Bob Le Beau makes it two straight Grade 1's

ELMONT, N.Y. - The rules have changed for steeplechase racing on this circuit, but the Grade 1 winner remained the same as Bob Le Beau backed up his victory in last month’s Grade 1 New York Turf Writers’ Cup at Saratoga with another Grade 1 score in Thursday’s $150,000 Lonesome Glory Stakes at Belmont Park.

Bob Le Beau, ridden by Jack Doyle, defeated Hinterland by a half-length, and withstood a claim of foul from Hinterland’s jockey, Sean McDermott, who alleged that Bob Le Beau crowded him at the top of the stretch. The stewards disallowed the claim of foul.

Bob Le Beau won despite having to carry top weight of 154 pounds, a concession of four to 14 pounds to rest of the field, including eight to Hinterland. He also won despite new rules that dictate that horses do not jump over the final two fences in the stretch. That meant the final four furlongs of the 2 1/2-mile race were run on the flat.

This rule was implemented by the New York Gaming Commission on the recommendation of Dr. Scott Palmer, the state’s equine medical director, after there were two incidents at Saratoga where horses fell over the final fence in the stretch - in front of the grandstand - and had to be euthanized. The rule will be implemented for next summer’s meet at Saratoga where there is only one fence in the stretch.

Trainer Elizabeth Voss noted that Bob Le Beau had good flat form in Ireland and had also won a 1 1/2-mile allowance flat race at Parx on July 12 prior to shipping to Saratoga.

“He had good back flat form, so I actually thought that would be to our advantage having two jumps out,” Voss said.

However, Voss said she was concerned about Bob Le Beau picking up 14 pounds from his win in the New York Turf Writers on Aug. 27.

“That was the one thing I was really worried about; he’s not a very big horse,” she said. “I know he’s in the top form of his life right now. He jumped great.”

Bob Le Beau, an Irish-bred 8-year-old gelding owned by The Fields Stable, ran 2 1/2 miles in 4:41.27 and returned $3.50 as the 4:41.27.

With two Grade 1 wins under his belt, Bob Le Beau could be a candidate for an Eclipse Award. The next big race on the circuit is the Grand National at Far Hills on Oct. 17, though Voss has some concerns about potential course condition.

“It usually comes up good ground and he likes it rock hard, so I don’t know if we’ll necessarily go there,” Voss said.

* Overwhelming, ridden by McDermott, rallied along the inside in the stretch and ran past the pace-setting Broxbourne to win the $75,000 William Entenmann Memorial Steeplechase by 2 1/2 lengths. It was 1 1/2 lengths back to Schoodic, the 9-5 favorite, in third. The top three finishers were trained by Jack Fisher.

Overwhelming, a 5-year-old gelding by Hard Spun, covered the 2 1/4 miles in 4:04.84 and returned $14.40 to win.