Moscato's perennial leading connections had a stranglehold on this year's steeplechase category, with Mike Hankin, Charlie Fenwick and Charlie Noell's Bruton Street-US owning all three finalists and Jack Fisher having also conditioned Rashaan (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}). Bruton Street and Fisher were also responsible for 2017 Eclipse winner Scorpiancer (Ire) (Scorpion {Ire}).
Finishing behind Scorpiancer in both the GI Calvin Houghland Iroquois Hurdle S. and GI Grand National Hurdle S. in 2019, Moscato kicked off his championship campaign during a compressed steeplechase season with a dominant title defense in the GIII Temple Gwathmey Hurdle H. in Middleburg. He added a highest-level win in the GI A. P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase S. at Saratoga July 23, but settled for third behind Rashaan in the GI New York Turf Writers Cup H. Aug. 20, reversing their finishes in the Temple Gwathmey.
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