SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y--Ziggle Pops (GB) went from last on the final turn to a dominating win in the $150,000, G1, 2 3/8 mile A.P. Smithwick at Saratoga on Sunday, July 21.
Ziggle Pops leads to the wire in the Smithwick (Photo by Tod Marks)
Bruton Street-US’s Ziggle Pops , trained by Hall of Fame Jack Fisher and ridden by Graham Watters, drew off in the stretch to soundly defeat an accomplished field in the Smithwick, winning by 4 1/4 lengths.
This was Fisher 's fifth win in the Smithwick.
Ziggle Pops has previously finished third in the G1 Beverly R. Steinman on June 20 at Aqueduct after winning a handicap at Iroquois.
"It surprised me," said Fisher. ““I thought he was just 'a horse.' I ran three at Aqueduct in the Steinman and didn't expect much of him there, but I thought he ran well so I brought him back up here. He likes to sit back. He's obviously getting better. I thought his jumping was good last time, and his jumping was great today.”
"RICKY'S horse blew the fence in the backstretch, and he got shuffled back to last," said Fisher. "I said to stay in front of that group and that way you'll have a clean shot all the way through, but he got lucky, and the inside opened up. So, a little luck.”
West Newton, trained by Ricky Hendriks, was eased after hitting that fence.
Ziggle Pops ran fourth behind the pacesetting Pickanumber (Ire) throughout most of the race but blew by him in the stretch while Pickamumber, trained by Leslie Young, hung on gamely for second, with Freddy Flintshire, trained by Keri Brion, third, followed by L'Imperator (Fr), who had won the Steinman trained by Arch Kingsley, fourth and Abaan, trained by Kate Dalton, and Going Country (Ire), trained by Brion, dead-heating for fifth,
“I jumped off here third or fourth, which was a little bit further back than what I was in the last one, but we were going much faster,” Watters said. “West Newton missed his hurdle the second time around the last hurdle when I started to go. He missed it in front of me so I got dropped back to last. I just had to sit there and suffer but they were going plenty fast enough in front of me that I could sit and wait.”
Fisher said Ziggle Pops will skip the Jonathan Sheppard at Saratoga and would run next in the G1 Lonesome Glory in September at Belmont at the Big A.
"He won't run back up here,” said Fisher. “I'll give him more time and run him at Aqueduct."
Bred in Great Britain by St. Albans Bloodstock, Ziggle Pops ran on the flat in England as a 2- and 3-year-old before being imported and now has four wins and two thirds from eight stats over fences and has earned $187,783.
Jamie Bargary, on Pickanumber, praised his mount’s brave effort in his stateside debut after a romping wire-to-wire score last out in the Swinton Handicap in May at Haydock Park.
“It was a beautiful trip around, exactly how we planned it. He won his last start in England doing that exact thing,” said Bargary. “First time on ground this firm, I was surprised how well he handled it. He is an exciting horse for the future.
"I tried to save as much energy as possible, you need to have a kick here at Saratoga with the straight,” Bargary said. “He's a tough, genuine horse, who quickened for me. It is just a shame someone quickened a little better."
