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Bubble Economy wins Gold Cup
Arcadia Stable's Bubble Economy roared through the stretch to win the $100,000 Virginia Gold Cup, the world's richest timber race, in a four-horse shootout at the finish Saturday at Great Meadow.Trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Chip Miller, Bubble Economy rated near the back of the nine-horse field early, advanced to contention late and outkicked 2005-'06 winner Miles Ahead, Hot Springs and Monte Bianco to the finish.
Bubble Economy is the second winner in as many years for the Fisher-Miller team. "Four miles. Four horses across at the last fence. What a race," said new National Steeplechase Association CEO Lou Raffetto. "This will go down as a real classic."
Over the last fence, Bubble Economy joined early leader Move West, along with Hot Springs and Miles Ahead. The winner scored by a half-length in 8:48 for the four miles and 23 fences.
Locally owned, trained and ridden Miles Ahead finished second with Hot Springs a neck back in third and Monte Bianco a head behind in fourth. Great Meadow founder Nick Arundel owns Monte Bianco; Fisher trains him.
Miller praised Bubble Economy's determination under intense pressure in the homestretch.
"There's nothing better than a good timber horse," said Miller, 37. "As a jockey, you'd like to think you had something to do with it, but it was all him today."
In addition to the fierce stretch battle, Bubble Economy also had to contend with the falling Straight Gin at the 19th fence.
"He went down like a rock right in front of us," Miller explained, saying Bubble Economy did not have time to change his stride as Straight Gin fell. "He literally jumped him. Literally 'bounced' over him."
Miller said that he'd already braced for the near-certain collision that was to come. "But Bubble was really clever. He didn't change stride even."
Bubble Economy was third at My Lady's Manor April 12, behind Erin Go Bragh and Hot Springs (the finish order was swapped after a steward's inquiry.) He was also third, with Fisher himself in the irons, at Grand National April 19. Bubble Economy fell in last May's Gold Cup while in contention at the last fence.
Fisher and Miller teamed up to win the '07 Gold Cup in similarly dramatic fashion, when the race's purse was first elevated to $100,000.
Last year, locally bred Salmo got up in a driving photo finish. Salmo and Bubble Economy made up half of a four-horse entry from Fisher's Maryland stable for what remains the richest timber race in the world.
Bubble Economy became the 10th Gold Cup winner for trainer Fisher. Virginia-bred Saluter won 1994-'99, Push and Pull in '92 and Call Louis in '89. Fisher rode Juggernaut to win in 1981 for trainer-father John Fisher.
Bubble Economy was campaigned on the flat by Klaravich Stable and trainer Rick Violette. The Pennsylvania-bred was sold to Fisher as a 3-year-old in 2002. Since then, he's earned $260,700 (including Saturday's $60,000 payday) as a steeplechaser — first over hurdles, then over timber for the Arcadia partnership.
The bay son of Rakeen (by Northern Dancer) was 2004 National Steeplechase Association timber champ.
The runner-up's connections had nothing but praise for the classic showdown.
"My horse ran a winning race," said Kinross Farm trainer Neil Morris of Miles Ahead's near-miss. The 2005 NSA timber champion was the only horse in the field to have won at the demanding four-mile distance.
"He's so good at four miles because of his traveling style...relaxed and economical. He beat a whole field full of class horses here today. Except one."
In the day's other races, Fisher also saddled allowance hurdle winner Duke of Earl (Xavier Aizpuru.) Duke of Earl races in the famed lime green and pink silks of Ann Stern, the same colors Saluter raced under.
Morris and Kinross paired with maiden hurdle winner Run The Light.
Warrenton orthodontist Al Griffin was represented by Steeplethon winner Hidden Key (Paddy Young.) Hidden Key led most of the three miles over varied fences to nose out runner-up Private Attack in a photo finish.
Sunday at the Bull Run Hunt Point-to-Point near Culpeper, Middleburg trainer Dot Smithwick saddled novice timber winner Endless Mountain (Nick Carter) for owner David Semmes' Indian Run Farm.
The meet featured a varied program that included mule, quarter horse and draft horse races as well as regulation point-to-point series events.
Results
Virginia Gold Cup races, May 3
Junior field masters chase. Ponies. 1. Scooby Doo, o/Frank Bonsal, r/Connor Hankin; 2. Talbotstown, o/Karen Eyles, r/Amelia Eyles; 3. Ridgetop Moya, o/Marynell Eyles, r/Isabella Eyles. 4 started.
Horses. 1. Strange Fruit, o/r Scarlett Lovett; 2. Sing and Hoist, o/r Sarah Green.
Maiden hurdle. Purse: $25,000. 2 1/2 miles. Time: 5:05 2/5. 1. Run The Light, o/Kinross Farm, r/Chris Read; 2. Dynaski, o/Armata Stables, r/James Slater; 3. Sword of Dubai, o/Hamilton Farm, r/ Carl Rafter. 11 started.
Steeplethon. Purse: $25,000. 3 miles. Time: 6:01 4/5. 1. Hidden Key, o/Al Griffin, r/Paddy Young; 2. Private Attack, o/Sportsmans Hall, r/Billy Santoro; 3. Battle Op, o/Northwoods, r/Brooks Durkee. 8 started.
Allowance hurdle. Purse: $30,000. 2 1/2 miles. Time: 4:58 4/5. 1. Be Certain, o/Alnoff Stable, r/Padge Whelan; 2. Lead Us Not, o/Bill Pape, r/James Slater; 3. Orpington, o/Gill Johnston, r/Willi Dowling. 10 started.
Starter hurdle. Purse: $20,000. 2 1/2 miles. Time: 4:59 2/5. 1. Duke of Earl, o/Ann Stern, r/Xavier Aizpuru; 2. Mark The Shark, o/Cohiba Stable, r/Willi Dowling; 3. Four Schools, o/Lucy Horner, r/Richard McWade. 7 started.
Virginia Gold Cup timber stakes. Purse: $100,000. 4 miles. Time: 8:48. 1. Bubble Economy, o/Arcadia Stable, r/Chip Miller; 2. Miles Ahead, o/Kinross Farm, r/Chris Read; 3. Hot Springs, o/Irv Naylor, r/Willi Dowling; 4. Monte Bianco, o/Nick Arundel, r/Xavier Aizpuru; 5. Move West, o/Augustin Stables, r/Jody Petty; 6. Erin Go Bragh, o/Brigadoon Stable, r/Paddy Young; 7. J.Alfred Prufrock, o/r Conrad Somers. Straight Gin (Calvin McCormack) fell. King Lear (Jeff Murphy) pulled up.
Maiden claiming hurdle. Purse: $20,000. 2 1/2 miles. Time: 4:58 2/5. 1. Strathspey Kino, o/Todd Wyatt, r/Jody Petty; 2. Expel, o/Northfield, r/Jeff Murphy; 3. Bullet Dancer, o/Bruce Smart, r/Liam McVicar. 14 started.
Bull Run Hunt Point-to-Point, May 4
Novice rider flat, 1 3/4 miles. Time: 3:23 2/5. 1. Dynavolt, o/r Liam deStanley; 2. Rosemont Runner, o/Gary Baker, r/Nick Carter; 3. Summersgill, o/Paul Harriss, r/John Delaney. 4 started.
Western dash. 1/4 mile. Time: :25 2/5. 1. Al's Terminator, o/r Lacey Heider; 2. Devilishly Dry, o/r Chelsea Magaha; 3. Coral, o/Kathy Walker, r/Rosie Campbell.
Warren Harrover memorial maiden flat, first division. 1 3/8 miles. Time: 3:01 4/5. 1. Breaker Breaker, o/Kinross Farm, r/Rod MacKenzie; 2. Master Glide, o/Iindian Run Farm, r/Nick Carter; 3. A Little Risky, o/Randleston Farm, r/John Delaney. 5 started.
Second division. Time: 2:40 2/5. 1. Blue Giant, o/Randleston Farm, r/John Delaney; 2. Make Wayfor Norman, o/Kinross Farm, r/Chris Read; 3. Quick Legacy, o/r Michael Harris. 5 started.
Carl Kincheloe memorial maiden timber. 3 miles. Time: 7:05 3/5. 1. Endless Mountain, o/Indian Run Farm, r/Nick Carter; 2. Munsty, o/r Stephanie Moore. 3 started.
Kenward Harris memorial open flat. 1 3/8 miles. Time: 2:32. 1. I'm Telling, o/Bay Cockburn, r/Liam McVicar; 2. Marino Feliz, o/Gary Baker, r/Nick Carter; 3. Two T's, o/Randleston Farm, r/Patrick Maddock. 5 started.
Light draft dash. 3/8ths mile. Time: :40 3/5. 1. Corian, o/Kathy Broaddus, r/Sarah Frederick; 2. Indy Five Hundred, o/John and Jane Hampton, r/Andrea Hampton.
Heavy draft dash. Time: :44 1/5. 1. Granite, o/Lani Newcomb, r/Sarah Frederick; 2. Spartacus, o/r Deb Hutcheson.
Mule race. 1/4 mile. 1. Frenchie, o/Rosie Campbell, r/Greg Schwartz; 2. Zippity Do Dah, o/r Kristin Ford; 3. Fred, o/r Lacey Heider. 4 started.
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