Post-Race Analysis:
Saratoga Springs, New York - August 9, 2007: A determined Mixed
Up won the 28th running of the $84,900 Grade II A.P. Smithwick at
historic Saratoga Race Course, surging past pace-setter Preemptive
Strike in the shadow of the wire to prevail by a half-length. It
was another length and three quarters back to third-place finisher
Sweet Shani (NZ). Owned by William L. Pape, Mixed Up completed the
2 1/16 mile test over the firm course that included nine fences
in 3:45.56 while carrying high-weight of 158 pounds, eight pounds
more than the runner-up.
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Mixed Up (left) defeating Preemptive
Strike, Orison and Sweet Shani at the finish of the Grade
II A.P. Smithwick.
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Dispatched a the 3-2 favorite, Mixed Up stalked Preemptive Strike
for the entire race, moving to within a length of the leader as
they landed over the last fence. From that point Mixed Up refused
to be denied, as the 8-year-old son of Carnivalay responded to jockey
Danielle Hodsdon urgings and steadily cut into Preemptive Strike's
lead before edging by his rival in the final strides. As they crossed
the wire Hodsdon pumped her fist in celebration of her first Smithwick
victory.
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(Left-to-right) Orsay, Mixed Up and
The Looper jump the 7th fence in the A.P. Smithwick.
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“That (fist pump) was a huge sigh of relief!" Hodsdson told
the NYRA after the race. "Coming to the last fence and going
home, I thought we might be second. And, if someone else is running
at us, we could even be third. I didn’t know how much he would have
left because he was tired and we were carrying more weight. He is
just absolutely the grittiest horse I ever sat on.”
“We carried a lot of weight today, and there was one lone speed
horse,” Hodsdon continued. “I thought, `If I’m not second or third,
that horse (Preemptive Strike) is going to get away from us and
nobody else is going to chase him.’ I was surprised at how keen
my horse was once I put him up there. He usually really relaxes
out the back."
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Preemptive Strike, shown here at the
2nd fence, lead the entire race until he was passed by Mixed
Up in the final strides of the A.P. Smithwick.
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A stakes winner on the flat before moving to the jumps, Mixed Up
improved his career record to 14 wins from 36 starts. The Smithwick
was his eighth career victory over hurdles and established Mixed
Up as the pro-tem leader for this year's steeplechase Eclipse award
honors, as he is the only multiple graded steeplechase stakes winner
this year. Mixed Up is trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Jonathan
Sheppard, who won the Smithwick for the third time in his illustrious
career.
“Preemptive Strike is always on the lead, and he was the horse
to beat,” Sheppard told NYRA. “So, we didn’t want him to get too
far away. I think Danielle (Hodsdon, jockey) showed very good judgment.
She knows her horse well and she knows the other horses. She rode
him calmly and confidently. She said he had to fight right at the
very end, about the last 70 yards, but he had the other horse measured.
We’ll look at the New York Turf Writers Cup next. That’s the plan,
if all goes well.”
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Danielle Hodsdon and Mixed Up returning
to the winner's circle.
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Mixed Up's Smithwick victory sets him up for his defense of Saratoga
biggest steeplechase event, the 66th running of the Grade 1, $150,000
New York Turf Writers’ Cup Handicap at two miles and three-eighths
on Thursday, August 30th.
(Edited from NYRA press release).
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Paddy Young aboard Preemptive Strike
in the paddock before the start of the A.P. Smithwick.
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Smithwick Biography: A. P. (Paddy) Smithwick rode 398 steeplechase
winners during his career, second only to Joe Aitcheson's total
of 440. Mr. Smithwick was the nations leading steeplechase jockey
in 1956, 1957, 1958, and again in 1962. He won the Temple Gwathmey,
at the time the country's most prestigious steeplechase race, run
in the late fall at Belmont Park, four times. He won the Meadow
Brook Handicap and the Georgetown Handicap six times each, the International
Handicap and the Beverwyck Handicap five times each, and the New
York Turf Writers and the Grand National three times each. Mr. Smithwick
said the greatest horse he ever rode was Mrs. Ogden Phipps three-time
champion Neji, who retired in 1960 as the leading steeplechase earner
of all time. In 1958 Mr. Smithwick was aboard Neji when he won the
Grand National carrying 173 pounds. Forced to retire from riding
in 1966 after a spill at Monmouth Park that left him partially paralyzed
in the left arm, Mr. Smithwick went on to train two stakes winners
on the flat including Bel Sheba, the dam of Kentucky Derby winner
Alysheba and a full sister to Wac, the dam of Campanile's sire,
Lear Fan. Mr. Smithwick died of cancer at the age of 46 in 1973,
shortly after he was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame.
The complete order of finish for the A.P. Smithwick Memorial is
set forth below.
Results:
|
FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Mixed Up |
158 |
Hodsdon |
Jonathan Sheppard |
William L. Pape |
|
2
|
Preemptive Strike |
150 |
Young |
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Polaris Stable |
|
3
|
Sweet Shani |
146 |
Aizpuru |
Jonathan Sheppard |
Calvin Houghland |
|
4
|
Orison |
146 |
McCarron |
Doug Fout |
EMO Stables |
|
5
|
The Looper |
146 |
C. Murphy |
Thomas H. Voss |
Mill House |
|
6
|
Orsay |
146 |
Massey |
Thomas H. Voss |
Armata Stabes |
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Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for Mixed Up's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of PedigreeQuery.com
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
| 1980 |
Cookie (5) |
Martin |
141 |
Coconut Creek (6) |
149 |
Pala Mountain (6) |
142 |
| 1981 |
Round the Bay (4) |
Cushman |
140 |
Hill Talk (4) |
136 |
Acromion (4) |
135 |
| 1983 |
Running Comment (9) |
McWade |
148 |
Census (5) |
151 |
Steve Canyon (3) |
147 |
| 1984 |
Double Reefed (8) |
Teter |
152 |
Twas Ever Thus (5) |
155 |
Steve Canyon (4) |
144 |
| 1985 |
Gateshead (6) |
Fishback |
155 |
Le Sauteur (6) |
155 |
Statesmanship (5) |
143 |
| 1986 |
Census (8) |
Teter |
156 |
Le Sauteur (7) |
156 |
Polar Parrallel (5) |
153 |
| 1987 |
Micky Free (4) |
Morris |
141 |
Gateshead (8) |
143 |
Chammsky (8) |
143 |
| 1988 |
Summer Colony (5) |
Smart |
146 |
Jive With Five (4) |
144 |
Rio Claro (5) |
150 |
| 1989 |
Uptown Swell (7) |
Lawrence |
149 |
Rio Claro (6) |
157 |
Double Bill (6) |
142 |
| 1990 |
Summer Colony (7) |
Smart |
158 |
French Hill (5) |
154 |
Victorian Hill (5) |
154 |
| 1991 |
Yaw (9) |
Smart |
143 |
Mihmaz (6) |
144 |
Three Bells For Me (4) |
136 |
| 1992 |
Master McGrath (5) |
Guessford |
139 |
Peer Prince (7) |
140 |
Double Bill (9) |
147 |
| 1993 |
Warm Spell (5) |
Lawrence |
158 |
Castleworth (7) |
140 |
Rolling Cart (8) |
145 |
| 1994 |
Warm Spell (6) |
Lawrence |
164 |
Mistico (8) |
168 |
Cheering News (7) |
146 |
| 1995 |
Lonesome Glory (7) |
B.Miller |
164 |
Irish Aproach (6) |
146 |
Mistico (9) |
160 |
| 1996 |
Cheering News (9) |
C.Miller |
158 |
Stop and Listen (6) |
144 |
Petroski (6) |
148 |
| 1997 |
Brigade of Guards (5) |
Kiser |
144 |
Water Skipper (7) |
140 |
Mario (6) |
156 |
| 1998 |
Romantic (6) |
Kingsley |
140 |
Brigade of Guards (6) |
156 |
Bisbalense (9) |
144 |
| 1999 |
Campanile (5) |
B. Miller |
142 |
Ninepins (10) |
144 |
Approaching Squall (5) |
150 |
| 2000 |
Campanile (6) |
B. Miller |
158 |
Golden Rule (GB) (5) |
154 |
Aggro Craig (8) |
146 |
| 2001 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (6) |
Brown |
158 |
Aggro Crag (9) |
142 |
Spring Salute |
144 |
| 2002 |
It's A Giggle (8) |
Brown |
158 |
Tres Touche (5) |
154 |
Indispensable (8) |
150 |
| 2003 |
Anofferucantrefuse (6)
|
Murphy |
150 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (8) |
150 |
Tres Touche (6) |
150 |
| 2004 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (9) |
Massey |
154 |
Najjm |
142 |
Barzulu (NZ) |
142 |
| 2005 |
Paradise's Boss (5) |
Aizpuru |
150 |
Serazzo |
150 |
Hirapour (Ire)(9) |
158 |
| 2006 |
Hirapour (Ire)(10) |
Aizpuru |
158 |
Good Night Shirt |
150 |
Mauritania |
146 |
Post-Race Analysis |Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
