SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Ziggle Pops ran well enough in Grade 1 company when third in last month’s Beverly Steinman Steeplechase at Aqueduct for trainer Jack Fisher to give him another try in Sunday’s Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick.
This time, with an off-the-pace trip that he did not have in the Steinman, Ziggle Pops showed a strong turn of foot over the last half-mile run over the flat to record a 4 1/4-length victory in the $150,000 Smithwick at Saratoga.
Pickanumber, in his U.S. debut, made all the pace and had to settle for second, a head over Freddy Flintshire. L’Imperator finished fourth and was followed by Going Country and Abaan, who dead-heated for fifth. West Newton, who didn’t take the sixth jump well, finished last.
Fisher, who won his fifth Smithwick, said when he ran Ziggle Pops in the Steinman, that he thought “he was just a horse. I ran three at Aqueduct and didn’t expect much of him there, but I thought he ran well so I brought him back up here.”
In the Steinman, with a slow pace, Ziggle Pops raced close to the lead and ultimately faded late.
On Sunday, Ziggle Pops was fourth early under Graham Watters, but got shuffled back to last when he got caught behind West Newton, who nearly stumbled over the sixth fence. Watters was able to save ground and make a winning move along the inside - despite Watters losing his crop in midstretch - to draw clear.
Ziggle Pops, a 7-year-old son of Zoffany owned by Brutton Street-US, covered the 2 3/8 miles in 4:32.85 and returned $12.80.
“The horse likes to sit back,” Fisher said. “He’s obviously getting better. I thought his jumping was good last time and great today.”
Watters said he was farther back than he wanted to be after that happened, but he said the fast pace helped him in the end.
“I just had to sit there and suffer, but they were going plenty fast enough in front of me that I could sit and wait,” Watters said. “The fact that I had Abaan, the favorite, to sit off the heels of and who I knew would tow me into the straight [and] as soon as I got daylight, I gave him a kick in the belly and he sprinted clear.”
Fisher said he would not run Ziggle Pops in the Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard here on Aug. 14 and instead wait for the Grade 1 Lonesome Glory in September at Aqueduct.
Abaan, the 8-5 favorite, had a five-race wining streak snapped. He hadn’t run since May 11 and jockey Bernard Dalton thought that may have factored into his performance Sunday.
“Had no real excuses,” Dalton said. “Ran good, jumped good, had a nice trip around, just had no response at the head of the lane. It’s been a long time since he ran, maybe he needed it. We’ll get him home and see what’s going on.”
L’Imperator, who won the Steinman, was beaten 9 1/4 lengths Sunday.
“Just a little flat,” trainer Arch Kingsley said. “He wasn’t in his hands as he was last time. The ground may have been a little firm and fast for him.”
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