Carl Barnes’ HIGH ACTION (Theatrical [Ire]) remained undefeated in the United
States on Thursday after vaulting the final fence and kicking clear to a 1
1/2-length victory in the 13th running of the $85,600
A. P.
Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase (NSA-G2) going 2 1/16 miles on Saratoga’s
firm turf over National Fences.
Trained by Doug Fout, the eight-year-old gelding held position on the inside
as favored Salford City (Ire) (Desert Sun [GB]) set the pace to the final fence.
There, jockey Paddy Young guided High Action to stop the teletimer in 3:52 2/5.
“I told Paddy, ‘No matter what, stay inside and save ground. Don’t go wide.
Wait until a hole opens,'” Fout said. “Paddy said (High Action) was a little
nervous, but he waited. It was good, because I wanted him to relax and stay a
little closer than he did at Colonial (where he was a 4 1/4-length winner on
June 15).”
High Action handled Saratoga’s turf course Thursday with equal aplomb,
despite intermittent showers.
“The only thing that worried me was the rain,” Fout admitted. “This horse
hates soft ground. The owners flew in from England last night, and unless the
course was going to be hock-deep, we had to run. About an hour before the race,
I was having a bloody fit. I was walking around the stall like you wouldn’t
believe. His class helped him dramatically, especially at Saratoga.”
Young was also pleased with his horse’s professionalism.
“It rained today, so obviously the ground was a bit softer out there,” Young
said. “I tried to hold on a little bit longer. It went OK. He didn’t go crazy. I
just wanted to save a little bit for after the last jump. I thought he was
struggling going around the top bend. He’s a tough little horse, and I got a run
up the inner (path). He jumped the last fence great, and stuck his head out all
the way down the lane from there.”
High Action, who will likely come back for the $150,000 New York Turf
Writers’ Cup H. (NSA-G1) on August 28, is the second Smithwick winner for Fout,
who won the 2006 edition of this race and the previous year’s Turf Writers ‘Cup
with champion Hirapour (Ire).
Dark Equation (Polish Numbers) got up for second, with Salford City following
another 2 1/4-lengths back in third. Completing the order of finish were Spy in
the Sky (Thunder Gulch), the mare Guelph (Sky Classic), Duke of Earl (Ire)
(All-Royal), Orpington (Cozzen) and Meneef (Aus) (Zabeel).
The four-year-old filly Class Shadow (Rock Point) and Mixed Up (Carnivalay),
last year’s Smithwick winner, were both scratched.