 2011 b. g., Tiznow—Tustarta, by Trempolino. Owner: DASH Stable. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Sean McDermott. Breeder: Edward A. Cox Jr. (Ky.). 2018 NSA record: 2-0-2-0, $14,400. 2017 NSA record: 2-1-0-0, $30,000. Distant second in 2018 Queen’s Cup ratings handicap and Iroquois allowance hurdle before close second in Suffolk Downs flat race. Won his maiden victory at 2017 Far Hills meet. Finished third in 2016 Laurel Turf Cup. (119)
Canaveral (GB). 2008 dk. b. or br. g., Cape Cross (Ire)—Tameem, by Zilzal. Owner: Gregory Hawkins. Trainer: Janet Elliot. Jockey: Jack Doyle. Breeder: Heather Raw (GB). 2018 NSA record: 2-0-0-0, $1,000.2016 record: 1-0-0-0, $2,250. In first starts since missing 2017 jumps season, was pulled up in Tryon Block House ratings handicap and finished fourth in Willowdale claiming hurdle. Finished fourth in 2016 Virginia Gold Cup allowance hurdle. (102)