*Originally posted on Nationalsteeplechase.com on October 10, 2024*
Sunday’s seven-race card at Foxfield in Charlottesville, Va., showcased a whirlwind of National Steeplechase talent, including many runners prepping for major fall events. In the marquee race of the day, the $75,000 Grade 3 Mariann De Tejada Memorial handicap, Hall of Fame conditioner Jack Fisher saddled four of the six entrants, with unexpected results.
Coming off a five-month layoff, Bruton Street-US’ Snap Decision, a perennial powerhouse on the NSA circuit for six seasons and one of the richest jumpers in American steeplechase history, saw his three-race win streak snapped by his Fisher stablemate Sebastopol, who had finished behind that foe in his two U.S. starts. Moreover, with two victories on the card, Fisher, a 14-time champion trainer, moved into a tie with Leslie Young, the reigning champ the past two seasons who had a 20 to 11 race lead at the end of the spring. Both are knotted at 21 wins, with Fisher taking the lead in earnings by around $33,000.
In addition, Graham Watters, with a win, a second, and two thirds on the day, broke the single-season earnings record for an NSA jockey, surpassing the mark set by Gus Brown in 2001. Watters is currently at $843,200; Brown earned $815,897.
Here’s a breakdown of the results:
Sebastopol upsets stablemate Snap Decision in G3 $75,000 Mariann De Tejada Memorial
After twice finishing behind Bruton Street-US’ Snap Decision, C and C Boultbee Brooks’ Sebastopol turned the tables on his Jack Fisher-trained stablemate in the featured Tejada Memorial handicap.
Giving away 12 pounds to his foe, Snap Decision, with regular rider Graham Watters aboard, assumed the lead at the start of the 2 1/8-mile contest, running easily throughout, with the other five runners in the field always within striking distance.
Halfway through the race, Snap Decision, making his first start in five months, maintained a lead of about 2 1/2 lengths, with only six or so lengths separating all of the runners. Noble Stables’ Total Joy (Paddy O’Hanlon) sat in second for much of the going, with Sebastopol in third.
Sonny Via’s Welshman, a third Fisher trainee, made a big move nearing the 10th and final fence and so did South Branch Equine’s Who’s Counting (carrying 114 pounds and trainer-rider Sean McDermott), who had been traveling wide.
At the final jump, Who’s Counting actually took the lead on the far outside with Sebastopol responding on the inside, and Snap Decision in between. Who’s Counting bobbled going over the jump, but regained his composure and battled Sebastopol to the finish as Snap Decision gave way. The margin of victory was a length.
Sebastopol, who like Snap Decision, is 10, amassed nearly a quarter-million-dollars in earnings in a long European career before coming stateside last spring when he finished fourth to Snap Decision in the Grade 2 Temple Gwathmey at Middleburg and Grade 1 Iroquois at Nashville.
Anzio breaks maiden in opener
Gill Johnston’s Anzio, a four-year-old Temple City gelding, earned his first career trip to the winner’s circle with a 4-length score in the $15,000 maiden claiming opener.
With Teddy Davies riding for trainer Sandra Webb, Anzio was always well placed in the 10-horse field, and drew even with the long-time leader, Matthew T. Groff’s Pavoni (Graham Watters), at the top of the stretch and drew off in the 2 1/8-mile hurdle contest (the distance of all the hurdle races at Foxfield) with authority in the final strides.
Pavoni, who raced on or near the lead from the flag drop was second, with Go Poke the Bear Syndicate’s Cant catch Camacho far back in third.
For Anzio, it was his first trip to the winner’s circle in six NSA outings, which followed three starts on the flat. Prior to today’s race he had been running in maiden special weights company along with a stakes start in the Gladstone for three-year-olds at Far Hills last season.
Easy Squeeze rockets to victory in $35,000 filly & mare maiden
Making only her second career start, French-bred Easy Squeeze made a bold move at the 10th and final fence, then powered past leader Belle Wish to score by around 10 lengths in the second race at Foxfield.
With Parker Hendriks riding for trainer Doug Fout, the four-year-old daughter of Group 1 winner Masked Marvel (St. Leger stakes), sat in midpack for much of the going as Gill Johnston’s Belle Wish (Jamie Bargary) set the pace, leading by as much as six lengths at one time or another.
Easy Squeeze began to move up at fence eight, and at the top of the stretch was in contention with Belle Wish along with Ballybristol Farm’s Avakate (Graham Watters). At the final hurdle, Easy Squeeze made her move on the outside past Belle Wish and in the blink of an eye opened up by a wide margin as Hendriks took a peek over his shoulder with no competition in sight.
Easy Squeeze, owned by Rolling Tide, made her career debut in April at the Old Dominion Hounds meet where she rallied to draw even with the leaders only to fall on the landing at the final fence. Daigneault Thoroughbred’s Madaket’s Arrow (Bernie Dalton) was third in her NSA debut.
Late surge propels I Can Only Imagine to first NSA win
South Branch Equine’s I Can Only Imagine showed a major form reversal and scored with speed to spare in the third, a $40,000 open maiden hurdle for three-year-olds and up.
For most of the going, the race belonged to Beverly Steinman’s newcomer Pebbly Pour Toi (Harry Beswick), who spurted to the lead as the large field spread out quickly.
Toward the end of the race the field began to bunch up and it was still anyone’s race at the last fence as Del Rio Racing’s first-time starter Harrenhal (Virginia Korrell) made his presence felt and I Can Do That, with Dan Nevin riding for Mark Beecher, looming large as well. Through the stretch, I Can Do That overtook Harrenhal and strided clear by about 5 lengths. Pebbly Pour Toi held on for third.
I Can Only Imagine, an Irish-bred six-year-old, finished a good third at Virginia Fall last October, but in three successive starts was a DNF.
Icandothat takes $30,000 handicap
Vivian Rall’s Icandothat, trained and ridden by Sean McDermott, returned to the scene of his second NSA start a year ago, rallying on the outside heading over the final fence and drawing clear by about 5 lengths in the fourth, a handicap for horses rated at 110 or less.
Icandothat, a five-year-old Maryland-bred who has divided his time between flat and jump racing, vied for the early lead with Jordan Wycoff’s Clara Belle, and R And K Racing’s Molly Fantasy. Clara Belle eventually seized the top spot and extended her advantage to about 6 lengths by the second to last fence.
That margin decreased to about a length at the final fence as Icandothat made his move on the outside. Clara Belle bobbled at the last, but Icandothat had all the momentum and won geared down.
Clara Belle (Stephen Mulqueen) held for second; Riverdee Stable’s Penicillin Success (Graham Watters) was third.
Rising star Jimmy Dan rallies to take $40,000 handicap
Riverdee Stable and Ten Strike Racing’s Jimmy Dan gave leading NSA jockey Graham Watters his 19th victory of the season with an off-the-pace rally in the fifth, a handicap for horses rated at 120 or less.
There was drama early as Kiyomori lost his rider and the field treaded carefully to avoid the loose horse. It didn’t take long for Daniel Baker’s Decisive Triumph, with Dan Nevin, to assume command, as Michael A. Smith’s Foxy Walk (Jamie Bargary) and Sanna Neilson and John Huganir’s He’ll Do (Parker Hendriks) in close pursuit.
Decisive Triumph maintained his lead, which ranged from about a half length to 2 1/2 lengths, through fence eight of 10. At the ninth, Foxy Walk moved up alongside Decisive Triumph, with the latter still in front. Moving toward the last jump, Decisive Triumph began to wilt, and that’s when Jimmy Dan, a six-year-old Irish-bred trained by Jack Fisher, unleashed his rally on the far outside, as another contender, Maranto Manor’s Lydford (Stephen Mulqueen), also vied for the top spot on the inside.
Advancing quickly, Jimmy Dan opened up by about 5 lengths, as Foxy Walk regained the place spot, and Lydford secured third.
2024 has been a big year for NSA newcomer Jimmy Dan, rising from the maiden claiming ranks to becoming a three-time handicap winner. This was his fourth win in five tries over jumps. Prior to that he had made 27 starts on the flat, with two victories.
High Definition takes training flat finale
In a star-studded conclusion to Sunday’s seven-race card filled with runners prepping for bigger prizes, leading owner Leipers Fork Steeplechasers ran one-two with High Definition (Jamie Bargary) and Old Tom Morris (Paddy O’Hanlon) in a training-flat contest at 1 1/4 miles. The winning margin was a head. Leslie Young, who is now in a tie with Jack Fisher for most wins, trained the top two finishers.
Madaket Stables and Paul and Molly Willis’ Jimmy P, recent winner of the Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard stakes at Saratoga, was third.
Also in the field were Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Daigneault Thoroughbreds’ Abaan, a two-time 2024 stakes winner, who finished fourth, and last year’s Eclipse Award winner Hurricana Farm’s Merry Maker, who was fifth. Merry Maker hasn’t started since securing the crown last October with a second (to Noah and the Ark) in the Grand National at Far Hills.
High Definition, an accomplished runner on the flat — winning a Grade 2 in Europe and finishing first and second in G1 competition — captured the Green Pastures novice stakes at the Iroquois Races in May.
