NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Good Night Shirt took the lead a few yards from the start and held it for three miles over 18 hurdles to win the $150,000 Grade I Iroquois Steeplechase at Percy Warner Park on Saturday.
The win for last year's steeplechaser of the year was his second win in Grade I races this season and vaulted him into the lead to repeat as champion.
After forcefully striking the last fence when he won the $100,000 Georgia Cup last month, Good Night Shirt was almost flawless over the Iroquois hurdles when he posted a 7 1/2 -length win over Sweet Shanni, the only mare in the race.
"That's the best he's ever jumped in all the races I've ridden him," jockey Willie Dowling said. "He just got into a relentless gallop and kept going."
Good Night Shirt's trainer, Jack Fisher of Monkton, Md., said he had been working on his charge's jumping ability.
"We schooled him quite a bit after that last fence at Atlanta. I'm happy he improved today."
Completing the three-mile course in 5:47 3-5, Good Night Shirt added $90,000 to the racing account of his owner, Harold A. "Sonny" Via Jr. of Free Union, Va.
That check raised his steeplechase earnings to over $404,163 in his championship year and thus far this season.
The second place finish for Sweet Shani and rider Xavier Aizpuru was their third in a row. She lost a head decision to Sovereign Duty at Keeneland last month and was six lengths back of the winner at last year's Breeders Cup Grand National.
Nashville octogenarian Calvin Hoagland was trying for his fifth Iroquois win with Sweet Shanni. He also rode Frederick III to win the race in 1943.
Hoagland took some solace when Dr. Bloomer won the 2-mile, $50,000 co-featured Marcellus Frost under Robbie Walsh and Mon Villez took the three-mile Bright Hour Hurdle under amateur rider Brooke Durkee.