Post-Race Analysis:
New Kent, Virginia - July 15, 2007: Moneytrain (Ger) won the $50,000
Grade III David L "Zeke" Ferguson Memorial at Colonial
Downs, rolling to a 3½-length victory over Class Vantage, who has
now finished second in the last two runnings of the Ferguson. It
was another 3 1/4 lengths back to Charlie Whiskey in third. The
final time for the 2 1/4-mile test was 4:01.63, the second fastest
of the ten editions of the Ferguson that have been contested to-date.
Spring Salute set the stakes record of 3:59.20 in 2000. Moneytrain
is no stranger to track records at Colonial Downs, as he holds the
track record for 1 7/8-miles over hurdles (3:22.4), a mark he established
when he won an allowance race there in 2004.
Sent off as the prohibitive 3-5 favorite, Moneytrain tracked the
early leader Swimming River early before surging to the lead around
the turn for home and drawing off to an easy victory under jockey
Danielle Hodsdon. The 8-year-old German-bred son of Platini (Ger)
battled various minor ailments that put him on the shelf for more
than two years before finally he returned late last year with a
solid second-place finish in the Noel Laing Hurdle. Moneytrain finished
third in the Grade III Marcellus Frost Hurdle in May in his most
recent start. He is owned by Hudson River Farms and is trained by
Hall of Fame conditioner Jonathan Sheppard.
“We knew he was a good horse all along that was worth giving the
time to,” Sheppard said of Moneytrain. “We figured he was sort of
coming to his peak for this race and luckily everything came to
together.”
“He got a little bit keen, I didn’t want to be up with the leader
quite as early as I was," said winning jockey Danielle Hodsdon.
"He’s just such a phenomenal jumper he’d jump his way up there
but luckily when there wasn’t a fence in front of him he’d settle
back and save a little energy.”
The complete order of finish for the Grade III Zeke Ferguson is
set forth below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Moneytrain |
146 |
Hodsdon |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Hudson River Farms |
|
2
|
Class Vantage |
142 |
Boucher |
Lilith Boucher |
Mede Cahaba Stable |
|
3
|
Charlie Whiskey |
146 |
C. Murphy |
Thomas H. Voss |
Fox Ridge Farm |
|
4
|
Sweet Shani (NZ) |
146 |
McCarron |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Calvin Houghland |
|
5
|
Super Fame |
146 |
Aizpuru |
Jack Fisher |
Mrs. S.K. Johnston, Jr. |
|
6
|
Swimming River |
146 |
Young |
Paul Rowland |
Long Lane Farm |
|
7
|
Underbidder |
150 |
Slater |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Tmber Bay Farm |
|
Scr
|
Sound Blaster (Ire) |
146 |
|
Jack Fisher |
Bear Creek Stable |
| Scr |
Irish Actor |
142 |
|
Ricky Hendricks |
Otto Stolz |
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Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for Moneytrain's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of PedigreeQuery.com
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
|
2006
|
Good Night Shirt (5) |
Aizpuru |
146 |
Class Vantage (4) |
133 |
Mark the Shark |
146 |
|
2005
|
Paradise's Boss (5) |
Aizpuru |
146 |
McDynamo(8) |
154 |
Understood |
154 |
|
2004
|
Racey Dreamer (5) |
McCarron |
154 |
Shady Valley (5) |
142 |
Saitensohn (Ger) (6) |
142 |
|
2003
|
Anofferucantrefuse (6) |
Murphy |
146 |
Tres Touche (6) |
154 |
Praise The Prince (8) |
154 |
|
2002
|
Invest West (7) |
B. Miller |
150 |
Tres Touche (5) |
158 |
P.C. Plod |
158 |
|
2001
|
Indispensable (7) |
Delozier |
145 |
Avanico (9) |
144 |
Al Skywalker (8) |
154 |
|
2000
|
Spring Salute (6) |
Thornton |
142 |
Al Skywalker (7) |
140 |
Pompeyo (6) |
148 |
|
1999
|
Pinkie Swear (5) |
Clancy |
144 |
Ninepins (12) |
146 |
Campanile (5) |
154 |
|
1998
|
Flat Top (5) |
Patterson |
142 |
Approaching Squall (4) |
142 |
Mario (7) |
150 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
