The National Steeplechase Association’s leading-earners table has a traffic jam at the top, and the sport’s top competitors have been nominated to the $250,000 Grand National (Gr. 1), the headline contest of the 93rd annual Far Hills Races on Saturday, Oct. 19.
First post time is 1 p.m. for the year’s richest race program on the National Steeplechase Association circuit, with $500,000 on the line at Moorland Farms in central New Jersey. Other stakes races on the program are the $100,000 Foxbrook Champion Hurdle for novices, the $75,000 Peapack for fillies and mares, and the $25,000 Gladstone for three-year-olds.
Again, the Grand National very well may play a decisive role in determining this year’s steeplechase champion by earnings and the Eclipse Award winner. In addition to the sport’s top earners in 2013, last year’s Grand National winner, Mary Ann Houghland’s Pierrot Lunaire, has been nominated to the 2 5/8-mile race over National Fences. The Eclipse winner has not started since last year’s Grand National.
The Grand National carries a $150,000 prize for the winner, and that payday could tip in the balance in a highly competitive year in American Steeplechasing’s championship division. The year’s four Grade 1 races to date have had four different winners.
Leading the pack with $123,000 is owner-trainer Jonathan Sheppard’s Italian Wedding, who came back from a long layoff to finish second in Saratoga Race Course’s $100,000 A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1) on Aug. 1 before winning Saratoga’s $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1) three weeks later. He most recently finished third in Belmont Park’s Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) on Sept. 19.
Second on the earnings board at $120,000 is Gil Johnston’s Mr. Hot Stuff, who won the Smithwick by 2 1/2 lengths before a fourth in the New York Turf Writers. Third in the 2009 Santa Anita Derby (Gr. 1) on the flat, Mr. Hot Stuff won the $75,000 Marcellus Frost Novice Stakes at Nashville’s Iroquois Steeplechase on May 11.
Reigning champion trainer Jack Fisher trains Mr. Hot Stuff and the year’s most pleasing surprise, Sheila Williams’ and Andre Brewster’s All Together. The 2010 novice champion won his first race in nearly two years when he scored in a Saratoga optional allowance claimer for a $30,000 claiming tag on Aug. 1. He then reeled off second-place finishes in the New York Turf Writers and Lonesome Glory. His return to top-quality competition has earned him $93,000 this year.
In his first start since being acquired by Magalen O. Bryant, Gustavian scored a thrilling nose victory in the Lonesome Glory over All Together. That $100,000 payday lifted the seven-year-old Giant’s Causeway gelding into the third spot by earnings with $104,000. Leslie Young trains Gustavian, who is ridden regularly by the trainer’s husband, three-time champion jockey Paddy Young.
Jacqueline Ohrstrom’s Demonstrative won the year’s first Grade 1 race, the $150,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1), but has not been able to duplicate that effort. Scratched from the Smithwick because of a cough, he ran a lackluster sixth in the Turf Writers before finishing fourth in the Lonesome Glory.
Bill Pape’s Martini Brother also will be attempting to regain his top form. He swept to the top of the novice division with three straight wins, including a tally in the Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes before a good third in the New York Turf Writers. But he ran a disappointing sixth in the $75,000 William Entenmann Memorial Novice Stakes on Belmont’s Lonesome Glory program.
Sheppard trains Martini Brother and Divine Fortune, whom he owns in partnership with Pape. Divine Fortune finished second in last year’s Grand National but has been unable to duplicate that form in top-class company this year. He most recently finished seventh in both the New York Turf Writers and the Lonesome Glory.
A Racing Hall of Fame trainer, Sheppard also nominated his Barnstorming, winner of Saratoga’s Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes. He is also trains Atlantic Equine’s Hunt Ball, sixth in the Lonesome Glory.
Trainer Jimmy Day nominated Randleston Farm’s Spy in the Sky, who finished fifth in both the New York Turf Writers and the Lonesome Glory. Tom Voss nominated The Fields Stable’s Left Unsaid, winner of the 2010 Foxbrook. He has not started since the 2012 Lonesome Glory.
Here are the Grand National nominees in alphabetical order:
All Together. (140) 2005 b. g., Danzig–Unify, by Farma Way. Owners: Andre W. Brewster and Sheila J. Williams. Trainer: Jack Fisher. 2013 record: 5-1-2-0, $93,500. 2012 record: 6-0-0-3, $29,000. 2011 record: 7-1-3-2, $85,800. Beaten mere nose in $150,000 Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) at Belmont Park on Sept. 19. Ran strong second in Saratoga Race Course’s $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1) on Aug. 22. Won for the first time in two years in Saratoga optional allowance claimer on Aug. 1, when he ran for a $30,000 tag. Set pace in 2012 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1) and finished fifth after third in A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1). Novice champion in 2010.
Barnstorming. (144) 2006 b. g., Thunder Gulch—Soul of the Cat, by Stravinsky. Owner-trainer: Jonathan Sheppard. 2013 record: 5-1-1-0, $65,500. 2012 record: 2-0-0-1, $8,000. Rolled to a 6 1/4-length victory in Saratoga Race Course’s Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes On Aug. 15 after good second in Saratoga’s Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes on July 25. Fourth in the National Hunt Cup (Gr. 3) at the Radnor Hunt Races on May 18 and the Queen’s Cup MPC ‘Chase in North Carolina on April 27. Finished fifth in Carolina Cup in his 2013 debut.
Demonstrative. (156) 2007 b. g., Elusive Quality–Loving Pride, by Quiet American. Owner: Jacqueline Ohrstrom. Trainer: Richard Valentine. 2013 record: 3-1-0-0, $102,000. 2012 record: 6-3-0-0, $209,000. 2011 record: 8-2-4-2, $96,300. Passed tiring horses to finish fourth in Belmont Park’s Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) on Sept. 19. Surged to a neck victory in the $150,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1), his first 2013 start. Missed Saratoga Race Course’s A. P. Smithwick (Gr. 1) with a mild respiratory problem and finished a lackluster sixth in Saratoga’s $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1), a race he won in 2012. Also won 2012’s $100,000 Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup (Gr. 1) in Camden, S.C., and was Eclipse Award runner-up. Was 2010 three-year-old champion.
Divine Fortune. (148) 2003 ch. g., Royal Anthem–My Tombola, by Northern Fling. Owners: William Pape and Jonathan Sheppard. Trainer: Jonathan Sheppard. 2013 record: 5-1-1-1, $52,000. 2012 record: 7-1-3-0, $113,500. 2011 record: 4-1-1-0, $64,000. Set early pace in Belmont Park’s Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) and tired to finish seventh on Sept. 19. Attended early pace in the $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1) on Aug. 22 and faded to finish seventh. Lacked closing punch in A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1) and finished third. Finished a game second in $150,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1) on May 11. Cruised to a convincing victory in the Sandhills Cup in North Carolina on April 6.
Gustavian. (144) 2006 b. g., Giant’s Causeway–Mossflower, by Affirmed. Owner: Magalen O. Bryant. Trainer: Leslie Young. 2013 record: 3-1-1-1, $104,000. 2012 record: 5-1-4-0, $70,500. 2011 record: 5-2-2-0, $33,800. Scored biggest victory of his career when he bested All Together by a nose in Belmont Park’s $150,000 Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) at 3.85-1 on Sept. 19. Game second in Radnor Hunt Races’ National Hunt Cup (Gr. 3) on May 18 after third in Temple Gwathmey (Gr. 3) on April 20. Won Belmont Park’s 2012 William Entenmann Memorial as 1.35-1 favorite. Never finished worse than second in 2012.
Hunt Ball (Ire). (146) 2005 b. g., Winged Love (Ire)—La Fandango (Ire), by Taufan. Owner: Atlantic Equine. Trainer: Jonathan Sheppard. 2013 NSA record: 3-0-0-0, $7,500. Pressed early pace in Belmont Park’s Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) and tired to finish sixth. In U.S. debut, finished sixth in Saratoga’s A. P. Smithwick Memorial on Aug. 1, then was eighth in New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1). Veteran British steeplechaser won Taunton handicap in April. Also won at the 2012 Cheltenham Festival.
Italian Wedding. (150) 2005 b. g., Alphabet Soup–Effervescent, by Citidancer. Owner-trainer: Jonathan Sheppard. 2013 record: 3-1-1-1, $123,000. 2012 record: 1-0-0-0, $2,500. 2011 record: 6-1-0-0, $55,200. Rallied for third in Belmont Park’s $150,000 Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) on Sept. 19. Notched a one-length score in Saratoga Race Course’s $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1) on Aug. 22. Finished a good second in Saratoga’s $100,000 A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1) on Aug. 1 in his first start since fourth-place finish in the 2012 Carolina Cup. Won 2011 Michael G. Walsh Novice at Saratoga.
Left Unsaid. (142) 2005 b. g., Dynaformer–Hello Soso (Ire), by Alzao. Owner: The Fields Stable. Trainer: Tom Voss. 2012 record: 3-0-1-0, $25,000. 2011 record: 1-0-1-0, $13,500. Making first start since finishing fourth in 2012 Lonesome Glory Stakes (Gr. 1). Beaten only a nose in A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1), his 2012 debut, then was unable to avoid a fallen horse while making a strong move in the New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1) on Aug. 23. Novice champion of 2009.
Martini Brother. (146) 2008 dk. b. or br. g., A.P. Indy—Island Sand, by Tabasco Cat. Owner: Bill Pape. Trainer: Jonathan Sheppard. 2013 record: 5-3-0-1, $95,250. 2012 record: 3-0-0-1, $2,250. Ran a disappointing sixth in Belmont Park’s William Entenmann Memorial Novice Stakes on Sept. 19. Leading novice finished a good third in Saratoga Race Course’s New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1), beaten a length on Aug. 22. Previously undefeated in 2013 after half-length score in the Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes on July 25. Also won Atlanta maiden race on April 13 and defeated more experienced rivals in Thompson Memorial allowance hurdle at Radnor Hunt Races on May 18.
Mr. Hot Stuff. 2006 dk. b. or br. g., Tiznow—Sweet Damsel, by Turkoman. Owner: Gil Johnston. Trainer: Jack Fisher. 2013 record: 5-2-0-1, $120,000. 2012 record: No starts. 2011 record: 4-2-0-0, $35,000. Drew away to a 2 1/2-length victory in Saratoga’s $100,000 A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1) on Aug. 1. Won Iroquois Steeplechase’s $75,000 Marcellus Frost for novices by 2 1/2 lengths on May 11 before fourth in Colonial Downs’ David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial. Began 2013 campaign with a third, beaten 3 3/4 lengths, in the Queen’s Cup MPC ‘Chase on April 27. Maiden flat winner finished third in 2009 Santa Anita Derby (Gr. 1), 15th in the Kentucky Derby (Gr. 1), and eighth in the Belmont Stakes (Gr. 1).
Pierrot Lunaire. (158) 2004 b. g., War Chant–Playact (Ire), by Hernando (Fr). Owner: Mary Ann Houghland. Trainer: Blythe Miller Davies. 2012 record: 5-2-0-1, $253,000. 2011 record: 3-0-0-1, $20,000. Locked up 2012 Eclipse Award with victory in $250,000 Grand National (Gr. 1) at Far Hills, N.J., after stunning 48.75-1 win by a nose in Belmont’s Lonesome Glory Stakes (Gr. 1). Kicked off 2012 season with a third in Temple Gwathmey (Gr. 3) at Middleburg, Va., and was fifth in the $150,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1), a race he won in 2009. Also finished fifth in David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial (Gr. 3) at Colonial Downs.
Spy in the Sky. (146) 2004 ch. g., Thunder Gulch—Monaassabaat, by Zilzal. Owner: Randleston Farm. Trainer: Jimmy Day. 2013 NSA record: 4-0-0-0, $17,000. 2012 record: 6-1-1-1, $111,250. 2011 record: 6-0-0-3, $12,000. Finished fifth in Belmont Park’s $150,000 Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) on Sept. 19 and Saratoga Race Course’s $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1) on Aug. 22 after fourth in $100,000 A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1) on Aug. 1. Finished seventh in Radnor’s National Hunt Cup in seasonal debut on May 18. Upset 2012 A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1) at 25-1, ran third in the New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1), and was nipped at the wire in the $150,000 Lonesome Glory Stakes (Gr. 1) at Belmont Park.