CAMDEN, S.C.--Leslie Young saddled Irv Naylor's Too Friendly (GB), ridden by Jamie Bargary,  to win the $150,000, G1 Colonial Cup in front of a large, enthusiastic crowd that welcomed the race meet back after a eight year hiatus.

Too Friendly, left, outduels Snap Decision, center, and Quick Master over last in the Colonial Cup (Photo by Tod Marks)
Too Friendly won the 2 5/8 mile race by 1/2 length over Noah and the Ark (Ire), trained by Todd McKenna, and Snap Decision, trained by Jack Fisher, finishing in 5:09 2/5.

This was Too Friendly's third race in this country and his second over fences after finishing sixth in the G1 Jonathan Sheppard and third in the G1 Hurdle Stakes at Great Meadows. 

 "We bought him at the Tattersall Horses in Training sale last summer," said Young. "He was a very reasonable $55,000. He was rated 90 running on the flat, and he'd run over jumps. The Naylors wanted a horse to run at Saratoga."

"He hadn't run over fences for six months, but we ran him in the Jonathan Sheppard," said Young. "He was bumped over the first fence,and he grabbed a heel badly. We let the heel recover, the he ran a good race in the flat race at Far Hills. He was caught on the inside, and when he got out there were a lot of stakes horses in front of him. Then in the Gold Cup, he didn't like the ground. He loved the ground yesterday."

"Jamie just wanted to sit handy," said Young of their plan for the race. "There was plenty of pace, and he just kept creeping up. Snap is a wonderful horse. You never want to see a true champion beaten, but my horse ran great."

"He'll get a break over the winter, and then if all's well he'll run in the Temple Gwathmey next spring," said Young.

 

CYRIL MURPHY saddled Gold Charm (Ire), also owned by Naylor and ridden by Gerard Galligan to win the $72,000, 2 1/2 mile Restricted Hurdle Stakes.

Gold Charm won by 5 3/4 lengths over Abaan, trained by Kate Dalton, and Westerland (GB), trained by Kathy Neilson, and he finished in 4:34 3/5.

Fisher saddled Matthew T. Groff's Brie's Mission to win the $50,000, 2 1/8 mile Three Year Old Hurdle Stakes by 7 3/4 lengths over Super Chunk, trained by Sean McDermott, and Holiday Charm, trained by Julie Gomena, finishingin 4:26 2/5.

Neilson saddled L'Avvocato (Fr) to win the $30,000, 2 1/8 mile Optional Starter Allowance Hurdle by 1/2 length over Whisky Warrior, trained by Sandra Webb, and King Tsunami, trained by Todd Wyatt, finishing in 4:14.,

Dalton had a winner in Daigneault Thoroughbred's Madaket's Arrow, ridden by Bernie Dalton, who won the $30,000, 2 1/8 mile Filly and Mare Maiden Hurdle by 1 1/2 length over Articuno, trained by Ricky Hendriks, and Avakate, trained by Neil Morris, finishing in 4:32 4/5.

Holey Moley (On), owned by Paul Willis, trained by Barry Foley and ridden by Brian Barry, won the Apprentice Rider Flat by 1 3/4 lengths over British Royalty, trained by Neilson, and Clint Maroon (GB), trained by Liam Bourke.