Great Meadow: How to bet the David L. (Zeke) Ferguson Memorial Hurdle H.

A small but talented field is scheduled to race 2 1/8 miles over hurdles in Saturday’s David L. (Zeke) Ferguson Memorial Hurdle H. (G2), one of the feature events on International Gold Cup day at Great Meadow.

If you diligently watch every race contested at the three New York Racing Association tracks, then you’re familiar with morning line favorite #4 Going Country (8-5). The six-year-old gelding competed twice at Saratoga during the summer, notably running second in the Jonathan Sheppard H. (G1) behind division leader Snap Decision. Most recently, Going Country took a 2 3/8-mile spin around Aqueduct to finish fourth in the William Entenmann Novice S.

But is Going Country the most likely winner of the Ferguson Memorial? Not necessarily. He’s yet to win a stakes, so the eight-year-old mare #2 Down Royal (4-1) is more appealing as far as past performances are concerned.

Granted, Down Royal misfired in the Jonathan Sheppard, finishing seven lengths behind Going Country in sixth place. But the Kate Dalton trainee had previously rattled off three straight stakes wins, culminating with a neck triumph in the A. P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase S. (G1) at Saratoga. A return to that level of form should place Down Royal in the hunt for victory as the longest shot on the Ferguson Memorial morning line.

#1 Soviet Pimpernel (3-1) is another relative longshot worth supporting. Long a competitor over fences in Ireland, the seven-year-old gelding kicked off his stateside campaign with a third-place finish in the 2 5/8-mile Appleton S. at Far Hills last week, a race won by the multiple Grade 1-placed hurdler Redicean. Wheeling back on short rest shouldn’t bother Soviet Pimpernel (he’s run well with quick turnarounds in the past), and cutting back half a mile in distance may improve his performance.

Completing the field is #3 City Dreamer (9-5), who was last seen missing a beacon and going off course in the 2 1/8-mile David Semmes Memorial S. (G2) at Great Meadow during the spring. He was in the hunt for victory up until that point and had previously won back-to-back stakes, stamping the eight-year-old gelding as a viable win threat for 14-time leading National Steeplechase Association trainer Jack Fisher.

You’ve probably gathered that a case can be made for any entrant to win the Ferguson Memorial. But since the field is small and an exacta is the only exotic wager available to bet, we’ll give Down Royal a chance to claim top honors, betting her to win and keying her over City Dreamer and Soviet Pimpernel.

• $10 to win: #2 Down Royal
• $5 Exacta: 2 with 1, 3 ($10)
  Total: $20

Good luck!

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