Your Guide to Aiken's Triple Crown 2018 by A Blue Wren

Your Guide To

TRIPLE CROWN a special publication of the

Inside

March 2018

To coin a phrase: Triple Crown history Three events: How to get tickets

Canadian trainer’s love of Aiken — On a dirt road: The Track Kitchen Life of the party: Meet Sissy Brodie — In their own words: Riders talk racing

GET G BACK CK O ION IN MOTION CMI: Now Offering Physical Therapy Since 1979, Carolina Musculoskeletal Institute has been dedicated to helping patients get back to their best. We are excited to announce our new exemplary physical therapy program to better provide the best musculoskeletal care in the CSRA.

2 | Your Guide to Aikenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Triple Crown 2018

803.644.4CMI (264)

www.CMI.md

N OW O F F E R I N G P T

CMI Main Office

N OW O PE N

The Sports and Spine Center and Physical Therapy

Aiken Medical Center

CMI North Augusta

399 Silver Bluff Road

410 University Parkway

440 W. Martintown Road

Suite 1000

Suite 201

AS33-1666369-1

S E R V I N G A I K E N I N 3 C O N V E N I E N T L O C AT I O N S

aikenstandard.com | 3

Your Guide To

TRIPLE CROWN a special publication of the Aiken Standard

803.648.2311 | aikenstandard.com

Table of Contents

To coin a phrase: Triple Crown history ........................Page 5 Three events: How to get tickets.............................................Page 6 Canadian trainer’s love of Aiken..........................................Page 8 On a dirt road: The Track Kitchen........................................Page 10 Life of the party: Meet Sissy Brodie.................................Page 14 Eat. Drink. Be merry....................................................................................Page 17 Pop of color: What to wear...........................................................Page 18 Future careers: Students love horses................................Page 20 In their own words: Riders talk racing.............................Page 22

Publisher Rhonda Overbey

Design & Layout Lauren A. Haley

Advertising Sales Manager Kathy Boyette

Staff writers Dede Biles, Christina Cleveland, Stacie Landrum, Larry Wood

Managing Editor Michael Harris Contributing Editor Holly E. Kemp

Contributing Photographers Barry Bornstein, Cindy Kubovic, Lauren A. Haley

On the cover: Jockeys vie for position in preperation for going over the next jump at the 2017 Aiken Spring Steeplechase. Photo by Lauren A. Haley 4 | Your Guide to Aiken’s Triple Crown 2018

Welcome to Aiken's Triple Crown

hether you are longtime resident or a visitor to Aiken County in March, you are well aware this time of year is not a time for basketball bracket busting but a time to witness our high horse. Welcome to Aiken’s Triple Crown, THE showcase of the year. As we enter the first days of spring, the ritual is to shed our cabin fever of the winter and get out and enjoy the camaraderie of friends in the wonderful South Carolina air. We will enjoy tailgates near the tracks or fields with tables of barbecue or homemade pimento cheese delights ... along with a decadent do-it-yourself dessert or three. We will enjoy libations of mint juleps, bloody marys or just sweet tea with our food, family and friends. We will show off our new spring attire of seersucker suits, bow ties and maybe a fedora or two. And of course ladies will dress to the nines in the new pastel skirt, pearls and reach-to-the-sky awesome hats. But let’s not forget the athletes of our three weeks ahead of us, the majestic equines that we will watch, love and admire their skills of speed and power. They are the true stars of the events that will captivate our appreciation for the three art forms of trials, steeplechase and polo. We will smile, love and laugh. It is Aiken County’s time. Enjoy the weeks ahead.

Michael Harris Managing Editor Your Guide to Aiken’s Triple Crown ©2018 Aiken Standard, 326 Rutland Drive, Aiken, SC 29801. (803) 648-2311. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Reproduction of any photographs, artwork or copy prepared by the Aiken Standard is strictly prohibited without prior written permission of the publisher. The advertisers and the publisher are not responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints or typographical errors.

Aiken's Triple Crown still going strong BY STACIE LANDRUM slandrum@aikenstandard.com

he Aiken Triple Crown returns each March, and from its humble beginnings the yearly events have become Aiken’s crown jewels. Though the trio of equestrian-themed events date back to the 1940s, it was the Aiken Standard that helped coin the moniker “Aiken’s Triple Crown” in the 1970s – with the assistance of the Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce – with the Triple Crown of horse racing in mind. “Any newspaper writer knows, a story must have a ‘kicker’ to attract the reader’s attention,” according to an article in a 1972 edition of the Aiken Standard. “And what sports – especially horse – enthusiast could resist reading a story entitled ‘Revived Trotting Track May Offer “Triple Crown” Climax.”’ Once the idea was seeded, repeated references of “Aiken’s Triple Crown” promoted the event as a “threefold horse racing extravaganza.” Other names were suggested before the Aiken Triple Crown took root, according to the Aiken Standard archives – names such as Festival of Horses and Aiken’s Horses were suggested. The Aiken Triple Crown has undergone a few changes over the years, including a change in events. The first Aiken Triple Crown involved The Aiken Trials, harness racing and The Aiken Hunt Meet. “Early in its beginning, The Trials was the biggest event,” said retired Aiken Standard Editor Jeff Wallace. “Over the years, because it became associated with the National Steeplechase Association and began offering cash prizes, the Steeplechase became bigger.”

A 1940s photo

from the Aiken Steeplechase.

In 2003, the trio of events changed when it was announced that Pacers & Polo would be replacing the harness races as the third leg of the Aiken Triple Crown, according to a 2003 edition of the Aiken Standard. The intent was to involve USC Aiken and introduce polo to a broader base of local people as well as tourists who flocked to Aiken to be part of the “unique equine heritage,” said Tom Biddle, president of the United States Polo Association, in a previous edition of the Aiken Standard. The events are not just about the horses. “It’s a little bit of everything,” said Wallace. “Fashion, food, events, the people and it’s always been in the paper.”

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Aiken's Triple Crown

Ticketing and Parking Information

Aiken Trials

Aiken Spring Steeplechase

Pacers & Polo

Saturday, March 17

Saturday, March 24

Saturday, March 31

Aiken Training Track

Aiken Horse Park Foundation’s Bruce’s Field

Powderhouse Polo Field

10 a.m. – Gates open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Family Area, new this year, with inflatables and entertainment for children 11 a.m. – Vendors and concessions open – Tent party starts 1 p.m. – Pony races, new this year – Opening ceremonies 2 p.m. – Races start Tickets: General admission ticket is $10 in advance, $15 at gate; infield/outfield general admission parking is $10 in advance, $15 at gate; tent party ticket (adult) is $75; tent party ticket (child) is $25; Winners Circle reserved table for 10 in tent is $650. Tickets are available online at aikentrainingtrack.com and at the Aiken Training Track office at 538 Two Notch Road S.E. Tickets also are available at Aiken Saddlery, H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, Floyd & Green Jewelers, Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum and Aiken County Visitors Center in Aiken; All Star Tents and Events in Graniteville; and Communigraphics in North Augusta.

For more information, call the Aiken Training Track office at 803-648-4631 or visit aikentrainingtrack.com. 6 | Your Guide to Aiken’s Triple Crown 2018

9 a.m. – Gate open 10 a.m. – Village of Shops opens 11 a.m. – Guarantor Tent Party starts 11:30 a.m. – Hat Contest and Crazy Pants Contest starts 1 p.m. – First race starts 1:15 p.m. – Carriage parade starts

10:30 a.m.– Gates open 1 p.m. – Polo match begins Tickets: General admission tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children in advance. At the gate, general admission tickets will be $10 for adults and $5 for children.

Tickets are available online at aikensteeplechase.com/ tickets, at the Aiken Steeplechase Office at 538 Two Notch Road S.E. or by phone at 803-648-9641. Tickets also are for sale at Aiken Saddlery & Supply, Floyd & Green Jewelers, Plum Pudding, USC Aiken, Aiken County Visitors Center and Security Federal Bank locations.

General admission tickets are available in advance at AllStar Tents and Events in Graniteville; USC Aiken Athletic Department, located in the Convocation Center; H. Odell Weeks Activities Center; and Lionel Smith Ltd. VIP Hospitality Tent tickets are $70 if purchased by March 16; otherwise, tent tickets are $85. VIP Hospitality Tent tickets will be available at the gate. VIP tickets include a buffet lunch hosted by Dr. Sandra Jordan, USC Aiken chancellor; railside VIP viewing and seating; parking; and an open bar. For information or to purchase VIP Hospitality Tent tickets, call 803-641-3518. All proceeds provide scholarships for USC Aiken students.

Parking: All infield and outfield parking spots are reserved before race day. Additional parking is available at the Powderhouse Polo Field. Parking spots are $20 in advance and $30 at the polo field on race day.

Parking: General admission parking is $5 per car and includes one souvenir program. Reserved railside parking spaces are $100 each, and the price includes four tickets and programs.

For more information, call the Steeplechase Association Office at 803-648-9641 or visit aikensteeplechase.com.

To reserve a railside parking space, call the USC Aiken Athletic Department at 803-641-3331.

Tickets: Patron passes are $25 in advance and $40 at the gate on race day.

Triple Crown Locations

1 Aiken Trials The Aiken Training Track is at 538 Two Notch Road. The entrance to the Aiken Training Track is located off Two Notch Road.

Grac e Av e

2 Aiken Spring Steeplechase

Aiken

The Aiken Spring Steeplechase takes place at the Aiken Horse Park Foundation’s Bruce’s Field, 931 Powderhouse Road. There will be three entrances to Bruce’s Field via three color-coded gates. Additional parking will be available at the Powderhouse Polo Field off Powderhouse Road. Organizers urge early arrival to beat the traffic.

Mead Ave

Steeplechase Gate Entrances: Red Gate: Entrance is off Audubon Drive, by way of Two Notch Road.

Aiken Training Track

Aiken Horse Park Foundation’s Bruce’s Field

Aiken Trials The Aiken Training Track is at 538 Two Notch Road. The ntrance to the Aiken Training Track is located off Two Notch Road.

Aiken Spring Steeplechase The Aiken Spring Steeplechase takes place at the Aiken Horse Park's Bruce's Field, 931 Powderhouse Road. There will be three entrances to Bruce's Field via three olor-codes gates. Additional parking will be available at he Powderhouse Polo Field off Powderhouse Road. Organizers urge early arrival to beat the traffic.

Green Gate: Entrance is off Powderhouse Road.

3 Pacers & Polo

Pacers & Polo takes place at the Powderhouse Polo Field, 820 Powderhouse Road. The entrance to Powderhouse Polo Field is located off Powderhouse Road.

Powderhouse Polo Field Steeplechase Gate Entrances: Red Gate: Red Gate only entrance is off Audubon Drive, by way of Two Notch Road. Blue Gate: Blue Gate only entrance is off Audubon Drive by way of Powderhouse Road. Green Gate: Green Gate only entrance is off Powderhouse Road.

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Pacers & Polo Pacers & Polo takes place at the Powderhouse Polo Field, 820 Powderhouse Road. The entrance to Powderhouse Polo Field is located off Powderhouse Road.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 31

The Third Jewel of EST Aiken’s Triple Crown 2004 For ticket information visit:

WWW.USCA.EDU/PACERSANDPOLO

T SOU H CA INA AIKE N OL R

PACERS & POLO

F O

IVERSITY UN

Blue Gate: Entrance is off Audubon Drive by way of Powderhouse Road.

19 61

AS10-1666510-1

aikenstandard.com | 7

Canadian trainer loves Aiken

PHOTO BY BARRY

BORNSTEIN

Keogh enjoys success in Aiken Trials

8 | Your Guide to Aikenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Triple Crown 2018

Trainer Mike Keogh watches some of the horses from his stable gallop at the Aiken Training Track.

BORNSTEIN PHOTO BY BARRY

ed galloping ts a horse that has finishleft, watches. pa er, nt ce h, og Ke ke , kedanz Trainer Mi Track while Gus Schic at the Aiken Training

BY DEDE BILES dbiles@aikenstandard.com

anada is known for maple syrup, ice hockey, Niagara Falls, poutine and the beauty of its lakes, rivers and mountains. It also is the home of Mike Keogh, who spends every winter in Aiken training thoroughbred racehorses in a stable that is based at Woodbine racetrack in Ontario for the rest of the year. “I love Aiken,” Keogh said. “It’s a beautiful town, and the people are so friendly. I also love how quiet it is at the Aiken Training Track. There are all these dirt roads around it that seem to be built just for horses.” Keogh, 61, has saddled back-to-back winners – Woodbridge and Enoree – in the Aiken Trials’ featured race, the City of Aiken Trophy. Woodbridge captured the City of Aiken last year, covering 4½ furlongs in 54 1/5 seconds. In 2016, Enoree triumphed while setting a track record of 51 4/5 seconds for the distance. Say No More, also trained by Keogh, had established the previous mark of 52 2/5 seconds while rolling to victory in the 2013 City of Aiken. “We’ve been lucky,” Keogh said. A native of England, Keogh immigrated to Canada in 1977. He sent out his first winner as a trainer in August 1993. Gustav Schickedanz, who is a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame, has bred and owned the vast majority of the thoroughbreds trained by Keogh during his career. Earlier this year, Schickedanz celebrated his 89th birthday. “I was training privately for Gus when he had a stroke just before 2003,” Keogh said. “He decided

I should go out on my own and go public because he was going to scale back. But around that time, we came up with two of our top horses, Wando and Mobil, and that seemed to rejuvenate his health.” It also renewed Schickedanz’s enthusiasm for racing, and he remained a big supporter of Keogh. Wando was Canada’s Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male in 2003 when he swept Canada’s Triple Crown. He also was the 2003 Aiken-trained Horse of the Year. But for Keogh, the thoroughbred that stands out the most among his past trainees is Langfuhr. That horse was Canada’s champion sprinter in 1996. Langfuhr also ran in this country, winning three grade I races. “He is the best horse that I’ve ever had,” Keogh said. Three sons of Langfuhr – Wandofuhr, Viewfinder and Wedgewood – are Keogh’s top candidates for this year’s Queen’s Plate, which is Canada’s version of the Kentucky Derby. The Queen’s Plate was part of Wando’s Triple Crown sweep, and he was Keogh’s second Queen’s Plate winner, following Woodcarver in 1999. “My biggest dream would be to go back to England and win the Epsom Derby,” Keogh said. “But I don’t see that happening because it’s around a mile and a half, and Gus doesn’t really breed for distance.” But if Schickedanz’s program did happen to produce a horse with the right sort of credentials in the future, “I know Gus would be all for running in the Epsom Derby,” Keogh said. “He would do it in a heartbeat. He is a wonderful man to train for. We have great relationship, and we trust each other.” aikenstandard.com | 9

Track Kitchen serves breakfast

...with a side of Aiken's horse history

BY LARRY WOOD lwood@aikenstandard.com

restaurant review on Yelp.com might best describe Aiken’s Track Kitchen in the heart of the horse district: “Yep, it’s a concrete block, bare lightbulb, slammin’ screen door kind of place.” Tucked behind live oaks and cedars and between polo fields and horse barns at 420 Mead Ave., the Track Kitchen has been serving Southern-style, home cooking to exercise riders and trainers after early morning workouts at the Aiken Training Track and to locals and out-of-towners looking for a hearty breakfast since 1957. Carol Carter and her husband, James “Pockets” Carter, took over in 1978 as owners and head chefs and have been cooking breakfast every morning during the training season ever since. The informal, equine atmosphere has made the Track Kitchen an Aiken institution with visiting horse enthusiasts and locals, who make up most of the restaurant’s customers, Carol Carter said. “It’s a good atmosphere, just good surroundings, friendly people, talkative people. That’s it,” she said, taking a break between orders on a rare quiet Thursday morning. “You’ve got to experience it for yourself.” And the food, of course, keeps regulars coming back morning after morning. Carter cooks up all the Southern favorites: sausage, bacon, eggs, grits, ham, hot cakes. Her omelets are especially popular.

10 | Your Guide to Aiken’s Triple Crown 2018

“Most people like the western omelets, ham and cheese omelets, egg and cheese omelets,” Carter said. “It all depends on the person.” In spite of its out-of-the-way location on a horse friendly dirt road, the Track Kitchen is hard to miss on busy mornings. Pickup trucks, horse trailers, SUVs and luxury cars pack the parking lot, and the voices of satisfied diners greet customers before they open the screen door. Once inside, diners order at the counter in the back and then head into the kitchen to grab a mug and pour a cup of coffee from industrial-sized urns. While waiting for their eggs and omelets, customers sit in slat-back, wooden chairs at communal tables with a view of the dozens of framed photos of famous racehorses and jockeys and posters from racetracks that cover almost every square foot of wall space. The photos, many decades old, tell Aiken’s story as a international center for all equine sports: the Blessing of the Hounds and fox hunters in Hitchcock Woods; polo players on Whitney Field, almost in the Track Kitchen’s backyard; Winter Colony resident and polo player Seymour Knox II on the tennis court; and Palace Malice, the winner of the Triple Crown’s 2013 Belmont Stakes, that trained at the Aiken Training Track just down the street at the end of Mead Avenue. The Track Kitchen is open from 7 a.m. to noon seven days a week from fall, when horses arrive in town for training, to spring, when they head to race at tracks around the country. The restaurant is closed in the summer. All meals are cash only.

In the h Track K eart of the h seven d itchen ser veorse district on s ays a w eek fro break fast froMead Avenu m fall t e o sprin m 7 a.m. to n , the g. o on

STAFF PHOTOS BY CINDY

KUBOVIC

Carol Carter and her husband, James “Pockets” Carter, have been serving breakfast to horse enthusiasts, local residents and out-of-towners at the Track Kitchen for almost 40 years. The photos and posters on the walls tell the story of Aiken’s equine industry. aikenstandard.com | 11

Entrusted to Sell Aiken’s Finest Homes, Land, Estates & Horse Properties

Old Buckland Barn . Historic training facility in Aiken’s downtown Horse District has spacious 2,787 square foot main residence, combining 2 original cottages with central great room. Cottage is delightfully renovated with wood floors, granite countertops and all appliances. There are 2 converted race barns with 15 expanded stalls total, board fenced paddocks, grooms’ apartment, dressage arena with mirror. Call Courtney Conger $1,425,000

Willow Hill Farm Historic 1910 farm recently updated features main residence with original woodwork, eat-in kitchen modernized in 2014, 5 bedrooms each with full bath. Brick 2-story home with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, 2 original barns with 18 stalls and hay storage areas; and 8 fenced paddocks, each with run-in shed. Rolling pastures and riding arena complete the 22.81 acre farm. Call Courtney Conger or Jane Page Thompson $1,150,000

ing, 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, and classic original architectural elements throughout. This Gilded Age residence with modern updates includes an apartment, formal gardens and carport on 1.22 acres. Additional parcels offered: 3 bedroom guest house for $365,000, and adjoining Carriage House parcel with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 5-stall barn and 2 paddocks for $745,000. Call Jane Page Thompson or Alex Tyrteos $1,600,000

cottage with stables in downtown Olde Aiken just steps from Hitchcock Woods! Delightful 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home, updated in recent years, features high ceilings, wood floors, fireplace, and wall o windows overlooking patio & paddocks. For horses, there is a 3-stall shed row barn. Call Courtney Conger $790,000

The Polo Club . Location, Location, Location! An early century charme

Wit’s End Farm Emerald green hay fields roll gently to beautiful lake on over 140 acres of perimeter fenced woods & fields. Delightful 3,800 square foot residence includes great room with fireplace, state-of-the-art kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, master wing, media room. Includes storage sheds, run-in shed, separate garage/workshop and expansive equipment building plumbed for apartment. Call Courtney Conger $995,000

Red Top Estate . Historic Aiken estate with grand rooms for entertain-

Woolworth House . Historic Winter Colony

originally built as a clubhouse for Whitney Polo Field. Directly across from Aiken's Training Track in Historic Horse District, with easy access to downtown & south side shopping. Enjoy the wrap-around porch with picturesque views. Keep cozy in front of the 5 fireplaces. Beautiful hardwood floors and original details enhance this historic property that also boast ample paddock space. Call Mike Hosang or Brian Cavanaugh $1,200,000

King’s Ridge . Artfully situated to capture vibrant sunsets, this

spectacular home has 5,100 square feet under roof with verandas and screened porch overlooking the sparkling pool and lake. Exceptional craftsmanship is evident in designer details in this 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home! Includes garage with studio apartment and several barn sites on 5 acres in gated equestrian community. Call Jane Page Thompson $836,000

Three Runs Plantation . Spectacular nearly

new home with 3 bedrooms and 3 full baths on 6 perfect acres of grass, irrigated and fenced. The barn has room for 4 horses with heat ed and air conditioned tack room. The bonus room over the garage i roughed in for another bedroom or office and a full bath and a kitchen. Call Jack Roth or Frank Starcher $769,000

Cedar Meadows . Fabulous horse property in completely private setting with beautiful landscaping. Beautifully maintained home has 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, gleaming hardwood floors throughout. Property is 7 acres fenced and cross fenced with access to miles of trails. Center aisle barn has 3 large stalls, large feed/ storage area and tack room. Call Suzan McHugh $549,000

Indigo Cottage g Amazing brand new custom home on an acre in New Bridge Polo & Country Club features 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, large kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, luxurious main level master suite, fireplace, finished bonus room with bath, with oak & tile flooring throughout. Entertain outdoors with wrap-around porches and deck overlooking polo field. Community amenities include clubhouse, tennis courts, swimming pool, and of course world class polo. Call Jack Roth $489,000

COURTNEY CONGER

RANDYWOLCOTT

LEE HEDLUND

THOMAS BOSSARD

803.645.3308

803.507.1142

803.221.6831 803.640.2845 12 | Your Guide to Aiken’s Triple Crown 2018

MIKE HOSANG

FRANK STARCHER

BRIAN CAVANAUGH

JANE PAGE THOMPSON

803.270.6358 803.624.6072

Fire Tower Farm Charming 4 bedroom farm house with wood floors, open floor plan, fireplace and chef’s kitchen. For horses, farm includes 4-stall center aisle barn with unfinished loft space and over 8 acres of irrigated coastal pastures with water and 3board fencing. Call Courtney Conger $499,000

JACK ROTH

803.270.6623

803.341.8787

803.215.8232

803.645.8558

BETH OWENBY

Three Runs Plantation Turn key horse farm in Aiken’s premier equestrian commu nity has 3 bedroom, 3 bath home with custom details mud room/laundry and 2-bay garage. Barn has 2 stall with room for more, tack room and feed storage. Includes separate equipment building, fenced paddocks with established grass. Clubhouse, dressage arena, jump field, schooling rings, swimming pool, cabana, picnic shelter, and miles of groomed trails! Call Frank Starcher or Jack Roth $539,000

SUZAN McHUGH

ALEX TYRTEOS

803.292.8525

203.249.3071

803.292.3709

803.648.8660

ANGELA LITTLE

OFFICE

HOMES HORSES HISTORY HOSPITALITY Let us welcome you home to Aiken, South Carolina’s horse country! www.CarolinaCompany.com

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Bass Pond Farm This 38.49 acre farm located in Aiken’s Equestrian Corridor offers it all! The 3 bedroom, 2 bath residence overlooks 3-acre spring-fed pond. Property includes 1BR, 1BA guest house, groom's cottage, and the 20-stall barn with tack & feed rooms, laundry and small apartment. Grand prix or stick-and-ball field, exercise track, fenced sand arena and 3-board fenced paddocks complete this very private facility close to town. Call Alex Tyrteos $695,000

Polo Vista Cottage Comfort and craftsmanship are the hallmarks of this delightful cottage with 2929 square feet. Features include open floor plan with 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, cathedral ceilings, stone fireplace, wood floors and window walls overlooking one of New Bridge Polo’s beautifully maintained polo fields. Call Courtney Conger $499,000

New Bridge Polo Stables . This beautifully constructed center aisle barn is in like new condition and offers 18 large, matted stalls on 22.47 acres overlooking polo field. Included are wash stall, spacious tack room/lounge combo, 2 bunk rooms, laundry room and full bath. There is also an 1800 square foot, insulated equipment shed and 13 four-board fenced paddocks and pastures. Amenities include riding trails, clubhouse and pool. May be purchased in conjunction with the charming 4-bedroom residence across the polo field (see left). Call Courtney Conger $999,000

er,

Hickory Hill Farm Fabulous 21 acre horse farm in Chime Bell Chase equestrian community includes custom 3 bedroom, 3 bath farm house, in ground pool with patio & pergola, 6-stall center aisle barn with tack room & wash area, and 3 large board fenced paddocks with run-in sheds for each. Call Thomas Bossard $699,000

Bridle Creek Phase II now open at Bridle Creek! Lots range from 5 acres to 11.77 acres. Community amenities include miles of trails, gallop, stadium jumps, cross-country jump field, and dressage ring. New community green space added at the entrance of Phase II. Call Frank Starcher or Jack Roth — just $16,000 per acre

Greener Pastures Located in the Highway 302 east side Horse Corridor, this turn key equestrian property offers over 41 acres of board fenced pasture & woods. Custom brick residence with 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths, 3-stall center aisle barn with hay storage and tack room, 8-acre pasture with 4 feeding pens and run-in shed, 4 paddocks, 2 more run-in sheds, and 40x50 Hoover work shop. Miles of riding on groomed trails and adjoining dirt roads! Call Courtney Conger $599,000

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Oak Tree Farm . Country contemporary with 3 bedrooms and 3 full baths is nestled among live oaks on over 48 acres of board fenced pastures. Sunlit great room and master bedroom feature cathedral ceilings and window walls with sweeping views of coastal fields. Inground pool with new liner. Center aisle barn has 3 stalls with room for more, tack/feed room, run-in shed and storage space. Call Courtney Conger $699,000

Shellhouse Lake Farm . Sportsman's retreat located

in Aiken’s east side equestrian corridor less than 10 miles from downtown! Drive through the gated entrance and past grassy fenced pasture to the sparkling 11 acre lake. Parcel Two offers approximately 43 acres mostly cleared and grassed with Shaw's Creek at the back border. The brick 2 bedroom, 1 bath country cabin has spacious kitchen/family room, fireplace and full length porch, with wonderful views overlooking lake. Call Mike Hosang $595,000. Parcel One, 34 acres of established pasture with gate at front offered at $340,000

Snaffle Bit Farm . NEW custom built 3 bed-

room home in Three Runs Plantation equestrian community on over 5 acres, this Southern style timber frame home features exposed posts & beams, cathedral ceilings, heart pine floors, gourmet kitchen with granite countertops & stainless steel appliances, fireplace, mud room and 2-car garage. NEW 2-stall barn & fencing! Call Frank Starcher or Jack Roth $535,000

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Solstice Meadow . Two partly cleared tracts ready for you to have horses at home! Direct access to trail system with miles of dedicated trails, including the 61 acre Freeman preserve, which has a wonderful pond. Call Randy Wolcott and ask about owner financing! These 5-acre parcels offered at just $85,000 each. Additional acreage available!

Three Runs Plantation .

Beautiful 9.68 acre lot in Phase II has established Bermuda grass. Fenced and cross-fenced, the lot borders more than 30 miles of groomed riding trails. Amenities include jump rings, dressage arenas, club house, fitness center and swimming pool. Call Courtney Conger $222,640

Hillside Farm Charming farm has 3 paddocks with run-in sheds in each, small stocked pond, hunter training field and charming cottage. Renovated in 2012, the home has open floorplan, granite countertops, stacked stone fireplace, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and large Jacuzzi bathroom in the owner’s suite. Screened porch, formal plantings and dog yard fencing make this 11+ acres close to town an easy-to-occupy property. Call Jane Page Thompson $342,500

Red Coat Cottage g . Adorable and affordable 2 bedroom huntbox on Old Tory Trail is open & airy with hardwood floors, 2 full baths, and 2 living areas. For horses, there is a 3-stall shed-row barn with tack & feed room and storage area, plus 3 large grass pastures on 2.78 fenced acres. Call Lee Hedlund $249,900

aikenstandard.com | 13

Life of the party

STAFF PHOTOS BY CINDY KUBOVIC

14 | Your Guide to Aikenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Triple Crown 2018

Brodie creates festive themes at Aiken Trials BY DEDE BILES dbiles@aikenstandard.com

obody likes a good party better than Sissy Brodie. “I just like to make a celebration out of fun things,” said the Aiken native, who has been a bright and shining presence in the local social scene for decades. “My mother was that way, so I think it’s inherited.” One of the events that Sissy enjoys most is the Aiken Trials, the first leg in the Aiken Triple Crown. Over the years, her railside space at the Aiken Training Track has become known for its festive themes, elaborate decorations and abundant food. “We used to just tailgate on a card table in the general admission area,” Sissy said. But that simple approach changed dramatically after, Sissy and her late husband, Wade, got the opportunity to purchase a spot in the prime location near the clocker’s stand and finish line. Sissy doesn’t remember exactly when that happened, but thinks it was in the 1970s or 1980s. “Kellah Cleckley was the Training Track’s secretary back then, and she liked Wade,” Sissy said. “One day, Kellah called Wade and said, ‘Get a check and come down here quick, I’ve got a parking space that has come open and I want you and Sissy to have it. I can’t think of anybody who would enjoy it more.’” Please see BRODIE, page 16

Sissy Brodie, Ladonna Armstrong and Vanessa Armstrong look at photos from Brodie’s past Aiken Trials’ parties. aikenstandard.com | 15

BRODIE from 15 In Sissy’s mind, access to a special place meant she needed to put a lot more effort into preparing for the Training Track’s annual day of racing. And Wade, a bank executive and civic leader, was Sissy’s enthusiastic collaborator prior to his death in 2016. They tried out a variety of themes to keep themselves and their guests entertained. There was “Come Lunch with Me Under the Sea,” which featured a big octopus made of shiny blue fabric and a smorgasbord of delicacies from the ocean. Another theme was the “The Great Gatsby,” with a table surrounded by a canvas skirt painted by local artist Isabel Vandervelde to look like a 1920s roadster. “It was a real showstopper,” Sissy said. “The ‘Great Gatsby’ was so popular that we did it three or four times.” For a “Wild Game” picnic, there were lots of antlers and dishes featuring meat from deer, quail and doves. When a Chinese pagoda was the most prominent embellishment, Sissy complemented it with Asian cuisine. More artwork from Vandervelde helped turn a table into an Easter basket for a holiday theme, and there also were largerthan-life bunnies made out of cardboard. “Wade went out and got wisteria vines that were 12 feet long from our backyard,” Sissy said. “He wet them and then molded them into a handle for the Easter basket.” One year, when Sissy wanted a miniature carousel as her Aiken Trials centerpiece, Wade created the horses out of papiermâché. “We baked them in the oven, and then Wade painted them and put green plumes on their heads,” Sissy said. As the Brodies grew older, they focused more on children and less on adults when preparing for their Aiken Trials parties. The couple’s goddaughter, Madison Gregory of Lexington, got involved in the planning process and so did some of the Brodies’ younger friends – Ladonna Armstrong and her four daughters: Anaya, Sophia, Vanessa and Liyla. “Madison’s Secret Garden” and the “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” have been among the themes for the more recent Aiken Trials extravaganzas. Sissy has one rule, however, that must always be followed. “You can’t have an Aiken Trials party without deviled eggs,” she said. “They are a Southern custom. We put a little caviar or something else on top to make them fancier.” 16 | Your Guide to Aiken’s Triple Crown 2018

SUBMIT TE

D PHOTO

Sissy and Wade Brodie and friends with their creative and elaborate spreads at a past Aiken Trials.

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Taste of Triple Crown

Food and drink recipes to try

Eat from the Willcox • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Drinkfrom Whiskey Alley

Goat Cheese and Chorizo Stuffed Sweet Peppers with Sherry Vinegar Reduction

The Powderhouse

Here is something a little non-traditional, though bourbon-based and refreshing for a day in the sun. Named after the road that borders Bruce’s Field, it’s a spin on the classic whiskey sour – which is just nearly a cousin to whiskey and lemonade. • 1 ounce overproof bourbon (Wild Turkey Rare Breed) • 1 ounce amaretto (Gozio) • .5 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice • One egg white 1) Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin and shake without ice. Add ice and shake again. 2) Strain over fresh ice.

1 pound course ground chorizo, or link chorizo removed from casing (preferably pork) 2 tsp thyme 4 tbsp shallot, minced 1 1/2 tbsp garlic, minced 1 tsp cumin 2 tbsp cilantro 1 pound fresh goat cheese 2 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 2 pound sweet peppers 1 cup sherry vinegar 1 cup brown sugar 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

Content and recipe submitted by Brian Clark, bar manager at Whiskey Alley.

Method: 1) Combine sherry vinegar, brown sugar and four sprigs thyme. Reduce by 25 percent. Cool. 2) Fry chorizo till cooked, crumbling it up. Add all other ingredients except the goat cheese. Cook till tender. 3) Cool mix for 10 minutes and then fold in the goat cheese. Mix till well combined. Refrigerate for 1 hour. 4) Cut the tops off the piquillo peppers and remove any seeds. 5) Place chorizo and goat cheese mixture into a pastry piping bag or a Ziploc bag with one corner removed and pipe mixture into the peppers. 6) Using a jalapeño pepper roaster, place peppers in the roaster and roast in a grill for 15-20 minutes. Remove peppers and place on platter. Drizzle sherry reduction over the peppers. 7) Enjoy

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aikenstandard.com | 17

Triple Crown Fashion

Color, accessories that pop for the races

BY CHRISTINA CLEVELAND ccleveland@aikenstandard.com

STAFF PHOTOS BY CINDY KUBOVIC & CHRISTINA CLEVELAND

iken’s Triple Crown is a moment for a headto-toe fashion statement. Steeplechase patrons have the freedom to embellish, even if their style is more subtle. Spring color and equine accessories can be used to doll up attire for men and women: that includes hats, bow-ties, flowing dresses, patterned shirts and “fancy pants,” right down to bright-colored socks. Choosing headgear depends on what color a person wears, the style of the outfit, and for most women, how they will wear their hair, said Martha Wise, owner of White Rose Eclectics boutique in downtown Aiken. She suggests simply finding what’s comfortable, whether it is a large hat, a fascinator, derby hats or organza-

style hats. Wise also personally embellishes straw, wool and felt hats. Floppy beach hats will come in during spring, she said. All colors can also dress up the style. Danny Minolfo, co-owner of Lionel Smith Ltd. in downtown Aiken, who also sells headwear for men, said color is at the center of many style choices. “Every year, whether it’s Steeplechase or spring, it’s all about color,” Minolfo said. “With that said, this season we’ve seen a lot of jewel tones – turquoise, burgundy, lavender, shades of pink.” New this year at the men’s clothing store are Res Ipsa shoes, a brand that carries shoes made from Kilim rugs. Each pair are one of a kind, because though the same rug can be cut for shoes, it is always a different part of the fabric on each shoe. They are carried in store and online in every size.

18 | Your Guide to Aiken’s Triple Crown 2018

New leather and needlepoint koozies with collegiate and Aiken designs are available at Lionel Smith Ltd.

The Nicole Simpkins Collection in downtown Aiken says color and bold accessories are great choices for women’s fashion during Triple Crown.

New leather and needlepoint koozies with collegiate and Aiken designs are also available, said Minolfo, who added the needlepoint Smathers & Branson belts are still a popular choice. For women, color is also an integral part of the look, said fashion enthusiasts Nicole Simpkins, owner at The Nicole Simpkins Collection, and Franny Weaver, manager at Fox & Lady. Mauve, mint, pink and green, and soft purples are all colors Simpkins said she’s seen trending, but added many of the bright spring colors are great choices. Patterns and layering are also big for the event and spring in general. “Layers are in,” Simpkins said, pointing to, for instance, kimonos that have grown popular over the past few seasons. “Layering your necklaces, a scarf … that will automatically set you apart. Trying colors – maybe your outfit is plain and your statement is your jewelry.” Layering is also is a good idea in case of rainy weather, as spring showers can occur during the event. One recommendation Simpkins offered is carrying a lightweight wrap sweater. Weaver echoed similar ideas. Spring trends that came to mind for her ranged from florals, stripes, fringe, pastels, denim jackets and fun earrings to accessorize a plain top and pants. The typical Triple Crown look includes the big hat and fun, floral dresses along with matching jewelry, shoes, koozies and coolers, Weaver said. People still love the dainty necklace, but chunky pieces also can be layered with outfits, she said. “Gold, rose gold, tassel necklaces are still popular,” she said, “(And) fringe is still trending right now from earrings and necklaces.” The chunky heel or wedge are “still big” for shoes. Decorative sandals are also an option. aikenstandard.com | 19

For USCA equestrian teams

...riding is academic

BY LARRY WOOD lwood@aikenstandard.com

SC Aiken’s equestrian programs give students who ride a leg up on future careers while earning their degrees and continuing to compete in the sports they love. For more than five years, USCA has offered two different equestrian teams as club sports. The eventing team competes in dressage, stadium jumping and cross country with major universities such as Georgia, Alabama and Clemson and at local eventing competitions. Through the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, or IHSA, students participate in hunt seat and western competitions regionally with schools such as Clemson, Lander and the College of Charleston. This year, 13 students are on the eventing team and 11 on the IHSA team. Most have been riding since childhood and work at local stables and for trainers around town while going to school. All of the teams’ members, who come from as near as Lexington and as far as Washington state, are women, but men can compete, too. Collectively, they maintain a B grade point average. With so many equestrian events in Aiken, USCA is the perfect place for students to study and ride, said Michelle Hodge, the programs’ adviser who works in the Office of Advancement. “Girls – I say girls because no men are on the teams right now – love horses. They want to continue to ride. Mom and dad want them to go to school. At USCA, they can continue to ride and go to school, and everyone is happy,” she said. Amanda Kornacki, a junior nursing major from Florida on the eventing team, looked at other schools but, “definitely, the horses brought me to USCA,” she said. “Plus the academics here are fantastic.” Kornacki, the eventing team president, said being a nurse would give her the flexibility to continue eventing after graduation. “I love horses, and I love competing,” she said.

20 | Your Guide to Aiken’s Triple Crown 2018

“I’d like to continue for the rest of my life.” Sarah Cundith, a freshman business management major from Virginia on the eventing team, took a gap year after high school to work with a professional eventer and spent the winter in Aiken. “That was my first taste of Aiken, and I really liked it,” she said. “I had already decided to come to school here, but that reinforced my decision.” Cundith, an exercise rider at the Aiken Training Track, said she wants to be a professional trainer and rider. “But all the trainers and riders will tell younger people to go to college and establish a plan B, and my management major will help with a horse business,” she said. Sophie Miller, a junior business management major on the eventing team, said she “managed to talk her parents into letting” her move across the country from Washington state to Aiken after visiting a friend here. “It was definitely a great choice. Aiken is a horse town, and I fell in love with it,” Miller said. Miller, who has worked with Doug Payne, an eventing trainer based in Aiken, wants to become a professional trainer, too. “Being in Aiken and having access to all these upper-level trainers and horses to ride has been a really good learning experience. I couldn’t do that on the West Coast,” she said. Brooklin Kuipers, a junior communications major who was born in Michigan and moved to Lexington when she was 10, competes in the IHSA. She homeschooled through high school to work and ride, living in Savannah, Charlotte, Atlanta and Camden. Kuipers came to Aiken for horse shows and trained here, too, when she was home. “USCA is so attractive for people who show and do eventing and western. It’s such an amazing community, so warm and welcoming,” she said. “There’s so much vibrancy in the equestrian community. There’s an equestrian night at The Willcox. You can go and hang out with horse people. It’s really fun.”

STAFF PHOTOS BY CINDY KUBOVIC

Amanda Kornacki, the president of USC Ai ke n’s eve nti n g team, walks Hunter, an eventing horse. USC Aike n sp on sors two equestrian teams, an eventing team and a team that participates in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, as club sports. Some of the teams’ members are, from left, Sarah Cundith, Sophie Miller, Brooklin Kuipers and Amanda Kornacki.

aikenstandard.com | 21

Triple Crown strategies

Riders discuss how they ride a race BY DEDE BILES dbiles@aikenstandard.com

STAFF PHOTOS BY LAUREN A. HALEY

In the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Aiken Trials, horses run on a dirt track in races that are only a quarter of a mile in length. In the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Aiken Spring Steeplechase, horses run over grass and have to clear jumps in nearly all of the races. Edmund Bruce, a 59-year-old former jockey who works as a groom for Legacy Stable, shared strategy for riding in an Aiken Trials race. Mark Beecher, a 32-year-old jockey with experience in steeplechasing, also shared his strategy for an Aiken Spring Steeplechase race over fences. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what they had to say:

22 | Your Guide to Aikenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Triple Crown 2018

Edmund Bruce, on flat racing “You want to get out of the starting gate as quick as you can. The races (in the Aiken Trials) are for short distances. The faster you go, the bigger advantage you’ve got. “You want your horse standing square in the starting gate. “You kind of look at the starter and watch his motions because you want to go as soon as he hits the button. “(And when he does) you chirp to your horse, give them a kick in the belly and slap them with a stick (whip) if you’ve got one. “You’re just trying not to fall off and get to the finish first. ... If you see another horse coming over on you, you move over and try to get away from him so you don’t clip its heels. “The adrenaline when you ride in a race is through the roof. It’s a rush going 35 miles an hour. I’ve never had a rush like it. “Winning a race is even a bigger rush. It’s awesome. It’s great. It means you were the best that day, that minute, that second. You and your horse were the best.”

STAFF PHOTOS BY LAUREN A. HALEY

Mark Beecher, on racing over jumps “When the flag drops (at the start), what you do depends on the horse you’re riding. “I always like the position of being on the inside because it’s the shortest way around (the course). “These horses are going 30 to 35 miles an hour, and if their trainers have done the homework with them, they’ll know how to jump at speed. But if your horse is a first-time starter or a little greener than some of the other horses, you might have to give him a squeeze or a nudge to kind of go in there and take them (the jumps) on a little bit. “I love it (when a horse jumps). It feels like you’ve got a pair of wings. “After the next-to-the-last fence, everybody is in the business end of it and everybody wants to win, so they’re hustling to get into a good position. As a jockey, that’s where you’ve got to know what’s the best possible move for your horse. Sometimes you’ve got to be aggressive, and sometimes you’ve got to sit and wait. “But you want to get a good jump at the last fence, land and then get away from there.” aikenstandard.com | 23

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