Winston C Surges to Smithwick Steeplechase Victory
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Winston C (No. 3) en route to victory in the A. P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
From all appearances, Hudson River Farms' Winston C richly deserved his 6-1 morning-line odds for the $150,000 A. P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase Stakes (NSA-G1) July 25 at Saratoga Race Course.
All his U.K. victories over fences had occurred this year, and he finished third in his American debut—the Marcellus Frost Champion Hurdle, a novice stakes in which he was beaten three-quarters of a length May 11.
Arrayed against him in a field of 12 Thursday were, among others, two accomplished newcomers who had been spotted as the program favorites, Irvin S. Naylor's Bedrock at 3-1 and Foxtrot NH Racing Partnership's Vosne Romanee at 7-2.
Bedrock went off as the 3-1 favorite, but only a few dollars behind him was Winston C, also at 3-1. The reason for Winston C's actual odds being lower than his morning-line odds very likely had something to do with his Hall of Fame trainer, Jonathan Sheppard.
Saratoga bettors know him well, especially after 47 years with at least one Saratoga victory, a streak that ended in 2015. They also know, in the right spot and at the right time, Sheppard is ever dangerous.
Winston C lived up to bettors' expectations and Sheppard's hopes with a surge into Saratoga's stretch that carried him to a 3 1/2-length victory over Vosne Romanee. Harold A. Via Jr.'s longshot Hinterland finished third, and Riverdee Stable's Gibralfaro was fourth.
Buttonwood Farm's All the Way Jose, also trained by Sheppard, finished fifth, and Bedrock was sixth. Winston C ran the Smithwick's 2 1/16 miles on a firm inner turf course in 3:45.99.
Winston C was at the back of the field of 12 early as Naylor's Sempre Medici set the early pace, but that was not part of winning jockey Thomas Garner's game plan.
"We had it planned in our head that we were going to line up halfway down the field," the 29-year-old jockey said. "It didn't go quite to plan. We didn't get the best of starts and went at a really, really quick gallop for the first mile. My lad didn't go as well as I hoped. He wasn't jumping."
Garner made a quick adjustment and took Winston C to a more comfortable position at the back of the field. "I just wanted to get him in rhythm and make sure he was doing his job properly, so I put a pull on him," Garner said. "I got his confidence going and got him back jumping."
Bedrock, ridden by Sean McDermott, made the first move on the final run down Saratoga's backstretch, followed by Vosne Romanee and Winston C. Sempre Medici led over the last fence and ran on into the final turn before beginning to tire.
With four horses across the course approaching the lane, Winston C and Garner were on the outside while making headway on his opponents. "He went four- or five-wide because I had no choice," Garner said. "I swung into the stretch, and he just kept going."
Winston C and Vosne Romanee began to separate themselves from the rest of the field in midstretch, with Winston C leading by a length at the furlong pole and Vosne Romanee up by two lengths over Bedrock. Through the final 200 yards, Winston C proved to have the superior speed, much to Sheppard's delight.
"I'm not going to say I expected that flat run from him, but I hoped for it. He's a little quicker than the average European steeplechase type," he said.