Moscato Comes Homes First for Sweet Smithwick Victory

The victory by Bruton Street-US's Moscato in Saratoga Race Course's A. P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase Handicap (NSA-G1) was sweet, just like the Italian wine for which he is named, but that does not mean his win was easy.

Far from it. The 9-year-old by Hernando had to work for every inch of his three-quarter-length victory over Rosbrian Farm's Optimus Prime in the 2 1/16-mile hurdle stakes July 23 on the inner turf course. 

Still, when it came time to get the job done, Moscato, trained by Jack Fisher, closed relentlessly under reigning champion jockey Michael Mitchell to win his second stakes race of the coronavirus-compressed steeplechase season after waltzing away to an 11-length score in the Temple Gwathmey Handicap (NSA-G3) June 13.

Indeed, the season has been dominated by Team Moscato, the partnership of Charles Fenwick Jr., Mike Hankin, and Charles Noell. Four hurdles stakes have been run, and they accounted for all four. 

In addition to Moscato's wins, 2019 novice champion Snap Decision won the Virginia Gold Cup's David Semmes Memorial Hurdle Stakes June 27 and Saratoga's Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes on Wednesday.

Optimus Prime, trained by Ricky Hendriks, ran a strong race in his first jumps start since an effortless win in the Semmes Memorial (NSA-G2) in early May of last year. 

While Wendy Hendriks' Surprising Soul laid down the pace on the front end of the Smithwick with Sharon Sheppard's Redicean close behind, Moscato and Optimus Prime kept each other company at the back of the field.

Optimus Prime, ridden for the first time by Darren Nagle, was under a light hold, while Mitchell had to keep after Moscato to stay within range of the leaders. 

The Smithwick's endgame began to take shape as the field moved into Saratoga's backstretch for the second and final time. Redicean jumped past Surprising Soul to take the lead, and Mitchell asked Moscato to move closer to the leading group.

Only approaching the final fence on the backstretch did Optimus Prime begin to take up the chase under minimal encouragement from Nagle. Thomas Garner, aboard Redicean, attempted a breakaway on the final turn, but Optimus Prime cruised toward the leaders on the turn. "I thought we were in serious trouble on the turn," Fisher said.

Meanwhile, Mitchell was hard at work to get Moscato into contention. The early leaders came back to him, "and we had to weave through a couple of horses," he said.

Nagle rustled the reins near the three-sixteenths pole, and Optimus Prime swept to the lead just before the furlong pole, where Moscato was fourth, two lengths behind the new leader, and closing under a drive. 

Mitchell pushed Moscato toward the finish line and gradually diminished the margin on Optimus Prime. Under a vigorous hand ride, Moscato took the lead in the final 70 yards and was beginning to draw clear after hitting the line in 3:47.51 on firm turf.

"His stamina kicked in and really went well to the line and got his head in front at the right time," Mitchell said.

Moscato went off as the 1.70-to-1 favorite, ahead of 1.95-to-1 Optimus Prime in a field of eight.

Riverdee Stable's Gibralfaro, also trained by Fisher, was always prominent and finished third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Optimus Prime. Leslie Young-trained Redicean checked in fourth, and Irv Naylor's Chief Justice ran evenly to finish fifth.

Fisher said that both Moscato and Snap Decision would be pointed toward Saratoga's $100,000 New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (G1) Aug. 20.

With his second win of the year, Moscato leads the standings with $90,000 in purse winnings. He was the novice champion in 2017, missed the 2018 season, and won last year's edition of the Temple Gwathmey. The 9-year-old is from the prominent breeding operation of Kirsten Rausing.