The Grade 1, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard is a prestigious race that has been won on four occasions by jockey Thomas Garner. Garner, who has an impressive track record in the Sheppard with wins from 2019-2021 and last summer aboard Awakened, now has the opportunity to train a winner of the 2 3/8-mile handicap for older horses as he sends out Zarak The Brave at Saratoga Race Course.
Garner, a seasoned jockey turned trainer, has had success at the highest levels of North American racing. With six wins at Grade 1 level as a jockey, Garner is now looking to add a Grade 1 victory as a trainer to his resume. Despite his past accomplishments in the saddle, Garner admits that he feels more nervous watching his horses compete than he ever did while riding them. However, he is excited about the prospect of Zarak The Brave putting him in the limelight on Wednesday.
Zarak The Brave, a 5-year-old Zarak gelding, was last seen finishing a narrow second in the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle in Ireland under the care of previous conditioner Willie Mullins. With an impressive record in England and Ireland, Zarak The Brave is considered the class of the race by Garner. Despite not having a prep run before the Jonathan Sheppard, Garner is confident in the talented bay gelding’s abilities.
Out of the Boris de Deauville mare Tempo Royale, Zarak The Brave is a half-brother to Right Tempo, a successful hurdler trained by Leslie Young. With Zarak The Brave assigned a field-high 158 pounds, jockey Graham Watters will be in the saddle for the race.
The Jonathan Sheppard field also includes Leipers Fork Steeplechasers‘ Z, who finished a good second in the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick Memorial in his American debut. Trained by Leslie Young, Z is one of three entrants for the trainer in the race. Young will also saddle Artistic Choice and Irvin Naylor’s Too Friendly.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Daigneault Thoroughbreds‘ Abaan will be looking to bounce back from a fifth-place finish in the Smithwick Memorial. Trained by Kate Dalton, Abaan has had a successful transition to jumping after a career on the flat, including a four-race win streak before his last outing.
The Jonathan Sheppard is set to be a competitive race with a field of talented older horses vying for victory. With a strong lineup of contenders, including Zarak The Brave, the race promises to be an exciting spectacle for fans of steeplechase racing. The race is scheduled as the first event on Wednesday’s program at Saratoga Race Course, with a post time of 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
