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Saturday’s Far Hills entries are all out! https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/FH102123USA-EQB.html Hewick isn’t returning but there’s plenty of Irish interests up and down the card. Danny Mullins is taking his regular trip across the pond to ride Keri Brion’s horses and Jack Kennedy, Nick Scholfield, Ben Harvey all have mounts.
In the Grand National, Seddon and Salvador Ziggy are the two invaders who both look very tough to beat. You may also recognize Mortlach whose first US start in the Iroquois did not go so well. They’re up against the venerable American Snap Decision who has had a bit of a falling off in form, he had excuses in his last start (highweight + just being a prep race) but he’s thrown a few too many clunkers for me to trust him even at level weights. It’s supposed to rain Friday and Saturday which only aids the Irish hopefuls.
For the undercard – I’m only mentioning the horses making their first US start, if I were to list all the former NH horses that would be 90% of the card.
In the Gladstone (3yo): Kyogo trained by Gordon Elliott, also Our Boy Wes recently moved from the Emmett Mullins barn to Keri Brion, and Clifton Down formerly of F.H. Graffard now with Leslie Young.
In the Harry E. Harris (4yo): Elliott’s Calico
In the Peapack Handicap (mares, race returns after a hiatus last year): Say Goodbye for Elliott toting the 163lb highweight.There’s also the Foxbrook Champion Hurdle (novices), the Appleton (130 and under ratings handicap) and the John Forbes (2-mile flat race) that don’t have any first timers in the US but have salty fields nonetheless.
There is wagering on offer by at least one bookmaker, and the American Grand National should be on Sky racing in the UK but there will be a livestream broadcast of the card from America’s Day at the Races.
And yes, I know, it’s silly that a hurdle race is called a Grand National. It used to be a real steeplechase and it’s had the name for like 120 years so they’ve stuck with it. Hey, at the rate things are going the one at Aintree could be in the same state soon enough
Yes thirty four runners and a man walking in front to the first with a red flag 🚩.
Thank you for the write up,Miss Woodford.🙏
Jimmy P is my selection- he ran a good race last time. 20s seems more than fair. Good luck if playing everyone.
A few minutes until the Gladstone. Lovely ground, soft to yielding, will definitely favor the Irish.
Coverage of the AGN on Sky Sports Racing, full card https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRxOnaBI5C8 or if that’s region-blocked https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oI665jtXVgKyogo wins over Our Boy Wes in the Gladstone with Southpaw Mike third. As is usual for the Elliott contingent Kyogo will stay in the US to race for his American owners.
Yep it’s rained all yesterday and most of today in the northeast. Course is immaculate though since they race on it just one day a year so no muddy furrows and holes around. Stamina and fitness will prevail here.
The American horses are always at a disadvantage in 3yo races unfortunately since the flat tracks won’t card any in the summer. They’ve had at most one prior start over fences and it showed in how green they ran. Southpaw Mike was the most impressive in the race for me as he was making his first start over jumps and going about twice as far as he’s ever ran.Elliott’s reign continues as Calico goes wire to wire in the Harry E. Harris. Easy peasy.
No Irish invaders in the novice and Awakened was scratched due to ground (he’ll go at Great Meadow next weekend) so it’s an evenly-matched field of 4. I’d take the other Fisher horse Cool Jet as he broke his maiden on similar yielding ground at this course last year and raced well in the spring hunt meets. L’Imperator and Abaan are both graded stakes winners on the flat but they may not quite have 2 1/2 miles in them on this ground.
Gordon Elliott having a good day. The commentator always amuses me. His assessment is a bit erratic – “She took that well” as Calico got in too deep to one, hammered it and lost a couple of lengths- but he is so full of enthusiasm and his puns are defintely better that than anything our lot over here can manage
“CALICOOOOO- She’s a top cat!”This is the only jumps meet Larry Collmus does, bless his heart, but he’s still light years better than our dedicated jumps announcers. His stretch calls are always great.
Shows what I know, Abaan loved every inch of the distance and showed his class. Bernie Dalton rated him very well, he can still ride with the best of them.
Some fairly ruthless riding by Jack Kennedy there chopping up the second horse but he was going better anyway and would have won even if the other horse hadn’t been forced to switch.
Elliott’s horses have earned >$100k already and we haven’t even got to the main event yet.
Say Goodbye dealt with the high weight well to win the Peapack. Gordon + Kennedy now 3-for-3.
On to the Appleton where I must cheer on old stalwart Redicean. 22/1 is a gift for him imo.
greenasgrass, he’ll probably get at least a warning and maybe a fine for that, NSA has really cracked down on rough riding this season.
“greenasgrass, he’ll probably get at least a warning and maybe a fine for that, NSA has really cracked down on rough riding this season.”
The difference between first and second is over $30k so I expect Robcour will just pay any fine for him, they’ve got deep pockets. They obviously can’t hand out a ban- unless it was honoured here- as he’s getting back on the plane tonight so all they can do is give him a jolly good telling off and hope he has the grace to keep a straight face while he’s getting it.
I like Zabeel Champion in the Appleton and will back Seddon in the GN, though Ben Harvey is without a previous ride today while Jack Kennedy is 3 from 3.
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