After missing by just a neck in last year's renewal, GrancdArch held off a desperate late surge from Ironicus to win this year's GII Fourstardave H. by an equally narrow margin. Away alertly, the bay settled in a tracking third on the rail as King Kreesa (King Cugat) clocked early splits of :24.20 and :48.30 on the front end. Looming dangerously in second turning for home, the 6-year-old entered into a brief battle with King Kreesa in the stretch, took control in the final furlong and held off the fast-closing Ironicus for a narrow decision.
“He's a horse that we've sort of campaigned toward this time of year,” winning trainer Brian Lynch said. “He usually gets good and we were hoping he was going to bring his 'A' game today. We felt like he needed his last race there at Belmont but he certainly ran big in this race last year and he got the job done today.”
Winner of last term's GII King Edward S. at Woodbine prior to his runner-up effort in this event, Grand Arch finished fifth in the GI Woodbine Mile last September and was second to two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan (Wiseman's Ferry) in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile Oct. 4. Closing out the season with a non-factor 11th in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 1, the bay made his seasonal bow a winning one in a grassy Keeneland allowance Apr. 15. Sixth in the GI Turf Classic at Churchill Downs May 2, the gelding was fifth to the reopposing King Kreesa after a wide trip last time in Belmont's Forbidden Apple S. July 11.
Saturday, Saratoga Race Course
FOURSTARDAVE H.-GII, $500,000, SAR, 8-15, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.65, fm.
1–GRAND ARCH, 116, g, 6, by Arch
1st Dam: Bacinella, by El Gran Senor
2nd Dam: Oriental Mystique (Ire), by Kris (GB)
3rd Dam: Miss Toshiba, by Sir Ivor
($80,000 Wlg '09 KEENOV; $120,000 Ylg '10
KEESEP). O-Jim & Susan Hill; B-Hunter Valley Farm &
S. Hillen (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch; J-Luis Saez.
$300,000. Lifetime Record: GISP, 22-6-6-6,
$1,007,230. *1/2 to Fong's Thong (Dr Fong),
SW-Eng, $143,303. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
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2–Ironicus, 118, c, 4, Distorted Humor–Meghan's Joy,
by A.P. Indy. O/B-Stuart S. Janney, III (KY); T-Claude
R. McGaughey III. $100,000.
3–Seek Again, 119, h, 5, Speightstown–Light Jig (GB),
by Danehill. O/B-Juddmonte Farms, Inc (KY);
T-William I. Mott. $50,000.
Margins: NK, NK, HF. Odds: 8.10, 2.35, 6.10.
Also Ran: King Kreesa, Mshawish, Jack Milton, Grand Tito, Skyring. Scratched: Vyjack, Weekend Hideaway.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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