Italian Wedding turns tables in Turf Writers Cup

Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard had four chances of winning Thursday's Grade

1, $150,000

New York Turf Writers Cup Steeplechase Handicap for the 14th time, and it

was his homebred Italian Wedding who did the honors at Saratoga. Most recently

runner-up in the August 1 A.P. Smithwick Memorial over the course, the

eight-year-old son of Alphabet Soup struck the front turning for home and stayed

on resolutely to earn his biggest career victory. In the process, Italian

Wedding turned the tables on Smithwick hero Mr. Hot Stuff, who wound up fourth.

Italian Wedding went off as part of an entry heavily favored at 4-5, along

with stablemates Divine Fortune and Martini Brother. Sheppard's fourth runner,

Hunt Ball, was a separate wagering interest at 12-1.

Ridden by Bernard Dalton, Italian Wedding was held up off the early pace

established by Brave Prospect. Mr. Hot Stuff dragged his way into second, and

after the Smithwick winner vied with Brave Prospect on the final circuit,

Italian Wedding himself crept closer. Mr. Hot Stuff disposed of Brave Prospect

in their last journey down the backstretch, only to find Italian Wedding

challenging him on the far turn.

Italian Wedding then seized command, but a new challenger emerged in All

Together. Maintaining his relentless gallop all the way to the line, Italian

Wedding rebuffed All Together by a length and completed the 2 3/8 miles over

National fences in 4:30 3/5 on the firm course.

Two races later, Stud TNT's homebred Vitoria Olimpica notched his first U.S.

stakes win in Thursday's highlight on the dirt, the $98,000

Alydar

Stakes. A Group 1 winner in his native Brazil, the four-year-old was coming

off a sixth in a July 24 turf allowance in his debut for Todd Pletcher.

Since Stud TNT now owns the silks made famous by so many Calumet Farm

legends, Vitoria Olimpica carries the same colors as the race's namesake.

Vitoria Olimpica, the 9-2 third choice in his first dirt try, was perched in

third early by John Velazquez. The 5-2 Percussion carved out splits of :24, :47

4/5 and 1:11 2/5 while prompted by Csaba. Aussi Austin drafted in a

ground-saving fourth, and 4-5 favorite Easter Gift anchored the closely-bunched

field of five.

Rounding the far turn, Easter Gift rolled up on the outside and put his head

in front down the stretch. But Vitoria Olimpica still had plenty left and

responded to the favorite's bid. The Brazilian-bred edged three-quarters of a

length clear in a final time of 1:49 for 1 1/8 miles on the fast track and

returned $11.40 to win.

Easter Gift crossed the wire three-quarters of a length to the good of

Percussion, who held Aussi Austin by a neck. It was another 7 3/4 lengths back

to the trailing Csaba.

Vitoria Olimpica now sports a mark of 8-4-0-2, $147,807. The Northern Afleet

colt won his first two starts as a juvenile, including the Grande Premio Conde

de Herzberg, and finished third in the Grande Premio Jockey Club Brasiliero.

Only 11th in his three-year-old bow in the Grande Premio Presidente da Republica,

Vitoria Olimpica rebounded next time in the Grande Premio Linneo de Paula

Machado. He made his Brazilian finale in the November 11 Grande Premio Derby

Paulista, where he was elevated to third via disqualification.