“This is not the goal.”
That’s how Jack Fisher described the Grade 2 Temple Gwathmey to jockey Freddie Procter Saturday afternoon.
“If you finish third without giving him a hard race, we’ll be ecstatic.”
That’s how I described the Temple Gwathmey to Procter.
Zabeel Champion was making his first start since falling while in contention in last year’s Iroquois. Banged up after that heavy fall, we skipped the fall season and made a plan for this spring. Flat prep at Green Spring, jump prep at Middleburg, one swing at the one goal, the Iroquois on the third Saturday in May.
The plan spiked Saturday when Zabeel Champion found a comfortable spot in second, loping well off the early pace set by Foxy Walk. As the $100,000 stakes began to boil, Ziggle Pops moved forward from the inside, Hidden Path jumped into it from behind and Zabeel slid back. There but not really there. A loiterer. Jumping the last, Ziggle Pops and Hidden Path went at it, slugging and slogging, while Zabeel was hanging on their bumpers. Down the hill, to the elbow, Zabeel began to gain ground, or at least, not lose ground. Procter began to believe, elbows, lower, pistons pumping. Miles, next to me began to implore, plead. I grimaced, thinking he’s going to have a hard race on hard ground and finish third. At the elbow, it still looked doubtful as he ranged three wide, straightening it became plausible, not probable, but that sliver of possibility that gets us up in the morning, puts us to bed at night. One of those finishes when you know you’ll catch the horse but you’re not sure you’ll catch the wire. Zabeel got there, winning by 1 length. I just had to look that up and check it twice, a deceptive length. It felt like an inch and a mile all at the same time.
We leapt over rocks and twigs and picnics and stone steps to the winner’s circle. The Temple Gwathmey. A race that I grew up idolizing (yes, I idolized races) and just dreamt of watching, way back when it was at Belmont Park. To win it twice as a jockey and now as an owner…like belting one over the Green Monster.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Procter said.
Neither could I. Can I.
A goal reached when you didn’t think it was within reach.
Zabeel began a stellar weekend. Wilma Flintshire and De La Cruz each finished second, promising bigger things down the road and Jhirsch broke his maiden by 7 1/4 lengths. That was not deceptive. Include It just missed in the apprentice timber at the Grand National, a gallant try by a gallant veteran and a great kid. Tuddenham Green won a match race at Loudoun Sunday.
Riverdee moved to the top of the leaderboard with $103,200. Now to stay there.
Zabeel Champion and Freddie Procter soar over a fence early in the Temple Gwathmey. Middleburg Photo.
