Stayers' Watch: Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational · 27.09.08

Grand Couturier won his second-straight Grade 1 turf stayers’ race on Saturday, coming from off the pace to take the lead at the head of the stretch to take the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) at Belmont Park. He and jockey Alan Garcia then survived a foul claim by Kent Desormeaux, rider of the second-place horse Interpatation to register the win.

Five-year-old Grand Couturier, who won the Sword Dancer Invitational at Saratoga last month, was unhurried early while Presious Passion set the pace over a turf course made soft by heavy rains. Fourth after a mile, he made his move coming around the final turn, catching Presious Passion and Summer Patriot, and drew away easily to win by 10 1/4 lengths. Interpatation nosed out Summer Patriot for second. The time for 1 1/2 miles was 2:34.84.

Champion Stayer Award standings — update:

  1. Grand Couturier — 20
  2. Big Booster — 12
  3. Champs Elysees — 12
  4. Warning Zone — 12
  5. Interpatation — 11
  6. Da’ Tara — 10
  7. Porfido — 9
  8. Evening Attire — 8
  9. On The Acorn — 8
  10. Cedar Mountain — 8

Lots of turnover on the leader board. Grand Couturier’s two G1 wins vaults him into the lead, while Interpatation’s second-place showing, added to his third-place points earned in the Sword Dancer and the Pan-American Handicap, move him up to fifth. I’ve moved that clump of horses tied at 6 points each off the board to keep it a manageable size — a good performance by any of them will move them back up.

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What do you think?

  1. Turf is the ONLY venue where any stamina remains. It is DIRT stamina that is in dire need of rejuvenation .
    If you look at Dr. Roman’s chefs-de-race, hardly ANY of them have been brought in the last 20 years on the stamina (Professional, Solid) side of the equation because there has been no graded stakes platform in order to evaluate them! Really stupid.

    — Dr. TImothy Yatcak · Sep 28, 10:21 AM · #

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