Beverly Steinman recap

©Tod Marks

Saratoga stalwart Jimmy P gets up to take Grade 1 $150,000 Steinman

Paul and Molly Willis and Madaket Stables’ Jimmy P again proved he’s a horse for the course with a narrow, come-from-behind victory in the third running of the Beverly R. Steinman handicap hurdle at the Spa this afternoon.

With Stephen Mulqueen riding for trainer Keri Brion, the eight-year-old son of Slumber captured his third career G1 at Saratoga. This was his first Steinman to go along with a pair of victories in the previous two runnings of the Jonathan Sheppard. For trainer Brion, it was her 10th career Grade 1 score.

The win didn’t come easy. Trailing early in the field of seven as a hard-to-handle Del Rio Racing’s Coutach set the pace, Jimmy P moved into contention the second time around as Coutach still remained on top with Riverdee Stable’s Rocket One and Bruton Street-US’ Ziggle Pops running second and third. Heading up the backside the final time, Coutach held a narrow edge over Rocket One, as Jimmy P loomed in third, but with a lot of ground to make up. Entering the far turn it looked as if Rocket One would rocket past Coutach, and he finally did entering the stretch. Jimmy P was about five lengths behind at this point, and didn’t wear down his rival until the last 50 or so yards to get up by a neck.

Coutach held the show spot, nearly 18 lengths behind the top two.