Pavel steps up in Stephen Foster
The Stephen Foster Handicap doesn’t have the prestige of storied older-male races such as the Santa Anita Handicap and Jockey Club Gold Cup. In recent years, however, the list of winners of the 35-yearold race (a Grade 1 since 2002) has rivaled that of any other divisional event outside the Breeders’ Cup. Victors over the past decade include four horses who went on to win that year’s Classic: Gun Runner, Curlin, Blame and Fort Larned. The first three were named divisional champions; the first two were also selected horse of the year.
On paper, none of the horses in this year’s Stephen Foster appeared to be candidates for postseason honors. Although three of the nine starters were Grade 1-placed (Honorable Duty, Lookin At Lee and Pavel), none had actually won at that level. There were three Grade 2 winners: Irish War Cry, Backyard Heaven and Honorable Duty, runner-up in last year’s Stephen Foster. Hawaakom, Uncle Mojo and Patch rounded out the field.
The lightly raced Backyard Heaven took most of the money at 4-5. The son of Tizway – named after owner Ken Ramsey’s Saratoga Springs backyard, with its closeup view of the Oklahoma train-
ing track – was exiting an impressive 4½-length score in the Alysheba Stakes on Derby weekend.
Backyard Heaven battled longshot Uncle Mojo through three-quarters in a moderate 1:11.95 before going by approaching the quarter-pole. He was immediately passed in turn by Pavel (6-1), who, after stalking in third much of the way, swept by on the outside and straightened for home with a short lead. The four-yearold son of Creative Cause extended his advantage from there, passing the eighth pole three lengths in front and staying on to win by 3 ¾ lengths..
Honorable Duty once again claimed the runnerup spot, with Matrooh third. Backyard Heaven struggled home sixth, beaten by nearly 11 lengths. The winner was clocked in 1:49.21 for nine furlongs.
The decisive victory was redemption of sorts for Pavel, who had hinted at more promise than he’d delivered upon since winning the Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) last Labor Day weekend. The four-year-old colt failed to win in his next six starts (five of them Grade 1s) leading up to the Stephen Foster, with a third in last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup his best finish.
Pavel’s possible emergence comes at a good time for a handicap division that is sorely lacking in accomplished runners. Accelerate is arguably the division leader after putting together back-to-back Grade 1 scores in the Santa Anita Handicap and Gold Cup at Santa Anita. West Coast is the division’s other established star. The four-year-old Flatter colt’s five-race winning streak in 2017 was capped by victories in the Travers and Pennsylvania Derby, both Grade 1s. This year he has posted strong seconds in the Pegasus And Dubai World Cups.
And then there’s Hoppertunity. In his most recent outing on the Belmont Stakes undercard, the popular seven-year-old warhorse came from off the pace to take the 1½-mile Brooklyn Handicap (G2). It was his second win at this distance this year, following a 6½-length score in the Tokyo City Cup in April. Of course, the Belmont Stakes aside, the best horses aren’t competing in mile-and-a-half races. But any horse who has earned over $4.6 million competing in 28 graded stakes – winning eight of them and placing in 11 others – is deserving of respect. Jeff Scott writes about horse racing Tuesday in The Saratogian. He may be reached at utahpin1@ aol.com