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High Action captures Smithwick at Saratoga Carl Barnes' HIGH ACTION (Theatrical [Ire]) remained undefeated in the United States on Thursday after vaulting the final fence and kicking clear to a 1 1/2-length victory in the 13th running of the $85,600 A. P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase (NSA-G2) going 2 1/16 miles on Saratoga's firm turf over National Fences. Trained by Doug Fout, the eight-year-old gelding held position on the inside as favored Salford City (Ire) (Desert Sun [GB]) set the pace to the final fence. There, jockey Paddy Young guided High Action to stop the teletimer in 3:52 2/5. "I told Paddy, 'No matter what, stay inside and save ground. Don't go wide. Wait until a hole opens,'" Fout said. "Paddy said (High Action) was a little nervous, but he waited. It was good, because I wanted him to relax and stay a little closer than he did at Colonial (where he was a 4 1/4-length winner on June 15)." High Action handled Saratoga's turf course Thursday with equal aplomb, despite intermittent showers. "The only thing that worried me was the rain," Fout admitted. "This horse hates soft ground. The owners flew in from England last night, and unless the course was going to be hock-deep, we had to run. About an hour before the race, I was having a bloody fit. I was walking around the stall like you wouldn't believe. His class helped him dramatically, especially at Saratoga." Young was also pleased with his horse's professionalism. "It rained today, so obviously the ground was a bit softer out there," Young said. "I tried to hold on a little bit longer. It went OK. He didn't go crazy. I just wanted to save a little bit for after the last jump. I thought he was struggling going around the top bend. He's a tough little horse, and I got a run up the inner (path). He jumped the last fence great, and stuck his head out all the way down the lane from there." High Action, who will likely come back for the $150,000 New York Turf Writers' Cup H. (NSA-G1) on August 28, is the second Smithwick winner for Fout, who won the 2006 edition of this race and the previous year's Turf Writers 'Cup with champion Hirapour (Ire). Dark Equation (Polish Numbers) got up for second, with Salford City following another 2 1/4-lengths back in third. Completing the order of finish were Spy in the Sky (Thunder Gulch), the mare Guelph (Sky Classic), Duke of Earl (Ire) (All-Royal), Orpington (Cozzen) and Meneef (Aus) (Zabeel). The four-year-old filly Class Shadow (Rock Point) and Mixed Up (Carnivalay), last year's Smithwick winner, were both scratched.
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