Jimmy P Gets Up Late to Win Beverly R. Steinman

Madaket Stables and Molly and Paul Willis' Jimmy P reaffirmed his affinity for Saratoga Race Course as he dug in late and got his neck down over Rocket One for the victory in the June 3 $145,500 Beverly R. Steinman Hurdle Handicap (NSA-1), a 2 3/8-mile race for older horses, which opened the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. Trained by Keri Brion and piloted by Stephen Mulqueen, the 8-year-old son of Slumber (GB) has now won three of five races over the jumps at the Spa, adding to back-to-back wins in the Jonathan Sheppard Handicap (NSA-1) in 2024-25. He entered from a fifth in the Commonwealth Cup Stakes (NSA-1) May 2 at Great Meadow, and earned his first win since a similarly gritty victory in the 2025 Sheppard. "He's a funny horse. All credit to Stephen there, he never gave up," Brion said. "He is a horse who doesn't really ever travel and you kind of saw that throughout the race. He was having to niggle him along. That's just him. He never missed a fence and jumped for fun." In the Steinman, which was inaugurated in 2024, McTigue (IRE) bobbled over the first hurdle and unseated jockey Harrison Beswick and ran off well clear of the field, leaving a rank Coutach (GB) to establish a large advantage through the first lap with Jimmy P tracking in midpack. Coutach still was double-digit lengths in front heading into the stretch for the second time, but the makeup of the field changed when Ziggle Pops (GB) unseated jockey Jamie Bargary at the sixth fence. Coutach's lead then waned and Jimmy P inched up to third position on the flank of Rocket One. Jimmy P dropped back after jumping the eighth fence on the backstretch for the last time, while Rocket One chased a stubborn Coutach. Rocket One loomed large on his outside through the ninth and final fence and passed Coutach with ease as the field exited the far turn. It looked like Rocket One was going to run away with the race down the lane, but a determined Jimmy P was in pursuit under a heady ride from Mulqueen, as he angled Jimmy P inside in the final eighth and willed the gelding in front of Rocket One to score by a neck. Coutach finished third with Little Trilby (GB) and We're Back Again (IRE) completing the order of finish. McTigue and Ziggle Pops were collared by the outriders and walked home. Both Harrison Beswick and Jaime Bargary visited on-site first aid and walked out under their own power. Mulqueen, who was aboard Jimmy P for his two Sheppard wins, said the gelding needs some reminders during his races. "He loves Saratoga. He saves his best runs for here. He's genuine, but he's quirky," Mulqueen said. "You need to know him. He never really traveled in the race. With a full lap to go, I gave him a reminder and I pulled him out wide, and he picked up, and once he passed a couple of horses, I was happy. Then he came off it (the bridle) again down the back and the two horses in front of me got a couple lengths on me, so I just dropped him back in and I followed them and he picked up again. For as quirky as he is, when you let him down, he's tough." Brion said Jimmy P relished the added distance from the 2 1/8-mile Commonwealth Cup last out. "The farther along he goes, the better he gets, and you kind of saw then when he jumped the last and came up on the heels of them," Brion said. "(Stephen) said he always thought he had it down the lane, while I, on the other hand, was like 'oh my God' until the end. What a cool horse. He's 8 years old and loves Saratoga. I'm fortunate to train him for Sol (Kumin, Madaket Stables) and Paul Willis." Over the jumps, Jimmy P now has six wins from 22 outings. He was bred in Kentucky by Head of Plains Partners and Madaket Stables, and is out of the Scat Daddy mare My Love Venezuela, making him a full brother to Sy Dog, who won the 2022 Transylvania Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland. Jimmy P finished the 2 3/8-mile race in 4:33.17 and returned $10.06.