The Hirsch Turf Classic (Grade 1)- $600.000 Purse
BEL- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile And One Half on the Turf
October 1, 2016

One of the biggest races of the day went twelve furlongs, and after all of that, we still could not determine a winner.  It becomes the latest of our big races to wind up a dead heat, but it is actually the first time that this race, in its long history, has had a dead heat, so it was obviously due.  It seemed like it would be a very competitive race, and it really did live up to the billing.   Just look at the odds board, and you will see that there were no clear favorites anywhere.  However, there was a clear underdog odds-wise, that being the 79/1 Chrystal Pip, who should never have been allowed to go off at such a price considering he came into the race with two Grade 1 wins in his prior three starts.  Sharing the piece of the pie is Admirals Aces, the underdog of the FL Derby who was impressive in how he stepped up there.  Now, he too, will be BC bound as he holds off Chrystal Pip, to a point, to get a share of the win.  The winning trainers are Mb Stables (Chrystal Pip) and Grimley (Admirals Aces).  For Mb Stables, it is the third year in a row he has won the race, and it’s the first time that Grimley has.  Each jockey, M Franco (Admirals Aces) and R Bejarano (Chrystal Pip) gets their first win in the stake.  Interestingly, the winning time of 2:24.79 would have nearly led to a three way dead heat with the 2015 winning time, 2:24.78. It was the third quickest running of the race.  Congratulations to the winners! Now, for our deeper look.

1st- 10 (dh)- Chrystal Pip (79/1)- Our first co-winner, who was also the longest shot on the board, got off a to a good start for his trainer Mb Stables, and would eventually emerge in the third position, running just off the lead, about two and a half lengths behind the leader, and a length behind Admirals Aces.  Kept a steady cruising speed going in the first turn and into the backstretch run.  Just prior to reaching the top of the final turn, he looked to get around Admirals Aces, which likely led to more urging out of that one that it was now time to take over the lead.  Chrystal Pip passed Show Ya Oysters as easily as Admirals Aces did, and the two would start to write the slip on the rest of the field as we prepared for the stretch run.  Admirals Aces looked like he might start to get away, but Chrystal Pip stayed with it, kept on digging in, and made up the necessary ground to draw even with him at the wire to pick up his share of the win!  Chrystal Pip colt by Pip Boy and out of Chrystal Bubba.  He was bred in California by Chili King Stables as a yearling, and acquired by Mb Stables a day after the KYD in private sales for $600.000.  He has now won three of four for Mb. Congratulations to the connections!

1st- 11 (dh)- Admirals Aces (10/1)- The second co-winner, from Grimley, got off to a strong start and seemed destined to be the leader early on until Show Ya Oysters proved to be just a little more aggressive out of the gate.  Admirals Aces got to the rail in plenty of time for the opening turn, and would end up stalking the leader about a length and a half back.  Maintained a steady stride around the opening turn and into the backstretch, and would not look to move around Show Ya Oysters until Chrystal Pip began to look to move around him as we neared the final turn.  Took the lead quickly in the turn, and actually began to open up on Chrystal Pip at the top of stretch, with a full length advantage.  With a furlong to go, his lead started to become in jeopardy and he was clearly just trying to hang on in the final strides.  May have been fortunate to salvage the dead heat, but a win is a win! Admirals Aces is a three year old gelding by the autogen Trip Aces and out of Soul Admiral.   He was bred in New York as a third quarter two year old by Grimley, where he spent his entire career.  Congratulations to the connections!

3rd- 9- Big Daddy Z (17/1)- Our entry from Australia Wide got off to average start from the gate, and would be four wide going around the opening turn as he ran towards the back.  Around the turn, he would concede a little more ground and began running with the expected closers of the race.  As the field approached the top of the final turn, there was no one running with more steam then Big Daddy Z, but to his misfortune, this meant having to go about six wide. By the time they hit the top of the stretch, he had impressively advanced to fourth and was making his intentions known to the leaders.  He had to make up three lengths.  He made up 2.9 of them in a very valiant effort.

4th- 1- Fear The Feathers (12/1)- The Up And Up Racing colt did not get involved early, and would settle in along the rail running near the back of the pack.  He didn’t want to stay on the rail, though, and came off it quickly in the opening turn with the apparent intention of wanting to get around Five Daddy Darling to the outside.  This would create a good amount of room to the inside if someone wanted it.  Did well to thread a needle between Fear The Feathers and Bombastic Kathology, which would prove vital later.  Lost some key ground to Chrystal Pip around the turn, but held steady as things started to get tight in a battle for 4th and 5th.   Best of the pack, but did not contend for a top three spot.

5th- 13- Bombastic Kathology (9/1)- The Oval Express Farm entry was decent out of the gate, though not as aggressive as Show Ya Oysters would be at the beginning.  The run leading up to the turn saw him emerge into the third position, keeping nearby good company with the eventual co-winners.  Settled in three lengths back for the backstretch trip.  Ran in good form around the turn, but never seemed to be able to cut in to the leader’s advantage.  Decent in the stretch, and ends up with a result much like his whole day went: three lengths back.

6th- 2- Inspector Jacque (13/1)- After going off at odds of over 800/1 in his last start, the Kopites entry got much more respect, though still a solid price here.  He would not concern himself with the early place, and went to the back early.  Had a nice clear lane on the rail at the top of the backstretch screaming out his name, but he would not capitalize then.  Waited until the turn to begin to move up, but had to take action to get around the fading Show Ya Oysters, then the fading Five Daddy Darling.  Was coming on, and seems like he was capable of more.

7th- 12- Grand Sournoise (7/1)- Looked as though the Drabfantasy entry might want to battle Admirals Aces for the second position early, but would soon back off from his initial outside push.  He would be midpack, seventh overall, as they moved into the backstretch, and would stay there for that portion.  Moving into the turn, he would be five wide.  Had no response in the stretch.  Big Daddy Z was a lane outside of him, and they were even on exit of turn and that one beat him by three, so there are no excuses.

8th- 8- Sinissippi Eagle (14/1)- There was absolutely no interest in running early from this Eastern Equine horse as he promptly went to the rear of the field with the likes of other deep closers, such as Full Speed Ahead.  Remained with the group of trailers for the backstretch and could see them all in front of him going into the turn.  No choice but to go wide on exit of the turn and hope for the best, and the best today would be a disappointing eighth.

9th- 4- Sunny Gabe (8/1)- Our second runner from Mb Stables got off to an uneventful start, and would ride near the back of the field early on.  In the opening turn, Fear The Feathers made an awkward move to come off the rail, running into Sunny Gabe and sending him three wide at this stage due to it.  It also set off a chain reaction with a couple others, and led to plenty of inside track available early. Tucked in behind stablemate War Scent before looking to make a move in the turn before being caught behind a wall.  No room to hit his stride in the stretch.

10th- 5- Five Daddy Darling (5/1)- Surpisingly made the post time favorite, it looked like the Night Rider Stables entry might challenge for the lead initially before ultimately dropping back into a midpack position for the opening turn, running fifth.  L Saez seemed to measuring up his options in the backstretch, deciding how he might get by Admirals Aces.  After some moving and shaking, he eventually lost ground in the turn and never recovered.

11th- 7- Classic Cliche (18/1)- The Blushing Meadows entry was unhurried out of the gate, and would assume a position towards the back of the field with Sunny Gabe and Big Daddy Z.  Ran four to five wide down the backstretch without making much of a move at this point.  Seemed to ride in this position around the turn, staying comfortable, and in the stretch there would be no response.

12th- 3- Full Speed Ahead (13/1)- At the beginning of the race, the powerful deep closer from Night Riser Stables assumed his expected position running at the back of the field and was about seven lengths out once stabilizing.  Had plenty of space in front of him in the backstretch to advance a bit, but opted to maintain his own pace.  Those lanes would close up in the turn and he would never make a bid.

13th- 14- Show Ya Oysters (14/1)- From his outside post position, the Mm Racing entry pushed hard to get out on the lead, and would take the first spot as the race moved into the opening turn. Ran the half mile in :48.40, and six furlongs in 1:12.45.  Led the way until the top of the final turn when Admirals Aces went by, and then called it a day.

14th- 6- War Scent (8/1)- Last year’s winner of this race, from Mb Stables, was a disappointment. Started the race running in the middle of the pack, four lengths out. Ran between Fear The Feathers and Grande Sournoise down the backstretch.  Spent a lot of time in the turn in tight quarters but has no excuse for not being able to get by anyone in the stretch.

Track: Firm
Time: :48²  1:12²  2:00¹  2:24³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 10 – 11 Paid 360.10, 11 – 10 Paid 360.10
$1 Trifecta: 10 – 11 – 9 Paid 805.00, 11 – 10 – 9 Paid 805.00

Scratched: Charley Sweetback, Lucky Tiz, Purple Horizon

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES