Post-Race Analysis:
Camden, South Carolina - November 18, 2007: Sonny Via's Good Night
Shirt summoned bottomless stamina and courage late to win Sunday's
Grade I Colonial Cup Steeplechase at Springdale Race Course, most
likely clinching the 2007 Eclipse Award as champion steeplechaser.
Ridden by Willie Dowling, Good Night Shirt took the lead after
less than a mile and simply refused to quit running -- he turned
aside McDynamo's challenge on the sweeping final turn and then ran
away from a gang of four in the stretch to win by 2 1/4 lengths
for trainer Jack Fisher. The winner covered the 2 3/4 miles and
17 fences in 5:19. Three Carat finished second with Sovereign Duty
third. McDynamo, bidding for a fourth win in the race and fourth
Eclipse Award, faltered late to finish sixth in the final start
of his stellar career.
Strong early, Good Night Shirt found a rhythm once he got in front.
“He went to the front and backed off, which made all the difference,”
said Dowling. “He took a couple of chances at fences, but they didn’t
seem to bother him. Turning for home, he still had some left. That’s
a good feeling because they were right there. What a great horse.
He just galloped all the way to the line.”
A 6-year-old son of Concern, Good Night Shirt won for the third
time in five starts (all Grade I) this year. His $314,163 in earnings
are a single-season National Steeplechase Association record. The
Maryland-bred won two of three meetings with McDynamo, champion
in 2003, 2005 and 2006, this year.
McDynamo retires sound with a record $1.3 million in career earnings
from 15 wins in 25 lifetime starts over jumps for owner Michael
Moran and trainer Sanna Hendriks. The 10-year-old won five consecutive
Breeders' Cup Grand National steeplechase races.
“I’m happy to retire him, and proud to own him,” said Moran of
the 10-year-old Thoroughbred. “There were so many years where we
felt that degree of confidence because he’s so good but now as he’s
gotten older it’s not that your not confident in the horse, but
you’re not confident in the decision you’re making. It would be
greedy to ask him to do more. He’s been so good to everybody that
I wouldn’t want anything to happen to him.”
JUMPING AROUND: Sunday wrapped up the NSA season with individual
championships to trainer Jack Fisher (24 wins including a triple
Sunday), jockey Xavier Aizpuru (22 wins, including two Sunday) and
owner Sonny Via (who won two races Sunday to surpass Bill Pape's
total by less than $1,500).
Edited from NSA press release
The complete order of finish for the Colonial Cup is set forth
below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Good Night Shirt |
156 |
Dowling |
Jack Fisher |
Harold A. Via, Jr. |
|
2
|
Three Carat |
156 |
Hodsdon |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Jonathan Sheppard |
|
3
|
Sovereign Duty
|
156
|
Aizpuru
|
Jonathan Sheppard
|
Hudson River Farm
|
|
4
|
Gliding (NZ) |
156 |
Young |
Doug Fout |
Brigadoon Stable |
|
5
|
Orison |
156 |
McCarron |
Doug Fout |
EMO Stables |
|
6
|
McDynamo |
156 |
Petty |
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Michael J. Moran |
|
7
|
Underbidder (S) |
156 |
Slater |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Timber Bay Farm |
|
8
|
Luongo |
156 |
C. Miller |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Lucy M. Lindsay |
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Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for Good Night Shirt's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of Thoroughbred
Pedigree Query
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 2006 |
McDynamo (9) |
Petty |
156 |
Mon Villez (Fr) |
156 |
Hirapour (Ire) (10) |
156 |
| 2005 |
McDynamo (8) |
Petty |
156 |
Hirapour (Ire) (9) |
156 |
Erin Go Bragh (NZ) (6) |
156 |
| 2004 |
Hirapour (Ire) (8) |
McCarron |
156 |
Preemptive Strike (7) |
156 |
Sur La Tete (7) |
156 |
| 2003 |
McDynamo (6) |
Thornton |
156 |
Lord Zada (10) |
156 |
Pelagos (Fr) (8) |
156 |
| 2002 |
Flat Top (9) |
Massey |
156 |
Tres Touche (5) |
156 |
All Gong (GB) (8) |
156 |
| 2001 |
Lord Zada (8) |
Brown |
156 |
All Gong (GB) (7) |
156 |
Al Skywalker (8) |
156 |
| 2000 |
Romantic (8) |
Kingsley |
156 |
Campanile (6) |
156 |
All Gong (GB) (6) |
156 |
| 1999 |
Ninepins (12) |
Kingsley |
156 |
Muscle Car (5) |
156 |
Campanile (5) |
156 |
| 1998 |
Flat Top (5) |
Ryan |
156 |
Romantic (6) |
156 |
Dictador (8) |
156 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
