Stayers' Watch: Gallant Fox Handicap (cancelled) · 5.01.11
The last stayers’ stakes race for the 2010, the Gallant Fox Handicap at Aqueduct, was scheduled to be run on December 31. It was, however, cancelled after it drew only two entries from 10 nominations.
A small thing in and of itself, but still another step on the road to transforming the Thoroughbred into a glorified Quarter-horse.
Champion Stayer Award standings — FINAL:
- Unusual Suspect — 22
- Bourbon Bay — 18
- Redwood — 14
- Bearpath — 12
- Eldaafer — 10
- Dangerous Midge — 10
- Drosselmeyer — 10
- Joshua Tree — 10
- Telling — 10
- Winchester — 10
- Temple City — 10
- Free Fighter — 10
While Unusual Suspect leads the standings, almost half of his points come from his win in the Hollywood Turf Cup — that was, in fact, his only victory of 2010. On the other hand, his 13 starts during the year, and his consistency at 12 furlongs and more (he finished second in the San Juan Capistrano, San Luis Obispo, and Cougar II handicaps and third in the Sunset Handicap) earn him respect.
Bourbon Bay was successful early in the year, winning a 1 1/2-mile allowance turf race at Santa Anita before sweeping the “stayers’ triple” of the San Luis Obispo, San Luis Rey, and San Juan Capistrano handicaps (beating Unusual Suspect twice), then was given the summer off. After a strong third in the 1 1/4-mile Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship, then developed a fever before the Hollywood Turf Cup and was scratched from that race.
And what about Eldaafer, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, and who earned all his points on dirt and synthetic surfaces?
Update: Just before Christmas, the American Graded Stakes Committee restored the Gr. II status of the W.L. McKnight Handicap. Points awarded as a result of that race have now been adjusted, resulting in Free Fighter gaining four points for his second-place finish, which gives him 10 points overall and a place on the leader board (see adjusted standings above).
If you liked this you might like:
What do you think?
« Stayers' Watch: W.L. McKnight Handicap Hastings announcements for 2011 »
