Dolly Fisher's Schoodic jumped the last fence of Iroquois' Mason Houghland Memorial and won by 16 3/4 lengths. (Tod Marks photo)
Dolly Fisher’s Schoodic, undefeated in his three starts over timber fences, will be the horse to beat in Saturday’s $25,000 Brown Advisory Legacy Chase, the timber-racing feature of the 19th annual Shawan Downs Races.
First post time is 1 p.m. for the eight-race program at the Hunt Valley, Md., course. The card attracted large fields, including 13 entrants for the $30,000 ratings hurdle handicap for horses rated at 120 or lower.
Schoodic was a top competitor over hurdles, and he has excelled over timber this year. Trained by Jack Fisher, the owner’s son, Schoodic won his maiden victory by a neck in a division of the John Rush Streett Memorial at My Lady’s Manor in April.
He won his next start, the Iroquois Steeplechase’s Mason Houghland Memorial, by 16¾ lengths while racing on or near the pace for much of the race at Nashville’s Percy Warner Park. He returned to the races 13 days later, dropped well back early in a Fair Hill novice timber race, and closed powerfully to win by 6¼ lengths. Hadden Frost will ride the Tiznow gelding, now nine.
Kiplin Hall’s Katnap enters the Legacy Chase from a lopsided victory in a Willowdale Steeplechase amateur apprentice timber race on May 12. Racing over a rain-soaked course, the French-bred 12-year-old won by 43¾ lengths. In his two prior starts, he had been unplaced in steeplethons at Middleburg Spring and the Virginia Gold Cup. Sean McDermott will ride for trainer Willie Dowling.
Darren Nagle, the reigning champion jockey, will be aboard Upland Partners’ Mystic Strike, winner of the My Lady’s Manor on April 13. The Smart Strike gelding subsequently finished sixth in the Virginia Gold Cup for trainer Todd McKenna.
Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard will send out Hudson River Farms’ Codrington College, who finished third to Schoodic in the Mason Houghland Memorial. Jack Doyle, currently second in the rider standings after a strong summer season, has the mount.
The Legacy Chase’s early pace most likely will be set by Armata Stables’ Grand Manan, who finished second to Katnap in the Willowdale timber allowance. Trainer Billy Meister did not name a rider at entry time.
Here is the field for the Brown Advisory Legacy Chase in post-position order.
Mystic Strike. 2009 b. g., Smart Strike—Mystic Rhythms, by Citidancer. Owner: Upland Partners. Trainer: Todd McKenna. Jockey: Darren Nagle. Breeder: Peter Vegso Racing (Fla.). 2019 record: 2-1-0-0, $33,000. 2018 record: 4-0-2-1, $17,600. 2017 record: 2-2-0-0, $27,000. Won the 2019 My Lady’s Manor, then was sixth in Virginia Gold Cup. Finished fifth in 2018 New Jersey Hunt Cup. Finished second in 2018 Radnor Hunt Cup and Winterthur Bowl after third in My Lady’s Manor. Barely beaten and then placed first in 2017 Radnor Hunt Cup.
Codrington College (Ire). 2010 ch. g., Duke of Marmalade—A.P. Easy, by A.P. Indy. Owner: Hudson River Farms. Trainer: Jonathan Sheppard. Jockey: Jack Fisher. Breeder: Laundry Cottage Stud Farm (Ire). 2019 record: 2-0-0-2, $3,500. 2018 record: 1-1-0-0, $9,000. Finished third in Grand National’s 2019 Western Run Plate and in Iroquois Steeplechase’s Mason Houghland Memorial. Won his timber debut at 2018 Queen’s Cup.
Katnap (Fr). 2007 bl. g., Sleeping Car—Kitty Gale, by Strong Gale. Owner: Wits End Farm. Trainer: William Dowling. Jockey: Sean McDermott. Breeder: Susan Angela Bramall (Fr). 2019 record: 3-1-0-0, $6,600. 2018 record: 2-2-0-0, $36,000. 2017 NSA record: 1-0-0-0, $12,000. Easily won 2019 Willowdale timber allowance. Tired to finish sixth in Middleburg Spring’s 2019 Alfred M. Hunt steeplethon before seventh in Virginia Gold Cup steeplethon. Won 2018 steeplethon at International Gold Cup after score in Virginia Fall steeplethon. Found new ownership after finishing sixth in Far Hills’ Grand National (Gr. 1) while trained by Joseph O’Brien.
Schoodic. 2010 b. g., Tiznow—Aunt Henny, by Hennessy. Owner: Dolly Fisher. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Hadden Frost. Breeder: Edith R. Dixon (Ky.) 2019 record: 3-3-0-0, $42,000. 2018 record: 6-0-1-2, $35,800. Opened his timber career in 2019 with three straight victories, including 16 ¾-length romp in Iroquois Steeplechase’s Mason Houghland Memorial and an open-length win in Fair Hill novice timber. Was a Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed over hurdles.
Grand Manan. 2009 b. g., Giant’s Causeway—Manoa, by Seeking the Gold. Owner: Armata Stables. Trainer: William Meister. Jockey: Open. Breeders: Stuart S. Janney III and Phipps Stable (Ky.). 2019 record: 3-0-1-0,800, $0. 2018: 4-0-0-1, $6,200. Finished distant second in 2019 Willowdale timber allowance. Led and was pulled up in 2019 My Lady’s Manor and Middleburg Hunt Cup. Finished third in 2018 New Jersey Hunt Cup after fifth in Radnor Hunt Cup. Closed 2016 season with back-to-back front-running victories in the Genesee Valley Hunt Cup and International Gold Cup.
Expedient. 2013 b. g., Lemon Drop Kid—Victory Lap, by Touch Gold. Owners: Louisa Stevenson, Achsah O’Donovan, and Cheyenne Stables. Trainer: Alicia Murphy. Jockey: Open. Breeders: Betz Thoroughbreds, CoC Equine, Magers, J. Betz, Ramsby & CNHHNK (Ky.) 2019 record: No starts. 2018 record: 1-0-0-0, $1,500. Making first timber start. Finished fourth in 2018 maiden hurdle at Middleburg Spring.
Dr. K’eogh. 2012 dk. b. or br. g., Kitten’s Joy—Virginia Reel, by Gone West. Owner-trainer: Billy Meister. Jockey: Open. Breeder: NY Kitten Foals LLC (N.Y.) 2019 record: 2-0-0-1, $1,500. 2018 record: 3-0-0-0, $0. 2017 NSA record: 2-0-0-0, $0. Opened 2019 with third in Foxfield Spring timber maiden and was distanced in Willowdale timber maiden. Pulled up in three 2018 starts.
Forever Bernardini. 2013 dk. b. or br. g., Bernardini—Cry and Catch Me, by Street Cry (Ire). Owner: Lucy Goelet. Trainer: Alicia Murphy. Jockey: Open. Breeder: Live Oak Stud (Ky.). 2019 record: 2-0-0-0, $0. 2018 record: 3-0-0-0, $0. Sent over timber for first time in 2019; lost jockey at Foxfield Spring and finished eighth in Fair Hill timber allowance.