High Action headlines New York Turf Writers Cup

If at first glance Thursday's $150,000

New York Turf Writers Cup Steeplechase (NSA-G1) at Saratoga looks a lot like

the A.P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase (NSA-G2) run on August 7, your eyes are

not deceiving you. The top three finishers from that race, including the winner

HIGH ACTION (Theatrical [Ire]), are back in the chase, so to speak, to land the

sport's top summertime fixture, which is contested at 2 3/8 miles.

High Action, the 1 1/2-length victor of the Smithwick, is the likely favorite

to repeat while carrying 150 pounds including jockey Paddy Young. Formerly based

in England during his flat racing days, High Action's best race might have been

his fourth-place effort in the 2006 Ascot Gold Cup (Eng-G1), the first of three

straight Gold Cups won by Yeats (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Returned to America

after two more starts in England, High Action has come along, albeit slowly, for

trainer Doug Fout. Missing all of 2007, High Action won a flat training race at

Fair Hill in May before commencing his hurdle career with a 4 1/2-length score

in a Colonial Downs allowance in his race prior to the Smithwick.

DARK EQUATION (Polish Numbers) and SALFORD CITY (Ire) (Desert Sun [GB]),

second and third, respectively, in the Smithwick, will attempt to turn the

tables while conceding weight to High Action. Dark Equation, also trained by

Fout, raced in third for much of the Smithwick before putting in a mild late bid

for second under Matt McCarron, who returns to ride Thursday. Salford City, who

led for much of the Smithwick in his American debut, will carry top weight of

154 pounds including jockey Paul Carberry.

Others of note are BE CERTAIN (Thunder Gulch), who captured the restricted

National Hunt Cup (NSA-G2) at Malvern in May, and FOUR SCHOOLS (Ire) (Raise a

Grand [Ire]), the improbable 26-1 winner of the David L. "Zeke" Ferguson

Memorial (NSA-G3) at Colonial Downs in his last start.

Six fillies and mares will contest the $80,000

Halfmoon

S., the featured flat race on Thursday's card. Restricted to non-winners of

a stakes this year, the seven-furlong heat has attracted Grade 1-placed SILVER

KNOCKERS (Silver Deputy), runner-up in the July 28 Lillian Russell S. in her

most recent start.