SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Steeplechase racing at Saratoga Race Course meet begins with the G1 $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial, on Wednesday July 19, a 2 1/16 mile race led by two contenders trained by Jack Fisher.

Welshman, ridden by Graham Watters, over the last fence in the David Semmes (Photo by Tod Marks)Harold A. Via, Jr.’s graded stakes winner Welshman, who last time out won the G2 David Semmes Memorial Handicap on May 6 at Great Meadow, leads the pair for Fisher, who seeks his fifth Smithwick triumph.

Welshman was part of a three-way battle for the lead in the David Semmes for the first mile in the 2 1/8-mile test before taking command and winning by 3 lengths in a final time of 4:02.60.

He was ridden by Graham Watters, who will ride again, carrying152 pounds, in the Smithwick.

“The thing with him is you can’t let his head go, you have to fight him,” said Fisher. “If you drop your hands on him, he’ll stop. He needs to be told to rate a bit.”

Fisher said Welshman started his career on the flat with trainer Barclay Tagg.

“He hasn’t always seemed like a graded horse,” said Fisher. “I bought him from Barclay, and he’s grown a lot to be a bigger, stronger, massive horse. He’s matured.”

The 5-year-old gelding has won three of his last four outings, including the Supreme Hurdle in November at Pine Mountain and has an overall record of 5 wins, 3 seconds and a third from 15 starts for total purse earnings of $192,925.

 

RIVERDEE STABLE'S Gordon’s Jet, to be ridden by Thomas Garner and carrying 144 pounds, finished second to Welshman in the David Semmes under Jamie Bargary his first graded placing.

He had won by 3 1/2 lengths in an allowance at Tryon in his first outing for Fisher.

“I’ve always loved that horse,” said Fisher. “I have been prepping him for Saratoga and that was always the plan. He’s a nice type of horse for what we want. He’s always been that way. I actually expected him to beat Welshman last time.”

Keri Brion, who won this event with Baltimore Bucko in 2021, also sends out two contenders in Freddy Flintshire and Historic Heart.

Her Smithwick win in 2021 was part of a breakout year that saw her sweep all three of NYRA’s G1 steeplechase races, winning in two of them with eventual Eclipse Champion Steeplechaser The Mean Queen.

Upland Flats Racing’s Freddy Flintshire finished second to runaway winner Cool Jets last out in the Green Pastures at Percy Warner, defeated 7 lengths after making up ground from third position throughout.

The talented Flintshire gelding has never finished off the board in seven starts for Brion, including three wins that were topped by a 14 1/2-length romp to win the Queen’s Cup MPC Chase in April at Charlotte where he rallied from 12 lengths off the pace.

Parker Hendriks will ride Freddy Flintshire, who carries 148 pounds.

Atlantic Friends Racing’s Historic Heart will make his second start off a year-long layoff that followed a fourth-place finish in last year’s Smithwick.

In the chestnut Fracas gelding’s only start since he placed fourth on the flat in a 1 3/8-mile maiden special weight on July 1 at Delaware Park, where he dueled for the early lead and faded in the stretch.

Historic Heart began his career in England with trainer Nigel Hawke and made 15 starts overseas before joining Brion’s barn in the fall of 2021.

Since then, he has won twice, including the 2021 Harry E. Harris at Far Hills and last year’s Carolina Cup at Camden.

He'll be ridden by Danny Mullin and carry 48 pounds.

Completing the field are the graded stakes winner Redicean, to be ridden by Robert Dunne and carrying 146 pounds, for trainer Leslie Young; G1 Lonesome Glory winner Noah and the Ark, ridden by Harrison Beswick and carrying 158 pounds for Todd McKenna; the Patrick Neville trained Salvino, ridden by Gavin Sheehan and carrying 140 pounds, who adds blinkers for his American debut; West Newton, ridden by Jack Kennedy and carrying 144 pounds, who is undefeated in two starts this year for trainer Richard Hendriks; and the multiple graded stakes-placed Belfast Banter, ridden by Barry Foley and carrying 144 pounds, for Cyril Murphy.

The A.P. Smithwick is on Wednesday, post time 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports.