Three-time champion steeplechaser MCDYNAMO (Dynaformer) will face seven
rivals on Sunday while going for a historic fourth win in the $150,000 Colonial
Cup Hurdle S. (NSA-G1) at Camden, South Carolina. With a victory in the 2
3/4-mile event, the 10-year-old veteran would join Flatterer, who was named
champion steeplechaser from 1983 through 1986, as the only other horse to win
the Colonial Cup four times. Given McDynamo’s age, retirement looms as a
distinct possibility as he looks to add one more Grade 1 to his win total and
lock up a fourth Eclipse Award in the past five years.
McDynamo will enter the 38th edition of the Colonial Cup off a fifth consecutive
victory in the Breeders’ Cup Grand National (NSA-G1) at Far Hills for owner Michael Moran and
trainer Sanna Hendriks. Using his patented move to run away from the field before the stretch,
the gelding
blew the race open in the final run on the downhill turn, winning by a convincing
six
lengths under Jody Petty.
“He seems like he’s doing well and I’ll get on him in Camden to get another
feel,” said Hendriks, whose horse shipped from her Pennsylvania base Wednesday
morning. “I was pretty calm, but now I’m starting to feel the nerves again.”
The importance of the race, the season-ending fixture on American
steeplechasing’s calendar since 1970, is not lost on Hendriks.
“It’s extraordinarily difficult to win,” she said. “It’s a real combination
of things. You have to have speed, be a really good jumper, and have enough
stamina to go that far.”
McDynamo’s only other start this year came as a disappointing fourth in the Iroquois
Hurdle S. (NSA-G1) in May, but the bay wouldn’t be denied at Far Hills despite
having no prep race under his girth.
Standing in McDynamo’s way will be GOOD NIGHT SHIRT (Concern),
who has traded decisions with McDynamo this season. The Jack Fisher charge set a
slow pace in the Iroquois and was never threatened, drawing off to
win by 5 1/4 lengths under regular jockey Willie Dowling. Freshened over the
summer, Good Night Shirt came back to win the Lonesome Glory (NSA-G1) at Belmont
Park and then headed to Far Hills as a legitimate threat to McDynamo’s dynasty.
He could do no better than fourth in the Breeders’ Cup after tackling his rival
on the turn and faltering over the soggy going.
The prospects of a firm turf course could play to his favor on Sunday, but he also enters untested and
unproven over the bigger Colonial Cup fences. A victory would not only propel
Good Night Shirt into Eclipse Award contention, but it would also set a single-season earnings
mark in the process.
“McDynamo at Far Hills was simply spectacular,” Fisher said. “The firm ground at Camden will
give us some hope where we had none at Far Hills. We’ll try the same
tactics as we did there; I don’t know what else to do. We
freshened him up after Far Hills and he’s been doing good. He’s been down at
Camden this week with Willie and he’s going to school on Friday. Every horse
that I have schooled down there has jumped really well, so hopefully the same
will happen here.”
Other contenders in the Colonial Cup include Doug Fout’s pair of GLIDING (NZ) (Lord
Ballina), who will have Paddy Young aboard, and ORISON (Pulpit), with Matt McCarron
back in the irons. The former captured the Foxbrook Supreme Hurdle (NSA-G1) at Far Hills
on the Breeders’ Cup undercard, while stablemate and Carolina Cup Hurdle S.
(NSA-G2) winner Orison was sixth, and last to cross the finish line, behind McDynamo
on that day.
Completing the field on Sunday will be four from Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard’s
barn — Foxbrook runner-up SOVEREIGN DUTY (Kingmambo), Xavier Aizpuru; stakes
winner THREE CARAT (Storm Broker), Danielle Hodsdon; listed victor UNDERBIDDER
(Awad), James Slater; and allowance hero LUONGO (Foligno), Chip Miller.