Zanjabeel, the reigning Eclipse Award champion, leads a list of 10 nominees to the $75,000 David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial (Gr. 2), the featured hurdle race at the 36th annual International Gold Cup on Saturday, Oct. 26.
Also on the program are the $75,000 International Gold Cup over timber fences and the $40,000 Steeplethon Stakes over mixed obstacles. First post time is noon at Great Meadow Race Course in The Plains, Va.
Owned by Rosbrian Farm and Meadow Run Farm, Zanjabeel has been on the sidelines since winning Belmont Park’s Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) and sewing up the 2018 championship. He also won last year’s Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1).
The six-year-old was nominated to Far Hills Races’ Grand National (Gr. 1), but trainer Ricky Hendriks decided to give his stable star another week before his first start in more than 13 months.
Jack Fisher, who has insurmountable leads in the trainer standings by wins (31) and earnings (more than $1.1-million), nominated Riverdee Stable’s Gibralfaro and Sonny Via’s Hinterland. Gibralfaro finished second in Saratoga Race Course’s New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1) on Aug. 22, and Hinterland was second in the Lonesome Glory on Sept. 19.
Leslie Young, who is having the best season of her training career, nominated Sharon Sheppard’s Redicean and Bruton Street-US’s Rashaan. Both were entered for the Grand National. Redicean finished sixth in the Lonesome Glory, and Rashaan would be making his first U.S. start.
Irv Naylor’s Sempre Medici was nominated for another shot at the 2 1/8-mile Ferguson after finishing second last year. Trained by Cyril Murphy, the French-bred nine-year-old also finished second in the Virginia Gold Cup’s David Semmes Memorial (Gr. 2) on May 4.
Returning after a long break is Stonelea Farm’s nominee Balance the Budget, who is based in Virginia with trainer Julie Gomena. Balance the Budget won the 2018 Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup (Gr. 1) and went to the sidelines after a third-place finish in the Semmes.
Trainer Elizabeth Voss nominated Robert Kinsley’s No Wunder and Al. No Wunder most recently finished seventh in the New York Turf Writers, and Al came back after more than two years to finish third in a Colonial Downs ratings handicap.
Completing the nominations is Mason H. Lampton’s Maccabee, a three-time winner in the spring who most recently lost his rider in a Shawan Downs ratings handicap. The Street Hero gelding is trained by Lilith Boucher.
Here are the nominees to the $75,000 David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial (Gr. 2) in alphabetical order. Their National Steeplechase Association ratings are in parentheses at the end of their profiles.
Al (GB). 2012 b. g., Halling—Incarnation (Ire), by Samum. Owner: Robert A. Kinsely. Trainer: Elizabeth Voss. Breeder: Paul Moulton (GB). 2019 NSA record: 1-0-0-1, $3,000. Finished third in 2019 Colonial Downs ratings handicap. In U.S. debut, won 2017 Radnor Hunt maiden hurdle, then finished second in Parx ratings handicap before missing 2018 season. Long-distance flat runner won a handicap in 2015, his only other career victory. (115)
Balance the Budget. 2009 ch. g., Bellamy Road—Every Day Is Good, by El Corredor. Owner: Stonelea Stable. Trainer: Julie Gomena. Breeder: Liberation Farm & Oratis (Ky.). 2018 record: 2-1-0-1, $97,500. Won 2018 Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup (Gr. 1) and finished third in Virginia Gold Cup’s David Semmes Memorial (Gr. 2). Won International Gold Cup’s 2017 David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial (Gr. 2) by nine lengths after setting all the pace. (141)
Gibralfaro. (Ire). 2012 b. g., Dalakhani (Ire)—Ronda, by Bluebird. Owner: Riverdee Stable. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Breeder: Sarl Darpat France (Ire). 2019 record: 4-1-1-0, $99,000. 2018 record: 5-1-3-0, $77,250. Finished second in Saratoga’s 2019 New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1) after fourth in A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1). Opened 2019 with victory in Queen’s Cup MPC ’Chase for novices, then was sixth in Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1). Finished second in Far Hills’ 2018 Foxbrook Champion Hurdle division and Aflac Supreme Hurdle. (135)
Hinterland (Fr). 2008 b. g., Poliglote (GB)—Queen’s Place, by Diamond Prospect. Owner: Harold A. “Sonny” Via Jr. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Breeder: Eric Aubree and Christian Bresson (Fr). 2019 record: 6-0-2-1, $62,450. 2018 record: 4-0-1-0, $63,750. 2017 record: 2-0-1-0, $36,000. Finished second in Belmont Park’s 2019 Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1). Ran evenly to be third in Saratoga’s 2019 A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1) and fourth in the New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1). Finished second in 2019 Valentine Handicap after fourth in Virginia Gold Cup’s David Semmes Memorial (Gr. 2) and fifth in Carolina Cup. Finished closing second in Belmont Park’s 2018 Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1), then was fourth in Far Hills’ Grand National (Gr. 1). (130)
Maccabee. 2013 b. g., Street Hero—Sawgrass Express, by Roman Diplomat. Owner: Mason Hardaway Lampton. Trainer: Lilith Boucher. Breeder: Hartwell Farm (Ky.). 2019 NSA record: 5-3-0-0, $42,000. 2018 record: 7-1-0-1, $15,041. Scored back-to-back ratings handicap wins at 2019 Foxfield Spring and Radnor meets. Lost rider in Shawan Downs ratings handicap. Won Aiken Spring maiden claimer on a disqualification and then finished seventh in The Cup Runneth Over ratings handicap. (118)
No Wunder (GB). 2011 b. g., Rock of Gibraltar (Ire)—Iwunder, by King’s Best. Owner: Robert A. Kinsley. Trainer: Elizabeth Voss. Breeder: Executors of the late J. Ellis (GB). 2019 record: 4-1-0-0, $27,000. 2018 NSA record: 6-0-3-0, $43,200. 2017 NSA record: 8-2-1-1, $67,150. Finished seventh in Saratoga’s 2019 A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1) and New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1). Won Fair Hill’s 2019 Valentine Memorial Handicap after sixth in Queen’s Cup MPC ’Chase. Finished fourth in Belmont Park’s 2018 William Entenmann Memorial Novice Stakes, then was sixth in Steeplechase at Callaway’s Aflac Supreme Hurdle. Finished close second in Saratoga’s Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes. (125)
Rashaan (Ire). 2012 ch. g., Manduro (Ger)—Red Halo (Ire), by Rainbow Quest. Owner: Bruton Street-US. Trainer: Leslie Young. Breeder: The Aga Khan’s Studs (Ire). 2019 NSA record: No starts. Won the Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle in April and most recently was last of 18 in Galway’s Mervue Hurdle. (146)
Redicean (GB). 2014 b. g., Medicean (GB)—Red Halo, by Galileo (Ire). Owner: Sharon E. Sheppard. Trainer: Leslie Young. Breeder: Cheveley Park Stud (GB). 2019 NSA record: 2-1-0-0, $49,500. Graduated from novice ranks with victory in Saratoga’s 2019 Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes, his first U.S. start after respectable career in England, then was sixth in Belmont Park’s Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1). Departed with 11th in Scottish Champion Hurdle in April. (144)
Sempre Medici (Fr). 2010 b. g., Medicean—Sambala, by Danehill Dancer. Owner: Irvin S. Naylor. Trainer: Cyril Murphy. Breeders: Myriam Bollack, Noel Forgeard, and E.A.R.L. du Haras de Pierrepont (Fr). 2019 NSA record: 2-0-1-0, $13,500. 2018 record: 4-0-1-0, $24,500. Finished second in 2019 David Semmes Memorial (Gr. 2) at Virginia Gold Cup, then was eighth in Saratoga’s A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1). Finished second in 2018 David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial (Gr. 2) after fifth-place finishes in Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1) and Semmes. Competed in England and Ireland for trainer Willie Mullins before being imported. Female-line descendant of foundation mare Best in Show, by Traffic Judge. (139)
Zanjabeel (GB). 2013 b. g., Aussie Rules—Grain Only, by Machiavellian. Owners: Rosbrian Farm and Meadow Run Farm. Trainer: Ricky Hendriks. Breeder: Kirsten Rausing (GB). 2019 record: No starts. 2018 record: 4-2-2-0, $265,500. 2017 NSA record: 2-2-0-0, $120,000. Won 2018 Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) and Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1) after second-place finishes in Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup (Gr. 1) and Temple Gwathmey Handicap (Gr. 2). Won Far Hills’ 2017 Foxbrook Champion Hurdle, his U.S. debut for former owners and trainer Gordon Elliott. For new owners, won Steeplechase at Callaway’s 2017 Aflac Supreme Hurdle. (151)