Thrilling Race sees Bubble Economy Take 85th Virginia Gold Cup

Photo by Douglas Lees THIS ECONOMY IS BOOMING: Jockey Paddy Young survived a wild ride to steer Bubble Economy to victory in the featured timber classic at Saturday's Virginia Gold Cup at Great Meadow in The Plains.

By Betsy Burke Parker

THE PLAINS, VA. - With more divergent story lines than a Shakespearean drama, the 2010 Virginia Gold Cup turned out one part Dick Francis mystery, one part My Friend Flicka, with a side order of The Keystone Cops.
 
Arcadia Stable's Bubble Economy pulled off a second score in the 85th anniversary running of the timber classic. Before the start, it was a win that nearly wasn't, according to Betsy Burke Parker of The Fauquier Times-Democrat.
 
The $75,000 headliner attracted 11 of the division's elite to Great Meadow in The Plains, including 2008 Gold Cup winner Bubble Economy. The story became compelling Saturday morning when Bubble Economy's stablemate Seeyouattheevent was a surprise defection a few hours before post time.
 

Photo by Douglas Lees FOUR MILES LATER: Temperatures near 90 degrees made it a taxing ride for timber classic champion Bubble Economy and rider Paddy Young.

Morning-line favorite on the strength of a solid April 17 win, Seeyouattheevent was mysteriously scratched, late, by trainer Jack Fisher. Fisher was predictably tight-lipped, but allowed that Seeyouattheevent had been injured and would have the balance of the year off.
 
It was up to the two-time national champ, then, to secure a 11th Gold Cup score for the Maryland-based Fisher.

All that stood between Bubble Economy and the historic stake were four grueling miles and 23 sturdy fences.

And 10 competitors. At least when they left the saddling enclosure.
 
The plot thickened down at the start when Meet At Eleven, was kicked by another fractious entrant after the eager field clumped up when recalled from a false start.
 
It was an accident, but one with serious consequences. The course veterinarian was on hand within minutes, quickly determining that while Meet At Eleven was not visibly injured, the direct blow to his lower leg could have lasting effect. The horse was scratched and sent back to the stable, further delaying the start as he left the course.
 
At last away from the flag, J. Alfred Prufrock and He's A Conniver were off smoothly to set blistering early fractions, 2009 division champ Patriot's Path and Fort Henry in their wake.
 
Defending champion rider Paddy Young allowed Bubble Economy to settle into rhythm, finding stride mid-field as the group circled the Great Meadow oval.
 
“My horse was jumping well," in the early going, Young reported, "but just dawdling along. I kept him back."

Young noted that Bubble Economy, a notorious "thinker" on the racecourse, should not be allowed to get the lead too early in his races, as he was likely to "just up and quit running" if alone on the front.
 
He's even refused a fence when on the lead, a trick he pulled in the '08 Pennsylvania Hunt Cup. "So you keep him back," Young explained of his strategy.
 
After completing three of the four miles, Fort Henry and He's A Conniver were outpaced and eased, undone by the torrid pace and hot, humid day.
 
Young said he was unconcerned when shuffled back to sixth heading to the pivotal water jump at 19.
Nonchalance turned to alarm as Bubble Economy flew the fence, drawing even with the leaders.
 
“I was thinking, 'That horse is some kind of bastard'," said Fisher of his thoughts watching timber racing's "bad boy" take the lead with three fences and a half-mile, to go.
 

Photo by Douglas Lees DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME: Bubble Economy (right) outdueled Bon Caddo to win his second Gold Cup. Winning rider Paddy Young directed Bubble Economy to the second-fastest time over the four-miles (8:22) since the event moved to Great Meadow in 1985.

“You don't know what he'll do. He stops. He'll screw around. He's like a naughty schoolkid, always getting into trouble when he's left alone. I was thinking lots of bad words," Fisher said.

Young, too, worried.
 
“I looked around for who was coming," he said. Turning left, then right, searching for company, Young locked in on a looming Bon Caddo, lightly regarded but fencing superbly and taking dead aim on the leader from 10 lengths back in second.
 
“I saw Paddy keep looking back," said jockey Patrick Worrall, at once confused by Young's apparent hesitation but buoyed by the response from Bon Caddo. "I thought we had it."
 
Bon Caddo advanced steadily to collar Bubble Economy on the long run from the north turn. And when the champ faltered with a casual step over the final jump, he surrendered the lead as Bon Caddo gained a length landing over the last. "I set my horse down to the wire," Worrall said. "But I could hear Bubble Economy coming back to me."
And the race was on.  
 
The world-class loafer was, at last, provoked into action. Young used his hands and heels, but not the whip as Bubble Economy picked up his pace to the wire to win by a half-length.
 
“I was never so glad to have a long run-in," Young said.
 
The winning time, 8:22 4/5, is second-fastest since the Gold Cup moved to Great Meadow near The Plains in 1985.
 
Owned by the Arcadia Stable syndicate, the winner adds to a steeplechase career that began as a 3-year-old back in 2002. Once part of trainer Rick Violette's flat stable, the Pennsylvania-bred won for the 12th time over jumps and pushed his career earnings past $388,000 with the $45,000 payday.
 
Betsy Burke Parker is a Special Writer for The Fauquier Times-Democrat, from which this story is excerpted, with the newspaper's permission.
 
 
A Bubble-bursting afternoon:
Gold Cup runners-up weigh in on why they didn't grab Gold
 
— Second-placed Patrick Worrall on Bon Caddo: As we turned up the stretch, I was eight, 10 lengths off [eventual winner] Paddy [Young], but I saw him just keep turning and looking, turning and looking, like he was out of horse.

I jumped past (Bubble Economy) at the last, and I thought "Here we go!" I thought we had it.
 
A few strides later, I heard this "pfft, pfft, pfft" right off my left boot. I looked back, and here he comes.

Later in the jocks' room, everybody was like, "You [dummy], you don't pass Bubble Economy until the last strides." Paddy was just waiting for me, looking for me, watching to see if I was going to come to him and make his horse dig in again."
 
— Third-placed Darren Nagle on Patriot's Path: "I was behind Paddy coming into the water. His horse completely missed (his spot), and I winged it, got a couple of lengths ahead of him and thought 'Great, that's him out of the way,' but in a matter of strides he was back in front of me again.
He looked to have loads left in the tank.
 
[At the last fence] Bubbles jumped to the left, and my horse followed him that way and didn't seem to want to go by up the straight.
 
He's always been quirky. I suggested blinkers...[though] I can't say for sure if they would have made a difference. I'm kinda disappointed he didn't win, to be honest
 
— Fourth-placed Jeff Murphy on Erin Go Bragh: "Maybe it was too hot for him today? I don't know. He jumped the water [great] ・ just pinged it, but ... felt flat after that.
 
— Fifth-placed Conrad Somers on J.Alfred Prufrock: "We got boxed in at the third last. He hit the top rail, and it took the run out of him. He may have been a little closer otherwise.
 
This was our fourth year at the Gold Cup. [J. Alfred Prufrock was fifth of 12 in 2007, seventh of nine in '08, fourth of seven last year.] I'm sort of stuck with going in 'open" company because, if I dropped him into the allowance company [where he'd be more competitive], the weights are too low. I'm a big guy, an amateur. Still, this horse is very competitive, even at [this top] level. He ran well."
 
— Pulled up ・ Chip Miller on He's A Conniver: "I'm not sure he wants four miles."
 
— Pulled-up ・ Jody Petty on Fort Henry: "He ran out of gas. I pulled up two before the water jump [after the 17th of 23 fences.] Too hot today?"
 
— Lost rider ・ Chris Read on Rainbows For Luck: "Three from home, he put in a [bad jump] and I came off. "
 
— Late scratch [at the start] ・ Carl Rafter on Meet At Eleven: "This horse would have been right there at the end of it. He was ready for...this distance. The trainer was upset, but I did what I felt was best, calling for the vet. "
 
— Late scratch [early Saturday morning] ・ Willie Dowling on Seeyouattheevent: "I think he may have injured himself [winning] the Chronicle Cup [April 17.] You always hold out hope, that's why he wasn't taken out earlier."
 
--- Interviews by Betsy Burke Parker