Post-Race Analysis:
Malvern, Pennsylvania - May 17, 2008: Be Certain won the $75,000
Grade II National Hunt Cup at the Radnor Hunt Races, just edging
stablemate Planets Aligned by a head to take the final leg of the
Steeplechase Triple Crown. The Price Of Love finished third in the
eight-horse field. Be Certain covered the 2 3/8 miles over the W.
Burling Cocks Memorial racecourse that included 16 fences in 4:54.
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Be Certain (left) defeating Planets Aligned
at the finish of the National Hunt Cup.
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Owned by Robert Chasnoff's Alnoff Stable, Be Certain was recently
crowned champion New York-bred steeplechaser of 2007. A 4-year-old
son of Thunder Gulch, Be Certain sat off a quick early pace set
by Sunshine Numbers and moved to second when Planets Aligned took
over by a length at the top of the stretch. Be Certain closed the
gap coming to the final hurdle, as the two stablemates landed together
over the last fence and battled stride-for-stride to the finish
in an exciting stretch dual with Be Certain just getting up in the
shadow of the wire to prevail by a desperate head. Be Certain and
Planets Aligned completed a sweep of the top two places in the race
for trainer Tom Voss.
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Matt McCarron on Be Certain battling
Planets Aligned and Chip Miller approaching the finish of
the National Hunt Cup.
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Jockey Matt McCarron, on board for the first time, was impressed
with Be Certain's determination to win the steeplechase race.
"He was as game as he could be," said McCarron of Be Certain after
the race. "He's a horse with limited experience, and he's running
against a real class horse in Planets Aligned who came over on us
coming to the last fence to squeeze us up against the wing. For
a 4-year-old not to be intimidated by that and then dig in again
is pretty special."
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Be Certain leads (left-to-right) The
Price of Love, Imagina, Orpington, Run The Light and Swagger
Stick at the ninth fence of the National Hunt Cup.
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Bred by Sugar Maple Farm, Be Certain made two flat starts in state-bred
maiden company last year (placing seventh and eighth) for trainer
Roger Horgan before being transferred to Voss' barn with jump racing
in mind. The chestnut finished third in his debut and won his second
start last November. He came into the Radnor race off an allowance
victory at the Virginia Gold Cup May 3 and has now won three times
in six career steeplechase starts.
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Be Certain leads (left-to-right) Imagina,
Orpington, Run The Light and Swagger Stick at the second fence
of the National Hunt Cup.
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A different horse won each leg of this year's Steeplechase Triple
Crown: Augustin Stable's Imagina (Chi) was victorious in the Carolina
Cup on March 29th, while Fox Ridge Farm's Planets Aligned captured
the Temple Gwathmey on April 19th.
The complete order of finish for the National Hunt Cup is set forth
below.
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Be Certain and jockey Matt McCarron won
the Grade II National Hunt Cup..
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Jumping Around: Arthur Arundel's Irish import Monte Bianco
won the co-feature, the $40,000 Bellevue Radnor Hunt Cup timber
stakes for trainer Jack Fisher and jockey Xavier Aizpuru. . . .
Fisher and Aizpuru also teamed-up to win the claiming hurdle race
with Mrs. Henry F. Stern's Duke of Earl (Ire)....Trainer Tom Voss
also won twice on the day; in addition to the National Hunt Cup
he took the maiden hurdle race with Armata Stables' Dynaski - veteran
jockey Chip Miller was in the irons....Augustin Stables' Rainiero
(Chi) was victorious in the allowance hurdle race for trainer Sanna
Neilson and jockey Jody Petty, while Richard G. Stoke's Closertoyourheart
won the maiden claiming hurdle race under Jeff Murphy.
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Be Certain (center), Planets Aligned
(left) and The Price of Love after finishing first, second
& third in the National Hunt Cup.
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Edited from NSA press release.
Results:
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FP
|
Horse
|
lbs
|
Jockey
|
Trainer
|
Owner
|
|
1
|
Be Certain |
151 |
McCarron |
Thomas H. Voss |
Alnoff Stable |
|
2
|
Planets Aligned |
157 |
C. Miller |
Thomas H. Voss |
Fox Ridge Farm |
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3
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The Price of Love |
148 |
Hodsdon |
Jonathan Sheppard |
William L. Pape |
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4
|
Swagger Stick |
151 |
Dowling |
Jack Fisher |
Mrs. S.K. Johnston, Jr. |
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5
|
Sunshine Numbers |
148 |
Kingsley, Jr. |
Arch Kingsley, Jr. |
Susan Sensor |
|
PU
|
Orpington |
151 |
Aizpuru |
Jack Fisher |
Mrs. S.K. Johnston, Jr. |
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F
|
Imagina (Chi) |
149 |
Petty |
Sanna N. Hendriks |
Augustin Stables |
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F
|
Run The Light |
148 |
Read |
Neil Morris |
Kinross Farm |
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Scr
|
Diego Cao |
151 |
Young |
Doug Fout |
Brigadoon Stable |
back to top
Pedigree of Winner:
Click
here for Be Certain's 5-cross pedigree.
Pedigrees compliments of PedigreeQuery.com
Previous Winners:
| YEAR |
FIRST (Age) |
JOCKEY |
lbs. |
SECOND (Age) |
lbs. |
THIRD (Age) |
lbs. |
|
2007
|
Best Attack (6) |
C. Miller |
151 |
Orison |
151 |
Orsay |
148 |
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2006
|
Top Of The Bill (5) |
Rafter |
151 |
The Next Man (Ire) |
148 |
Ginz |
136 |
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2005
|
Mixed Up (6) |
Hodsdon |
151 |
Charlie Whiskey (5) |
148 |
Move West (4) |
136 |
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2004
|
Racey Dreamer (5) |
McCarron |
151 |
Serazzo (8) |
151 |
Sur La Tete (6) |
154 |
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2002
|
Anofferucantrefuse (5) |
Horgan |
151 |
McDynamo (6) |
154 |
Ethical Actions |
151 |
|
2001
|
Flasher (7) |
C. Miller |
154 |
Praise The Prince (NZ) (6) |
160 |
Golden Marvel (Fr) (5) |
148 |
|
2000
|
Pompeyo (Chi) (6) |
Brown |
148 |
Banjo Man (5) |
148 |
Shahrahere (5) |
145 |
|
1999
|
Grand Nord (5) |
Kiser |
148 |
Spring Salute (5) |
150 |
Moshe (6) |
148 |
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1998
|
Lafitte The Pirate (5) |
Kingsley |
148 |
Darn That Erica (5) |
152 |
Maipo (5) |
152 |
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1997
|
Batchwood (5) |
Clancy |
158 |
Soaringoverseattle (4) |
147 |
Dictador (7) |
158 |
Post-Race Analysis | Results
| Pedigree of Winner | Previous
Winners
