Divine Fortune seeks sweep of major Spa hurdles

Leadership in the steeplechase division is up for grabs Thursday when

Saratoga plays host to the $100,000

New

York Turf Writers Cup (NSA-G1) at 2 3/8 miles. Five of the six participants

from the August 4 A.P. Smithwick Memorial (NSA-G2) will square off again, and

will be joined by last year's Turf Writers Cup winner and an intriguing overseas

raider.

DIVINE FORTUNE (Royal Anthem) prevailed in the 2 1/16-mile Smithwick Memorial

by two lengths in a masterful bit of training by Hall of Famer Jonathan

Sheppard. With the exception of a training race during Saratoga's July 17 open

house, the eight-year-old had not seen action since running fourth in the 2010

Turf Writers Cup 49 weeks previously. Among the vanquished were runner-up DECOY

DADDY (Ire) (Lord of Appeal), who had taken the Temple Gwathmey (NSA-G3) and

Marcellus Frost (NSA-G3) hurdles during the spring, and third-placer

NATIONBUILDER (Came Home), a multiple stakes winner in the novice ranks who ran

third in the May 14 Iroquois (NSA-G1) for Sheppard.

Farther back in the Smithwick was DYNASKI (Dynaformer), the former Grade

1-placed eight-year-old who was making only his second start in the past 22

months. Leaving the course in the Smithwick was SPY IN THE SKY (Thunder Gulch),

the 2009 Turf Writers Cup winner who has now failed to finish in three of his

past four starts.

SERMON OF LOVE (Pulpit), one of four to be saddled by Sheppard, is back to

defend his Turf Writers Cup title. Unfortunately, the veteran failed to build on

his one-length tally from a year ago when a distant last of seven in the Helen

Haskell Sampson (NSA-G1) at Monmouth Park in September, nor was he making much

impact when pulled up at the Iroquois in Nashville in his return to action in

May.

If the American jump sport pales in comparison to that found in Europe, DIRAR

(Ire) (King's Best) would have to be considered a significant factor in his U.S.

debut Thursday. Best known to flat enthusiasts for his victory in the historic

Ebor H. at York a year ago, the Gordon Elliott trainee also has a distinguished

record of four wins from 13 attempts over hurdles. In his most recent start,

Dirar finished third in the July 28 Galway Hurdle in Ireland for the second

straight year. The Galway Hurdle, which carries a gross purse more than three

times as high as the Turf Writers Cup, undoubtedly attracted a relatively

stellar group.

The remaining American-based runners include the Sheppard-trained mare SWEET

SHANI (NZ) (Kashani), who ran third in the Smithwick and sixth in the Turf

Writers Cup way back in 2007. The 11-year-old later placed in future editions of

the Grand National (NSA-G1) and the now defunct Royal Chase (NSA-G1) at

Keeneland, but her activity in recent years has been limited to running in

relatively minor stakes restricted to mares, where she's been rather effective.

The claiming-quality MABOU (Dynaformer) and Zeke Ferguson Memorial (NSA-G3)

runner-up STRAIGHT TO IT (Giant's Causeway) complete the line-up.