October 22 Steeplechase Times

Times

The A Publication of ST Publishing, Inc.

Complimentary

Steeplechase

Vol. 17, No. 10 Fri. Oct. 22, 2010

He’s The Man He’s A Conniver zooms to Gold Cup score INSIDE THIS EDITION Quick hits about Far Hills • Patriot’s Path takes Genesee Valley Hunt Cup • I’m Telling wins at Morven Park

2010 Racing Preview The Big Day

Steeplechasing goes to New Jersey Saturday, Oct. 23 for the 90th edition of the Far Hills Races, America’s richest and most important steeplechase day. Post time for the first of six races is 1 p.m.

Ten to Watch

Ptarmigan: She’s all but locked away the filly/mare championship and gets another chance to strut in the opener, the $50,000 Peapack. Gray filly faces her elders yet again, with stiffest test coming from Make Believe.

Call You In Ten: The year’s top 4-year-old is part of a field of 13 in the $100,000 Foxbrook. Owner James Piper bought him at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic two years ago. Two wins and a second in three jump starts, all this year.

Easy Red: Came to life in second half of 2010 with wins at Saratoga and Monmouth Park. Iron horse has made 52 career starts – flat and jump.

Fealing Real: Heard of him? You might after this. Irish-bred owns four career wins – two over English chase fences, one over English hurdles and one on the flat. Jump wins all came this year. Now part of Neil Morris barn.

Mixed Up: Welcome back. The 2009 champion hasn’t run over jumps since the Iroquois in May, but underwent a summer freshening and was a good second in a Morven Park training flat. Can get back in the picture.

Percussionist: Last year, Norwegian jump winner General Ledger nearly shocked the world with a second in the Grand National. Owner Morten Buskop returns, this time with a Group 2 flat winner.

Tax Ruling: The Iroquois winner gets his game – longer distance and softer ground than what he found at Monmouth Park last month. Wants to turn it into a galloping test and fully capable. Clinches championship with a win.

Class Bopper: Welcome back. Wildly, he’s nearly unbeaten in five starts over jumps (his only loss came when he ducked off course here in 2008). Been at work on the flat. Won Zeke Ferguson in July.

Demonstrative: The heir apparent. Three-year-old English import produced a facile score in his debut at Virginia Fall. Gets stern test, but looks like professional newcomer.

He’s A Conniver: Again? The timber horse aims for his third stakes win in 21 days in the New Jersey Hunt Cup. Do the math, he’ll have to win this and the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup Nov. 7 to claim the divisional championship.

Tod Marks

Taking Turns Last year, Tom Voss. The year before, Jack Fisher. The year before that, Sanna Hendriks. Some trainer seems to always win three races at Far Hills. Who’s up?

– See Page 4 for more –

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Friday, October 22, 2010

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2010 Racing Preview Far and Away The year’s top meet in terms of purse money and prestige cards six races, entertains 50,000 people, puts up $500,000 in purses. ST takes a special – and quick – look at some of the storylines headed to the Oct. 23 race meet. If you made the trip on raceday, have a seat and read up on a few players. If you’re looking at this afterward, see how they fared. Either way, enjoy.

Naylor, Fogarty to tackle Grand National from all angles Irv Naylor won the Iroquois with Tax Ruling and aimed the 7-year-old at a fall championship campaign which takes its most important step in the $250,000 Grand National at Far Hills.

So what did the owner do? He handed trainer Desmond Fogarty another Grand National starter in recent Irish import Decoy Daddy. The two-pronged Naylor/Fogarty attack steps into the year’s richest race with plenty of firepower – even if the horses are as different as Guinness and Coors Light.

Tax Ruling (the Guinness, ironically) is all power, all gallop. He’s

by Dynaformer. He won going 3 miles. He’ll handle soft ground just fine. He’s stepped from maiden in 2008 to novice stakes winner and Grade I placer in 2009 to Grade I winner in 2010.

“At home, you’d be kicking him, he’s idly and little bit on the lazy side, but he really wakes up on the day,” Fogarty said. “At the races, he lights up. At home he’s an old pony. He used to be pretty tough to gallop, but as time’s gone on he’s a grand old horse. Usually he leads the gallops but some days he wouldn’t be doing his work up there so he needs to go behind.”

Decoy Daddy came to the United States two weeks ago, but already acts like an American – he eats, he trains, he gets turned out on Naylor’s Maryland farm. The chestnut owns four career jump wins, is light on his hooves and did some of his best running in Ireland’s summer season (firmer ground).

“I like him a lot, I really do,” said Fogarty. “He’s not very big, but to sit up on him he’s not a small horse – lovely mover, old professional. He knows his job well. He will fit very well with the style of running over here too. It’s like he’s been here all his life.

He settled in grand, never missed an oat and he’d have a right to.

He thinks he’s home.”

The stablemates are part of an evenly matched dozen in the big race.

– Joe Clancy

Streaking Class Bopper rates Gr. I try Lilith Boucher laughed at the question.

“The best horse? Is he the best horse we’ve ever had? Yes, by a mile,” she said. “But we’re the underdogs, right?”

Not necessarily. Boucher and husband Richard (jockey and basically the co-trainer) bring the electric Class Bopper to Far Hills for the Grand National. The 5-year-old lists just one defeat – when he ducked off course while in front at Far Hills as a 3-year-old – on his five-start steeplechase career. Rodman Moorhead’s flashy chestnut splits his time between jump races and flat races, but has gone jumping enough to win a novice stakes at Callaway last fall and the Zeke Ferguson this summer at Colonial Downs.

The Bouchers play a balancing act with the son of Bop, who was bred by longtime client Mede Cahaba Stable and Stud. Sold to Moorhead late last year, Class Bopper has trained in Camden, S.C. all year. He goes out twice a day, and hardly ever works at racing speed. A typical day involves jogging and cantering in circles. Cool and calm are the goals.

Tod Marks

The horses return to Far Hills for the 90th time this year.

“He does his best when we aren’t too hard on him,” Lilith Boucher said. “You can’t train that exuberance out of him. You just have to work around it. We try to make his body feel as good as it can without his brain being crazed – sometimes well gets you there as much as really fit does. He’s not rank, but if you trained him like a racehorse every day he’d be doing a little more than you’d like. So we walk and jog a lot.”

Be that as it may, Boucher said Class Bopper worked sharply at Camden two weeks ago and could be on the verge of a big effort.

“He’s good, but who knows? We’re living in hope, like everybody else,” she said. “Trust me, it’s not like I’m sure he’s going to win the race, but he’s done it so far, he’s done the right things. He deserves to run here, but it makes me nervous.”

– Joe Clancy

The Champ aims to return to form Jonathan Sheppard hesitated and contemplated.

“Old veterans coming back . . . well, we’re trying to revive Mixed Up or he’s he trying to revive.”

Last year’s champion struggled this spring, failing to regain his best form in two starts, finishing fifth in the Temple Gwathmey and fifth in the Iroquois.

“He got run off his feet at Middleburg which is a sharp, fast track and he ran well for a long way in the Iroquois but he dropped out of it quickly and I’m not sure why but he might not be a 3-mile horse,” Sheppard said. “I didn’t see much sense continuing the

way we were going so I thought it was smart to bypass Saratoga, keep him fresh for the fall and have one more crack at the Grand National and the Colonial Cup. He’s doing great.”

The first step down the plank came in a flat spin at Morven Park Oct. 9 when Mixed Up finished second with jockey Danielle Hodsdon.

“I wasn’t down there but Dani said she was real happy with him and I did notice that it was a much faster time than the other division and she said she was just hand riding him,” Sheppard said.

“We’ve had a few soundness issues, nothing major but it’s always a concern. I had my vet X-ray his ankles and they look remarkably good for a horse of his age.”

Sheppard pulled off one of his best training performances last year when Mixed Up revitalized his career at 10, finishing the season with an improbable victory in the Colonial Cup at 2 3/4 miles, a distance that was meant to be out of his reach. It’s been 10 months since that victory and Sheppard knows time is against him.

“You feel responsible, you hate to be greedy and go to the well once too often but by the same token the alternative is maybe out in a field somewhere, he’s being very well taken care of and he seems happy. You let them tell you a little bit, of course there is a little bit of guesswork involved,” Sheppard said. “We’ve been around long enough to know that they’re not 110 percent every single day they go out there. We did the wrong thing with (1989 champion) Highland Bud in his last race and (four-time champion) Flatterer in his last race. As a trainer, you’re about 80 percent certain, never 100 percent certain.”

– Sean Clancy

From Norway to Far Hills: Buskop takes 2nd shot Morten Buskop, Hanne Bechmann and world traveler General Ledger added foreign intrigue to last year’s Grand National.

They nearly won the sport’s biggest stakes with a determined second to upset winner Your Sum Man. The owner/trainer combination returns this year with high-class flat horse turned steeplechaser Percussionist.

Owner Graham Wylie purchased Percussionist, fourth in the 2004 English Derby for John Gosden, for 340,000 guineas and won the 2006 Yorkshire Cup for trainer Howard Johnson. He won over chase fences and hurdles before his present connections purchased him and moved him to Norway – and the

USA. Buskop recruited General Ledger from Johnson’s yard as well.

Percussionist beat favorite Omoto Sando by 4 lengths to win Norway’s Champion Hurdle at the end of September.

That victory, under Johnson’s conditional jockey J.P. O’Farrell who will ride at Far Hills, helped convince Buskop to try another crack at Far Hills and the $250,000 Grand National.

“I think this is a better horse than General Ledger, his jumping is better and the form he has from the flat is world class,” Buskop said. “So you have to think this is a better horse for sure. We loved coming to Far Hills last year, so much that we are crazy

enough to try this costly affair once again. The warm welcome we got from Guy Torsilieri and his team was fantastic, and we were lucky to get help from local horse lover Anthony Knapp, who let us stay at his lovely farm. Even the rain that we were hoping for, so the ground would soften up, came at the right time.”

Percussionist has won 10 races from 38 starts (flat and jump). By Sadler’s Wells, he was beaten just a length and a half by North Light in the English Derby and finished sixth in the Italian Derby in Milan.

He’s won his previous two hurdle races in Norway.

– Sean Clancy

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Entries

What’s Happening and Where To Find It Here’s your newspaper. Far Hills is here, can you believe it? The year’s most-anticipated race meet happens Oct. 23 and we give you a quick look at some of the contenders (even if you’re reading this afterward), plus coverage from the International Gold Cup, Genesee Valley and Morven Park. And don’t forget to check the Pick Six standings – there is some movement at the top.

Pages 8-14 ‘He’ Strikes Gold

Chestnut front-runner He’s A Conniver adds his second timber stakes of autumn with a triumph in the International Gold Cup. Teddy Mulligan wins the hurdle feature with recent claim Canardly and – surprise! – there was a disqualification in the Steeplethon.

Pages 15-17 Owner/trainer/breeder Bay Cockburn enjoys I’m Telling’s heroics in the timber feature at Morven Park, a day that also included the return of 2009 champion Mixed Up in a flat race.

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The Staff

Advertising: Contact the office or call Kathy Rubin (203) 650-6815 Jim McLaughlin (484) 888-0664 Michelle Rosenkilde (410) 692-5977 Reney Stanley (804) 449-2388 Contributors: Maggie Kimmitt, Jane Clark, Tod Marks, Barry Watson, Steve Graham, Sam Clancy, Anne Clancy, Joe Clancy Sr., Ruth Clancy, Ryan Clancy, Jack Clancy, Nolan Clancy, Miles Clancy.

PageS 18-20 Trail Blazer

Last year’s timber champion Patriot’s Path gets back on the winning side with a stakes score at Genesee Valley for Irv Naylor and Desmond Fogarty. Former champion jockey Gus Brown gets his first win as an amateur.

2010 Publication Dates March 17 April 9 April 23 May 7

PageS 28-29

May 28 July 2 July 29 September 17

October 8 October 22 November 12 December 10

Don’t Forget to Advertise!

Stable Game

Where do you stand in the Pick Six contest?

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Comeback Man

Gus Brown won jockey championships in 2000 and 2001. Now, he’s after the Maryland Hunt Cup and a slimmer waistline.

The

Steeplechase

Editors/Publishers/Staff Writers: Sean Clancy and Joe Clancy

Speaking Clearly

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On the Cover He’s A Conniver makes it look easy, and golden, with a timber stakes triumph in the International Gold Cup at Great Meadow.

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Friday, October 22, 2010

News & Notes from around the circuit

WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY IS IS

RACE NIGHT AT AT

Post Time is 5 o’clock with replays through the evening Douglas Lees

Bumper Horses. Complete Sport (right, Richard Boucher) and Green Velvet (Danielle Hodsdon) tangle early in the maiden claimer

at Morven Park.

Worth Repeating

Minding Your Maidens

“I rode the Gold Cup in ’73 on the favorite, my saddle broke over the first fence and I had to pull up, that was the only time I did it.”

Owner/trainer Ernie Oare, whose mount was Allen B. J. in a race won by Portobelo III with Gilmore Flautt in the saddle; Oare hopes to win the Virginia Gold Cup with He’s A Conniver

Worth Repeatings from the connections of the maiden hurdle race at Great Meadow. Good luck matching the person with the comment.

“If he steers, he wins.”

“Shouldn’t have been down there on a 3-year-old.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Good. For a showhorse.”

“Glad I had a rider who kept riding.”

“For all the commotion, he ran OK.” “Always traveling.”

“He felt the horses come up behind him a couple of times, he picked up the bridle, then relaxed again. I could feel them coming after the water jump and he was half toting off with me. The last was coming up all wrong, he angled it and landed running. That’s a good horse.”

Jody Petty, describing He’s A Conniver in the Gold Cup “I liked the horse at Stoneybrook in April.”

Trainer Teddy Mulligan when asked how long he had been watching Canardly, whom he claimed at Morven Park in October.

“Man, I hope I didn’t cost you the race.”

Jockey Bernie Dalton to the connections of Swimming River after the Steeplethon “We got one. The horse deserved it, to run and jump around that course and have fun like that” Jockey Chris Read after winning the Steeplethon on Sandbox Rules through the disqualification of Swimming River “Death, taxes and off course in the Steeplethon.”

Jockey Gus Brown, when hearing about the disqualification “Oh God, don’t show them the fence. Don’t ever show them the fence.”

Trainer Bruce Miller as jockeys showed the water jump to the allowance horses at Great Meadow “You two should chat more often.”

Owner Irv Naylor, after relaying the same message to ST’s Joe and Sean Clancy

Friday, October 22, 2010

The Name Game I’m Telling, Morven Park winner: Bay Cockburn’s homebred is out of Don’t Tell Ma.

October 27 Far Hills November 3 Aiken November 10 Steeplechase at Callaway Montpelier PA Hunt Cup

Mask And Wig, Virginia Fall winner: He shares a handle with the University of Pennsylvania’s all-male musical comedy troupe founded in 1888 and still active today.

He’s A Conniver, International Gold Cup winner: Bred and named by Jonathan Sheppard, the 8-year-old is by Crafty Friend.

Take A Number

77,000 Dollars steeplechase owner Irv Naylor spent to buy

two horses from steeplechase owner EMO Stable at the Ocala Breeders Sale Oct. 19. Naylor now owns graded stakes-placed 6-year-old Pick Six ($57,000) and 4-year-old flat winner King Of America ($20,000). Pick Six is unraced over jumps, but is bred similarly to Naylor’s Grade I jump winner Tax Ruling (they’re both by Dynaformer and out of related Phipps family mares) and has earned more than $300,000.

4

Consecutive years Jellyberry has made the program in the filly/ mare stakes at Far Hills.

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Steeplechase Times

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international gold cup Saturday, October 16

Gold on the hoof

He’s A Conniver uses speed in timber stakes by sean clancy THE PLAINS, Va. – Jody Petty felt good about He’s A Conniver. For two fences, the forward-running timber horse had rated in third – neck bowed, head down, strong but not out of control – behind Albert’s Crossing and Bon Caddo in the International Gold Cup timber stakes at Great Meadow Oct. 16.

The jockey couldn’t have scripted it better as the 8-year-old needed to harness his speed to go 3 1/2 miles and to continue his progression to the 4-mile Virginia Gold Cup over the same course next spring.

Then Petty looked up and his best-laid plains slipped away.

James Slater on Albert’s Crossing and Chris Read on Bon Caddo were about to cut a beacon (Albert’s Crossing missed it, Bon Caddo slammed on the brakes and veered back on course).

He’s A Conniver was in front – and rolling. He flew the third fence and Petty knew the 8-year-old wasn’t

He’s A Conniver (right) leads Bon Caddo (left) and Music To My Ears in the International Gold Cup.

coming back. The jockey basically gave up holding him, ‘You win, buddy,’ and then a strange thing happened. He’s A Conniver gave up too. Owned and trained by Ernie Oare, He’s A Conniver strolled past the stands relaxed and in control of the $50,000 timber stakes.

“I was thrilled with the two in front of me,” Petty said. “Then I look up and said, ‘where are these guys going?’ I got in front and was like, ‘Now what?’ He met the next one long and we were done, but I took a deep breath and he was like, ‘OK.’ After that, he was golden.”

Douglas Lees

He sped up and slowed down like he was riding a seesaw and picked it up for good after landing over the water jump on the final circuit. Bon Caddo, second in the Virginia Gold Cup this spring and Swagger Stick, making just his second timber start, stayed in touch, waiting for the leader to wilt. He didn’t. He’s A Conniver drifted to an acceptable spot at the last and finished widest of all – and strongest of all. He won by 2 1/4 lengths over Bon Caddo and Swagger Stick.

He’s A Conniver finished in 7:36 while winning for the fourth time over timber.

See Gold Cup page 10

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Steeplechase Times

•9

Gold Cup –

Continued from page 8

Tod Marks

Ex-stablemates Canardly (left, Liam McVicar) and Mabou finish 1-2 in the starter allowance.

“He’s the real deal. Jody rode him great, he did a beautiful job, just to sit there and get him jumping like that,” Oare said as he walked onto the racecourse afterward.

Oare has made no bones about what he really wants – the 4-mile Virginia Gold Cup on the first Saturday in May. The big, bold-jumping, free-wheeling timber horse has sailed around Camden and Middleburg, winning from the front while going 3 to 3 1/2 miles. Purchased from the Calvin Houghland estate in time for 2010, He’s A Conniver tried the Gold Cup this spring, when with Jonathan Sheppard, and failed to finish after opening a big lead. The Sheppard homebred went next to Oare’s barn and then to Doug Fout’s barn this fall. He won a training flat race at Colonial Downs, the timber feature at Virginia Fall and now the International Gold Cup. That’s all well and good, but the 4 miles of the Gold Cup is still the bar to be scaled.

“This is not the one I want to win, it’s damn close to it, but it’s not the (Virginia) Gold Cup,” Oare said. “It’s nice to see the horse look like a really good horse. I would love to try that Aintree thing, I always wanted to do that. Maybe if I could win the Gold Cup, I’d think about that. I don’t see why he wouldn’t get 4 miles, he had a rap that he wasn’t a 4-mile horse but I don’t see that.”

Petty thinks it’s within his realm but it’s not a given.

“It’s possible, but he’s got to switch off. I think now he’ll settle in either place,” Petty said. “Perfect case scenario is there are two horses in front of you, that was an ideal world for the two fences, because he was settled behind them. I looked up and saw the beacon and didn’t have time to shout at them but in hindsight I almost wish I did for them to stay in front of me. Today did not prove he can go 4 miles. It proved he can go 3 1/2 miles. He’s a seriously fun horse.”

October 8, 2010 Dear Steeplechase Community, Many thanks for your involvement in our Jump to the Challenge II ball and fundraising efforts. Because of you, we have raised more than $170,000 to date. Because of you, we are able to continue our support of the course inspections, drug testing, the amateur racing program, photo finish systems and more.

Special thanks to auction item donors Breyer Animal Creations, Steeplechase Times, Chris Cancelli, Richard Hutchinson, Sam Slater, and Sally Jeffords Radcliffe. In addition, we are very, very grateful to the attendees, auction buyers, supporters and donors for the Jump to the Challenge II, held Saturday, September 11 at Winterthur Museum and Gardens.

And now a glance at the future, the Foundation can continue its mission of serving the sport of steeplechasing only with your continued support. The 2010 Annual Campaign is still active and we welcome your contributions. Our impact is only as great as our ability to rally support, raise funds and focus the community’s collected energy. We want to do more, we want to get involved – we want to be your foundation – but we can’t do it alone.

Thank You, Beasie Patterson, Sam Slater, Gail Thayer P.S.: Suggestions for improvement are as welcome as contributions with the goal being 100 percent participation.

NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES Sam Slater President

Sally Jeffords Radcliffe Vice President

Gail B. Thayer Secretary/Treasurer

Alexandra Hundt, Beasie Patterson, Frances Raffetto, Laura T. Shull, Adair B. Stifel, Susan Strittmatter, Guy J. Torsilieri, Richard Valentine, James H. Whitner IV

400 Fair Hill Drive, Elkton, MD 21921 • Phone: (410) 392-0700 • Fax: (410) 392-0706 • www.nsfdn.org

10 •

Steeplechase Times

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• Teddy Mulligan spent the week before Morven Park Races calling clients, friends, relatives, anybody about claiming Canardly, in for a $15,000 tag.

On Saturday morning, Mulligan called Karen Eyles who owns timber horse Brands Hatch in Mulligan’s stable.

“I called 50 people, begging them to claim the horse,” Mulligan said. “Saturday morning, I called Karen and said, ‘I need some money.’ She said, ‘I haven’t paid you?’ I was like, ‘No, no, no. There’s a Dynaformer I want in my barn.’ She got a cashier’s check that morning.”

And got paid back a week later.

At Morven Park, Canardly won a $15,000 conditioned claimer by a neck for Fox Ridge Farm and trainer Tom Voss. At Great Meadow, the 4-year-old took down a tough $30,000 starter allowance.

Mulligan claimed Canardly because of respect for Voss, not with any grand vision of improving the horse.

“I basically thought, if you get one from Voss, he’s a better trainer than me so don’t do anything different,” Mulligan said. “I cantered him around the field a couple of times this week, he settled right in, he ate up and acted great. I thought he was going to run well, he got a great weight advantage.

This is a big deal.”

At one stage of the 14-horse race, the four prescribed front-runners vied for the call as Mabou, Four Schools, Dubai Sunday and Waracha led the deep field. As they started to feel the pinch, Canardly gradually worked through the field. Given a wide, patient and trouble-free trip by Liam McVicar, Canardly wore down the Voss-trained Mabou after the last to win by a comfortable half-length.

Dubai Sunday held on for third after 2 1/2 miles in 4:52.

“Guys like Tom Voss and Jonathan Sheppard are up here and I’m down there,” said Mulligan, 27. “Hopefully when I’m 60 or 70, I’ll be one of them. We took a chance and it worked.”

• It was that sound. Less than a gasp, more than a murmur, the audible moment of doubt. Bernie Dalton and Swimming River had made the steeplethon course look like paint by numbers, relaxing, galloping, popping fences like an old hunter. Then the brush See gold cup page 12

Friday, October 22, 2010

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Steeplechase Times

• 11

Gold Cup –

Continued from page 10

Tod Marks

Lonesome Nun leads Classic Bridges home in the maiden hurdle.

slipped. With three fences remaining and still well in hand, Dalton and Swimming River went inside the already-jumped bank while the rest of the field went outside.

The crowd murmured.

The stewards spoke.

After the race, Dalton was sure he was right, the other jockeys were sure he was wrong, spectators and course officials weren’t sure.

“It’s always something new in this race,” co-chairman Don Yovanovich said, exasperated yet again by the confusion of the course.

Like most years, the $25,000 steeplethon was decided in the stewards’ stand as the judges disqualified Swimming River from first for not following the prescribed course. The course map denoted going to the right, Dalton went left. Victory to Kinross Farm’s Sandbox Rules. Ridden by Chris Read and trained by Neil Morris, the New York-bred son of Outofthebox earned his first career victory in his 13th career start. Stablemate Ordered To Listen (Matt McCarron) was placed second with Wazee Moto (Paddy Young) third.

Swimming River deserved to win. Sandbox Rules did nothing wrong either while covering more ground than the disqualified winner.

“Neil wanted me to stay closer today because I got a little out of it at Middleburg, he was a little keen so I dropped his head because I know he jumps, he’s a brave jumper,” Read said. “As soon as I saw him go to the wrong side of that fence, I knew I had a shot, it’s a gray area but I was pretty confident because the map shows it directly, I wanted to keep my horse close to him so the stewards knew it cost me the race, instead of easing him up.”

Read, McCarron and Dalton commiserated while waiting for the outcome to be announced. The two jockeys who were right knew how easy it is to be wrong in a confusing – and often ultimately disappointing – race.

“There should be a beacon on there but the map shows it,” Read said.

“When you’re talking to the stewards, you can see the looks on their faces and you don’t know which way it’s going to go, it went my way this time but I could see it going Bernie’s way too. It’s always something in this race.”

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12 •

Steeplechase Times

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• Bruce Miller laughed at the irony of training Lonesome Nun for his daughter Blythe Miller Davies.

“She doesn’t pay me and I get a lot of advice,” Miller said.

Perhaps daughter will pay dad (advice is an ingrained Miller gene) after Lonesome Nun beat the boys in a $15,000 maiden hurdle.

Brian Crowley took Miller’s advice and dropped the 5-year-old mare in the back of the field, gradually working through 12 opponents to roll into contention on the final turn when co-leader Union Army ducked inside a beacon.

Classic Bridges, softened up by setting a rapid pace, was no match for Lonesome Nun who drew off to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Classic Bridges (Matt McCarron) and late-arriving Embarrassed (Roddy Mackenzie).

Making her sixth start over jumps, Lonesome Nun made up for a tough loss at Foxfield when failing to hold off Class Tie by a nose. Bruce Miller excused the mare and the jockey for that loss.

“She should have won at Foxfield, she was in front too early and drifted to the right, but that’s OK, this a better race to win,” Miller said. “Brian rode such a great race, I told him to stay back, back, back. At Saratoga, he reminded me so much of Blythe. He moves at the right time. Every fence, he got. He was never in front at the last fence. I think he’s a See gold cup page 14

Friday, October 22, 2010

SOTA General Membership Meeting Friday, Nov. 12 at 2 PM Camden Country Club, Camden, S.C.

SOTA urges its members, and all National Steeplechase Association members, to take an active role in the upcoming NSA Board of Directors’ election by recommending nominees for five seats on the Board that become vacant at the end of the year.

Please send your recommendations in writing to any member of the Nominating Committee. Nominees must be patron members of the NSA, though all members (patron and regular) are eligible to vote in the election. The Nominating Committee will select up to seven patron members to run for the five seats. Ballots with their names will be mailed to all NSA members later this Fall. The votes will be tallied by an independent organization. The newly elected members take their seats at the Board’s January meeting.

N AT I O N A L S T E E P L E C H A S E A S S O C I AT I O N 2010 BoaRD oF DiReCtoRS

NomiNatiNg Committee

William Allison **Edgar T. Cato M. Nixon Ellis Peter R. Fenwick P. Douglas Fout Dwight Hall Richard Hutchinson H. Turney McKnight **Frank Petramalo, Jr. *Sarah Jeffords Laura Shull Beverly R. Steinman *Charles W. Strittmatter Guy J. Torsilieri *Thomas H. Voss

Austin A. Brown, Chairman 21 Meadowlark Lane, Hilton Head, SC 29926 843-342-9404. Fax 843-342-9405.

H. Turney McKnight PO Box 419 Havre de Grace, MD 21078 410-557-9273. STMFNDN@aol.com Anne K. Moran PO Box 383 Unionville, PA 19375 610-347-6838. Fax 610-347-1938.

*First 3-year term expires December 31, 2010. **Second 3-year term expires December 31, 2010. (ineligible for re-election in 2010).

Samuel Slater 327 Gum Tree Road Coatesville, PA 19320 610-383-4155. Fax 610-383-5210. samlornie@verizon.net

Deadline for Nominations November 1, 2010

Friday, October 22, 2010

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Steeplechase Times

• 13

Gold Cup –

Continued from page 12

great rider.”

Lonesome Nun, a half-sister to stakes winner Dynaskill, made her ninth start this year (and 20th of her career) at Great Meadow. She won on the flat in 2009 and hit the board in three prior jump tries.

“She’s a nice filly,” Miller said. “She’s been training great, she loves to run, she reminds me more of her mother (Skillogalee) than Dynaskill. She’s got to be on a bog for her best where this mare likes this kind of ground.”

Eventual winner Sand Box Rules jumps a fence early in the Steeplethon.

• Armata Stable’s Dynaski returned to the races for the first time since finishing second in the Lonesome Glory Stakes at Belmont Park last fall. Consider the 7-year-old son of Dynaformer back. Under Diana Gillam, he waltzed through the International Fegentri World Cup Flat, winning under wraps for Voss. Chestermite finished second with Expel third after a mile and three quarters in 3:34 2/5.

Gillam put the experience succinctly.

“Oh, my God,” she said on her way to the winner’s circle. “You should have felt that.”

Voss put it more succinctly.

“How good is this horse?” Voss said as Dynaski walked through the pad-

• Will Russell’s Forest Bell dominated the Old Dominion Turf Championship for trainer Simon Hobson and jockey Jeff Murphy. Bred in Virginia by Ned Evans, Forest Bell upset Jot’s Jib and Love Colony. Forest Bell drew off to win by 17 lengths, going 1 1/4 miles in 2:18 4/5.

The 4-year-old son of Forestry ran five times for Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, winning a Gulfstream Park maiden last spring, before being purchased by Russell.

International Gold Cup

Tod Marks

Swimming River controls the pace in the Steeplethon, which he won easily only to be disqualified for following an improper course.

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14 •

Steeplechase Times

Richard Hoffberger, President Second Generation Horseman rhoffberger@hoffberger.com

The Plains, Va. Saturday, October 16.

Turf Firm.

1st. $15,000. Maiden Hurdle. 2-1/2 Miles.

1. Lonesome Nun L 148 Crowley 2. Classic Bridges L 146 McCarron 3. Embarrassed L 154 Mackenzie 4. Sumo Power L 146 Watts 5. Red Ghost L 154 Walsh 6. Zulla Road L 149 Roberts 7. No Mesa With Me L 146 Geraghty 8. Sgt. Bart 154 Slater LR. Mischief L 154 Young OC. Union Army L 134 Dowling PU. Bacetto L 154 Merrigan PU. Dynacast L 154 Nagle PU. Ajeed 146 Dalton Mgn: 1-1/2. Time: 5:06 3/5.

O: Lonesome Glory LLC. T: Bruce Miller.

Ch. f. 5, Vicar-Skillogalee, Transworld.

Bred by Blythe M. Davies (Pa).

2nd. $25,000. Open timber. 3 miles.

Steeplethon course 1. Sand Box Rules L 160 Read 2. Ordered To Listen L 160 McCarron 3. Wazee Moto L 160 Young 4. Fieldview L 160 Nagle 5. Brands Hatch L 160 Merrigan 6. Eye Said Scat Cat L 150 Dahl LR. G’day G’day L 160 Murphy *DQ. Swimming River L 160 Dalton *-From 1st for incorrect course.

Mgn: 1-1/2. Time: 6:22 4/5.

O: Kinross Farm. T: Neil Morris.

B. g. 6, Outofthebox-Lady Ensign, Miners Mark.

Bred by Sez Who Thoroughbreds (NY).

3rd. $30,000. St. allow. hurdle. 2 1/2 miles.

NW2 or $30,000 or less in 2009-10 1. Canardly L 136 McVicar 2. Mabou L 152 Young 3. Dubai Sunday (Jpn) L 144 Nagle 4. Air Maggy L 144 Crowley 5. Fantastic Foe L 152 Dowling 6. Chivite (Ire) L 144 Aizpuru 7. Saluda Sam L 144 Mackenzie 8. Port Morsbey L 148 Hodsdon 9. Four Schools (Ire) L 148 Walsh 10. Cuse L 138 Dahl 11. Final Straw L 144 Merrigan PU. Orebanks L 144 Murphy PU. Legendary Pacer L 144 Geraghty

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Tod Marks

dock after the race.

Dynaski has made seven jump starts, winning three times including the Ben Nevis Stakes at Saratoga last summer, and finishing second four times.

PU. Waracha L 139 Roberts Mgn: 1/2. Time: 4:52.

O: Karen Eyles. T: Teddy Mulligan.

B. g. 4, Dynaformer-Coronation Cup, Chief’s Crown. Bred by B. P. Walden & L. Taylor (Ky.) 4th. $10,000. Open flat. 1 3/4 miles.

Fegentri World Cup (amateur jockeys) 1. Dynaski L 135 Gillam 2. Chestermite L 145 Madden 3. Expel L 135 Marcialis 4. Humdinger L 145 Gasnier 5. Last Noble L 145 Poehl 6. Primero Peru 135 Wagner 7. Elusive Prince L 145 Durkee 8. Lear Heights L 145 Weber 9. Sutter’s Fort L 145 Nagle 10. Red Dirt Girl 127 Horner 11. Gin Sandy L 127 Delacalla 12. Spy Park L 145 Boniface 13. Mariah’s Promise 132 Ortiz Mgn: 1. Time: 3:34 2/5.

O: Armata Stable. T: Tom Voss.

B. g. 7, Dynaformer-Ski Racer, Ski Chief.

Bred by Budget Stable (Ky.).

5th. $50,000. Timber stakes. 3 1/2 miles.

International Gold Cup 1. He’s A Conniver L 165 Petty 2. Bon Caddo 160 Read 3. Swagger Stick L 150 Dowling 4. Music To My Ears (Ire) L 150 Walsh 5. Gather No Moss 150 Watts 6. Meet At Eleven (Ire) L 165 Young PU. Albert’s Crossing L 155 Slater Mgn: 2-1/4. Time: 7:36.

O: EMO Stable. T: Ernie Oare.

Ch. g. 8, Crafty Friend-Better To Be Lucky, Roberto. Bred by Jonathan Sheppard (Pa.) 6th. $10,000. Va. bred/sired flat. 1 1/4 miles.

Old Dominion Turf Championship 1. Forest Bell L 160 Murphy 2. Jot’s Jib L 160 Boucher 3. Love Colony L 160 Young 4. Tom’s Dilemma L 140 Hinchion 5. Tiefordancen L 160 McCarron 6. Rockmani L 147 Roberts 7. Bremo’s Bluff L 150 Horner Mgn: 17. Time: 2:18 4/5.

O: William Russell. T: Simon Hobson.

Ch. g. 4, Forestry-Mambo Bell, Kingmambo.

Bred by Edward P. Evans (Va.).

Friday, October 22, 2010

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Douglas Lees

I’m Telling sails a fence in the Morven Park timber race.

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I’m Telling prevails in timber feature morven park races

LEESBURG, Va. – I’m Telling has built a solid career in Virginia by audaciously opening a big lead, dramatically leaving out strides at his fences and hanging on for all he’s worth.

Four times over timber, the tactics had worked during the 8-year-old’s career for owner/trainer Bay Cockburn.

Make that five.

I’m Telling (Jacob Roberts) opened a big lead, squandered it with inconsistent jumps, lost it outright at the last and then clawed his way back in the short stretch to win a dramatic renewal of the Samuel Rogers Memorial timber at Morven Park Oct. 9.

I’m Telling shot to his typical commanding lead but never found his usual long-striding jumping rhythm during the 3 1/4-mile race, a $10,000 optional claimer. He left long at some fences, checked to short spots at some and simply missed at others but still maintained a lead over his inexperienced rivals.

Atrium (Robbie Walsh) and Comanche Station (Jody Petty) cut into the advantage during the final circuit. Atrium jumped past the longtime leader over the last and opened a clear lead but I’m Telling battled back to win his second sanctioned timber race. Comanche Sta-

Saturday, October 9

Friday, October 22, 2010

tion wound up third after 6:44 3/5.

Bred by Cockburn, I’m Telling made his debut at Thornton Hill Point-toPoint in 2005, plied his trade in hurdle races at the point-to-points and NSA races, then switched to timber last spring, winning three consecutive races (including his first NSA win at Virginia Fall) with Roberts aboard. This year, he won the open timber at Potomac Pointto-Point in his previous start before Morven Park. Even with the experience of 30 starts (with 14 jockeys), I’m Telling was bound to be rusty.

“He hasn’t run since Potomac and his first run back, he’s always a little funny with his jumping, he gets in a little tight.

His next run, I can get him to leave really long without him thinking,” Roberts said. “He usually flies the last but it’s his first race since Potomac. I thought if I can give him a smack, we’re still in business, I’ve had horses pass me before and he’s come back. I was hoping it was the same deal.”

As was Cockburn.

“On ground he doesn’t like. On ground he doesn’t like,” the owner/ See morven page 16

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Steeplechase Times

• 15

Morven –

horse will give you 110 percent no matter how many jumps he’s hit or how fast he’s gone in the beginning.”

Continued from page 15

trainer said immediately after the race. “He likes to hear his feet rattle, they were digging into it, this was perfect jumping ground but it had too much give in it for him. If it was really firm ground, he would have won by 10 lengths, he had to pull out all the stops. Is he a game horse or what? He stuck it in, he stuck his head in to get there.”

Roberts improved his record on the 8-year-old son of Linkage to 5-for-6 including both NSA victories but it wasn’t nearly as easy as the other victories.

“Every time I looked back, there was somebody close so I was wondering,” Roberts said. “I let him do the first circuit however he wants, I try to slow him down but it’s his deal.

Every time I looked back, Robbie Walsh was there, he was a lot closer than anybody’s ever been. It’s tougher company, he can do his thing in the amateur/highweight and point-topoints but I didn’t want to switch anything up on him. I just left him alone, but show me a horse with a bigger heart. That

• Paddy Young lengthened his lead for champion jockey honors by picking up a conditioned claiming hurdle with Fox Ridge Farm’s Canardly for second leading trainer Tom Voss.

Young placed the 4-year-old son of Dynaformer in the sweet spot of the $10,000 race, moved to the fore coming to the last and held off recent maiden claiming winner Dispute This (Matt McCarron) who rallied from last to be second. The Editor (Paddy Merrigan) finished third. Canardly finished 2 1/4 miles in 4:18.

Canardly compensated for a mistake at Shawan Downs when he ducked out late to lose his jockey – and the victory – in the process. Young picked up his 17th victory of the season, five in front of Danielle Hodsdon and six to the good of injured Carl Rafter.

“I was further back than I wanted but he jumped well and traveled well. He’s a spooky devil so the main thing was to not get the lead too soon, maybe that was a one off but you See morven page 17

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Morven Park

Leesburg, Va. Saturday, October 9.

Turf Good.

1st. $7,500. Mdn. clm. hurdle. 2-1/4 miles. $10,000 clm. price 1. Legendary Pacer L 156 Geraghty 2. Green Velvet 150 Hodsdon 3. Meshwaar L 156 McVicar 4. Houghton Regrets L 156 Dowling 5. Three Bridge Road L 147 Roberts 6. Straightredcard 156 McCarron 7. Complete Sport 138 Boucher 8. Three Stepper L 156 Walsh 9. Rexson’s Halo L 156 Young Mgn: 1. Time: 4:19 3/5.

O/T: Don Yovanovich.

Ch. g. 8, Pentelicus-Karin Cross, Silver Hawk.

Bred by Becky Winemiller (Fla.) 2nd. $10,000. Con. clm. hurdle. 2-1/4 miles.

NW2 for $15,000-$10,000 clm. price *1. Canardly L 150 Young 2. Dispute This L 142 McCarron 3. The Editor L 144 Merrigan 4. Baron Von Ruckus L 153 Swope 5. Dynaway L 140 Mackenzie 6. Determined Stand L 156 Petty 7. So Amazing L 148 McVicar 8. Sword of Dubai L 154 Walsh 9. Harrys Crown L 140 Geraghty PU. Expel L 144 Murphy *-Claimed by Karen Eyles, Teddy Mulligan trainer, for $15,000.

Mgn: Nk. Time: 4:18.

O: Fox Ridge Farm. T: Tom Voss.

B. g. 4, Dynaformer-Coronation Cup, Chief’s Crown. Bred by B.P. Walden & L. Taylor (Ky.) 3rd. Training Flat. 1-1/4 Miles.

1. Jellyberry L 152 Mackenzie 2. Gustavian L 155 Merrigan 3. Orebanks L 155 Murphy 4. Old Timer L 155 McCarron 5. Ardagh L 152 McVicar 6. Tizsilk L 155 Young 7. Rutledge Classic L 155 Daley 8. Worried Man L 150 Dowling 9. Hiwasee Gem L 147 Walsh 10. Meet At Eleven (Ire) L 155 McKenna Mgn: Nk. Time: 2:20 2/5.

O: John E. Teas Jr. T: Todd Wyatt.

Gr./rn. m. 8, With Approval-Strawberry Angel, Red Attack.

Bred by Estate of Walter Jeffords Jr. (Ky.)

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16 •

Steeplechase Times

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4th. Training Flat. 1-1/4 Miles.

1. Class Indian 150 Boucher 2. Mixed Up 155 Hodsdon 3. Dictina’s Boy 155 Young 4. Country Cousin L 155 McCarron 5. Swimming River L 155 Roberts 6. Torino Luge (Aus) L 155 Merrigan 7. Fantastic Foe L 155 Dowling 8. Bow Strada (GB) L 155 Geraghty 9. General Roanoke 155 Walsh Mgn: 1/2. Time: 2:15 3/5.

O: Mede Cahaba Stable. T: Lilith Boucher.

Gr./rn. g. 3, Waquoit-Class Story, Class Secret.

Bred by Mede Cahaba Stable & Stud (Va.) 5th. $10,000. Op. clm. timber. 3-1/4 miles.

NW2 or $20,000 clm. price 1. I’m Telling L 160 Roberts 2. Atrium L 160 Walsh 3. Comanche Station L 165 Petty 4. Arch Hero L 155 Young 5. Aero L 155 Merrigan PU. Michael Over Easy L 160 McCarron *DQ. Lion’s Double L 150 Dowling *-From 6th, failure to weigh in.

Mgn: Nk. Time: 6:44. 3/5.

O/T: Bay Cockburn.

Dk. B./Br. g. 9, Linkage-Don’t Tell Ma, Ga Hai. Bred by Bay Cockburn (Md.)

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Friday, October 22, 2010

Douglas Lees (2)

Left Photo: Canardly (right) battles Dispute This in the conditioned claimer.

Right Photo: Legendary Pacer handles a fence in his maiden claiming win.

Morven –

Continued from page 16

don’t want to test it,” Young said. “He’s very one-paced, I saw the white blinkers (of Dispute This) coming to the last but it always felt like he was holding the other horse off, I felt like he was always doing enough.”

Teddy Mulligan claimed the winner for $15,000 on behalf of owner Karen Eyles.

• Don Yovanovich upset the maiden claimer with Legendary Pacer. The 8-year-old son of Pentelicus ran down second-time starting filly Green Velvet (Danielle Hodsdon) to win by a length.

Ross Geraghty piloted the winner who hadn’t run over jumps this year. Hall of Fame maiden claimer Meshwaar (Liam McVicar) hit the board for the 14th time, finishing third after 2 1/4 miles in 4:19 3/5.

Legendary Pacer continued a fiverace win streak (four flat, one jump) at the Virginia point-to-points and hunt meets while winning his first jump race.

He made his debut in a Sport Of Kings Maiden at the International Gold Cup in 2008.

Geraghty climbed aboard for the first time in a race.

“He’s a nice horse, he won on the flat on Saturday at Middleburg and I schooled him on Sunday,” Geraghty said. “Schooling, he jumped real big and Donnie said to try and get him to relax, today he gave the first fence about six feet, but then I got him jumping and used his jumping to get him into the race. I schooled (Green Velvet) and knew she was a nice filly so I was watching her.”

Geraghty came over to ride for Voss but is now freelancing from his Maryland base, galloping for Michele Sanger, riding foxhunters for Liz McKnight and hustling.

“After Carl (Rafter) got hurt, he put me with Donnie, it’s nice to get a winner,” Geraghty said. “Donnie said let’s see how he jumps and maybe we’ll run him over fences. I’m glad he did.”

• Jellyberry picked up a training flat race for new owner John Teas, trainer Todd Wyatt and jockey Roddy Mackenzie. Teas claimed the veteran mare this summer and sent her to Wyatt for a fall jump campaign that should commence at Far Hills. Hickory Tree Farm’s recent recruit Gustavian finished second with returnee Orebanks third.

• Class Indian led wire-to-wire in the second division of the training flat race for Mede Cahaba Stable, trainer Lilith Boucher and fourth-leading jockey Richard Boucher. The 3-year-old led stakes horses Mixed Up and Dictina’s Boy across the wire of 1 1/4-mile test.

A winner of his debut, going 5 1/2-furlongs at Colonial, Class Indian finished last of five at Foxfield in his jump debut. Lilith Boucher planned to stick to the flat with the son of Waquoit. The second division finished 5 seconds faster than the first.

Friday, October 22, 2010

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Steeplechase Times

• 17

genesee valley Saturday, October 9

Back on Track

Patriot’s Path gets back on winning side BY joe clancy A year ago, Patriot’s Path charged to the last fence of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup, looking to add a crescendo to his 2009 timber championship season.

And fell like a pine tree in December.

The wreck – and its aftermath of tension as Patriot’s Path stayed on the ground for several minutes – stunned the crowd, shocked the horse and worried his connections.

“He took a fair old tumble,” said trainer Desmond Fogarty. “He had a big knee, but soundness-wise he wasn’t bad. We X-rayed him and he was fine. It rocked him mentally more than anything. He was cautious this spring, not as good as he could be. He was the champion last year, but he didn’t come back like one.”

Patriot’s Path lost four races to start his 2010 campaign, but got back on the winning side with a lopsided score in the $25,000 Genesee Valley Hunt Cup timber stakes at Geneseo, N.Y. Oct. 9. The 10-year-old

Bill Roberts

Patriot’s Path leads Haddix late in the Genesee Valley Hunt Cup timber stakes.

let Plum Brush set the early pace, tracked Haddix into position late and kicked away in the stretch to win by 10 3/4 lengths. Patriot’s Path (Darren Nagle) covered 3 1/2 miles in 8:05 1/5. Haddix (Brooks Durkee) took second with Plum Brush (Brian Crowley) third.

Fogarty paid partial credit to the yielding turf course, his improving horse and the addition of blinkers (Nagle’s suggestion).

“The ground is the thing,” Fogarty said. “It was fairly testing up there and he runs his best races on that ground and on that kind of course. The blinkers don’t do him any harm, he’s experienced enough but they might just keep him more focused and make him travel and jump a bit better.”

See genesee page 20

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Friday, October 22, 2010

Douglas Lees photo

Congratulations

Forest Bell

Owner ..................... William Russell Trainer ................... Simon Hobson JOckey .................... Jeff Murphy Breeder .................. Edward P. Evans

Winner of the 2010 Old Dominion Turf Championship at the International Gold Cup

OTher SerieS raceS

Morven Park, Virginia Fall & Foxfield Winner: Love Colony Owner: Debra Kachel Trainer: Ricky Hendriks Jockey: Paddy Young Breeder: Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin III

Love Colony

Douglas Lees photo

Racing Series for Virginia-bred and Virginia-sired Thoroughbreds sponsored by Virginia HBPA • Virginia Thoroughbred Association • Virginia Horse Council

Friday, October 22, 2010

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Steeplechase Times

• 19

Genesee –

Continued from page 18

Bred in Maryland by Jeremy Gillam, Patriot’s Path meandered to Naylor’s stable and timber success via Gillam, the Haynes family of Tennessee and years of racing – his first jump start came as a 3-year-old in 2003. The son of Carnivalay won three of six timber starts and earned $73,500 in 2009 to claim the division championship. He started this fall with a fifth on the hard turf at Shawan Downs.

Justpourit controls the pace late in the maiden timber at Genesee.

Genesee Valley

Geneseo, NY. Saturday, October 9.

Turf Yielding.

2nd. $10,000. Maiden timber. 3 miles.

1. Justpourit (Ire) L 165 Brown 2. Artist’s Stroke 165 Crowley 3. Ordered To Listen L 165 Read 4. Bug Eyed Willy L 165 Slater LR. Native Mark L 165 Watts LR. Reveillon L 165 Durkee Mgn: 3-1/2. Time: 7:19 1/5.

O: Anna Stable. T: Richard Valentine.

B. g. 11, Glacial Storm-Gale Choice (Ire), Strong Gale (Ire). Bred by Edmond Coleman (Ire).

Bill Roberts

5th. $25,000. Timber stakes. 3-1/2 miles.

Genesee Valley Hunt Cup 1. Patriot’s Path L 165 Nagle 2. Haddix L 150 Durkee 3. Plum Brush L 160 Crowley 4. Professor Maxwell L 155 Brown F. The Other Me L 150 Watts PU. Twill Do L 160 Slater PU. Glacial Sting (Ire) L 150 Beecher Mgn: 10-3/4. Time: 8:05 1/5.

O: Irv Naylor. T: Desmond Fogarty.

Dk. B./Br. g. 10, Carnivalay-Rode To Nowhere, Salutely. Bred by Jeremy Gilliam (Md.)

• In a car of jockeys headed to Genesee, Irishman Brian Crowley examined the form for the maiden timber and found his choice.

“You’re going to gallop us into the ground, you can’t get beat,” he told Gus Brown about Justpourit, an 11-year-old Irish import with three wins, nine seconds and 10 thirds on his 46-start European docket.

Early in the 3-mile race, Brown smiled as his horse handled the turf and the fences while leading five rivals at a steady clip. Behind him the others struggled.

“After a mile I could hear them slap-

ping and kicking and smooching and my horse was taking me along,” said Brown. “I figured maybe I could gallop them into the ground.”

Justpourit set a measured pace, extended his lead into the stretch and coasted home by 3 1/2 lengths over Artist’s Stroke (Crowley) and Ordered To Listen (Chris Read). The winner needed 7:19 1/5 to complete the course. Winless in four starts (three point-to-points) this year, Justpourit picked up his first American tally for George and Alex Hundt’s Anna Stable and trainer Richard Valentine.

“The softer ground might have helped him, he’s a typical old chaser and the soft ground and a slower pace help those kind,” said Brown. “He figured it out without racing a true American pace. He jumped spot-perfect, I couldn’t imagine it being any easier.”

Champion jockey as a professional in 2000 and 2001 and retired since 2004, Brown came back to the saddle as an amateur this spring when he rode Professor Maxwell in the Maryland Hunt Cup (which ended with a fall at the 16th fence). The jockey broke his collarbone in the fall, and is using this fall as further progress toward another Hunt Cup try in 2011.

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Friday, October 22, 2010

Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale

Photo by Tod Marks

2010 Helen Haskell Sampson Hurdle Stakes winner ARCADIUS, purchased at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale for 8,500 gns

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• 21

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NSA Standings through OCTOBER 22 Jockeys (Races Won)

Sts Paddy Young........................... 84 Danielle Hodsdon.................... 42 Carl Rafter............................... 46 Richard Boucher..................... 27 Jeff Murphy............................. 54 Brian Crowley.......................... 28 Jody Petty............................... 54 Matt McCarron........................ 45 Darren Nagle........................... 59 Bernie Dalton.......................... 44

1st 17 12 11 9 8 8 8 7 7 6

2nd 14 6 6 2 8 5 4 11 9 13

3rd 13 7 4 6 9 3 7 5 9 3

Trainers (Races Won)

Sts Jonathan Sheppard ................ 73 Tom Voss................................ 82 Jack Fisher.............................. 69 Kathy McKenna....................... 50 Richard Valentine.................... 37 Doug Fout............................... 35 Sanna Hendriks....................... 16 Julie Gomena.......................... 11 Ernie Oare............................... 29 Teddy Mulligan........................ 23

1st 21 15 10 8 5 5 5 5 4 4

2nd 9 20 12 4 7 3 2 1 2 1

3rd 17 9 11 4 4 6 3 1 3 5

Owners (Money Won)

Sts Bill Pape . ............................... 27 Irv Naylor ............................... 57 Arcadia Stable ........................ 21 Hudson River Farm................. 13 Ken and Sarah Ramsey .......... 12 Maggie Bryant . ...................... 32 Dumbarton Farm . .................. 10 EMO Stable............................. 30 Mary Ann Houghland ............... 9 Oakwood Stable ....................... 5

1st 6 8 5 3 2 6 3 4 2 3

2nd 3 4 3 4 4 4 2 2 0 1

3rd 6 7 0 5 2 4 1 3 1 0

Horses (Money Won)

Sts Arcadius.................................... 5 Sermon Of Love........................ 5 Tax Ruling................................. 3 Bubble Economy....................... 3 Easy Red................................... 7 Slip Away.................................. 5 Divine Fortune........................... 6 He’s A Conniver......................... 3 Lead Us Not.............................. 4 Spy In The Sky.......................... 2

Friday, October 22, 2010

1st 2 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 1

2nd 2 0 0 1 2 2 1 0 1 0

3rd 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 2 0

Earnings $477,000 288,110 222,470 135,300 176,200 311,390 171,750 126,835 266,970 153,600

Win% .20 .29 .24 .33 .15 .29 .15 .16 .12 .14

Earnings $643,130 417,350 334,750 121,695 83,690 119,350 52,900 120,950 87,350 57,550

Win% .29 .18 .15 .16 .14 .14 .31 .46 .14 .17

Earnings $274,590 219,350 164,600 161,790 118,500 101,350 97,950 87,350 73,200 69,600

Win% .22 .14 .24 .23 .17 .19 .30 .13 .22 .60

Earnings $124,500 109,500 105,250 95,400 87,950 86,500 86,000 51,000 47,840 47,500

Win% .40 .40 .33 .67 .29 .20 .33 .67 .25 .50

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Steeplechase Times

• 23

Hendriks leaves memories behind

BY JOE CLANCY “Hey Joey, who do you like?”

“Well, I don’t know Mr. Hendriks . . . this one has a shot, and I really think this horse is going to do well and you know this guy wants to win.”

“Yeah, but who do you like?”

Dickie Hendriks put me on the spot when he saw me at the races – Fair Hill, Belmont Park, Saratoga, Delaware Park, Old Dominion Point-to-Point, Philadelphia Park, Cheshire, Harrington Fair, pretty much anywhere. He wanted information of course, but he really wanted opinions, conversation, back and forth.

He got it – from me and anyone else he met.

Long a fixture on the steeplechase circuit, Hendriks was not an owner. He was not a trainer, nor was he an official. He held no official title, but he knew plenty.

The father of current trainer and former champion

jockey Ricky Hendriks was part of the fabric, however, a big part. Mr. Hendriks died Oct. 7 at 75, after fighting off cancer for several years and enduring recent heart surgery.

He leaves behind his wife, Wendy, their son Ricky, four grandchildren and scores of admirers. The funeral service nearly overflowed the Episcopal Church of the Advent in Kennett Square, Pa. “And that’s a pretty big place,” said Ronnie Houghton, Hendriks’ longtime friend and a pallbearer. “What a guy, you know?”

Yes. We all do.

Houghton wore bluejeans to the service, and laughed about what Hendriks would have thought.

Another friend, Dick Ogden, paused in his duties as the official starter at the Professional Horsemen’s Association paper chase to tell a story and remember Hendriks. “Steeplechasing won’t be the same, I mean

Pennsylvania Hunt Cup Races Sunday, November 7, 2010 Located 2 miles west of Unionville, PA Gates open at 11:00 A.M. Our generous lead sponsors include: Applestone Farm Bentley Systems, Inc. Brushwood Stable HCP Sports Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. McNeil Our 2010 Beneficiary is:

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it, won’t be the same without him. He left a mark.”

Hendriks came to steeplechasing via a roundabout path that started in Nutley, N.J. (not far from where the Meadowlands racetrack would be built). His father was a butcher, his mother and sisters rode show horses and Dickie followed them to the ring. He worked for Olympian Frank Chapot (Ricky’s godfather), went to Europe with the United States Equestrian Team. Hendriks met his future wife at the Paramus (N.J.) horse show and later worked for flat trainer P.G. Johnson.

The family moved to Unionville some 40 years ago, and soon turned the small farm into a pony-race empire. The barn held other horses, but the ponies were the important ones. Ricky did the riding. Mom and Dad were the trainers/grooms.

“They’d pick me up at school, I’d come home, gallop the two ponies, 2 miles each,” said Ricky this week.

“He’d cool out and graze the first one while I rode the second one. When we were done, he’d do them up in all four bandages, like racehorses. I thought everybody did it that way.”

Tinker Bell, Twin Nora and Red Raven won races all over the steeplechase circuit and beyond. I remember a trip to Harrington in southern Delaware.

The harness track hosted some pony races as part of the Delaware State Fair back in the mid-1970s and we piled in the Hendriks’ three-horse van. Red Raven and Ricky made quick work of the overmatched farmers’ kids – some in western saddles and none in silks, boots, goggles and breeches like the kid with the poud dad from Pennsylvania.

“The amount of miles we shipped those ponies to run was unbelievable,” said Ricky. “We took them to Nashville to run, just the ponies. He loved it. The excitement. I was riding, but he was into it.”

Ricky Hendriks went on to become a champion steeplechase jockey in 1986 and 1987. He won his first race as a jockey (T.V. Warrant, 1980) and a trainer (Sly Bandit, 1991) for his parents.

Beyond horses, Dickie Hendriks cultivated people. He had fans and cohorts in every stop. From Davey Jones to the Goldbergs and the Delimans, Loddy D’Amico to Richard Hutchinson, Vince Dugan to Andy Simoff.

His wife thought about the atmosphere her husband created and how she feels now.

“Him, I’ll miss him,” she said. “His great sense of humor. Every day was a laugh about something or other. We got along great. We were a team.”

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Dickie Hendriks

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Tod Marks

Friday, October 22, 2010

OBITUARIES

George Doty, 93 Longtime steeplechase fan George Doty passed away at Linhaven Home for the Aged in St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada Oct. 13 at 93.

He once said he had done everything on a horse except play polo, and for many years he kept his own horses and showed in dressage and hunter classes and hunted with the Toronto and North York Hunt for 20 years. He was president of the St. Catharines Riding Club for 30 years.

He was a regular attendee of the Maryland Hunt Cup, often bringing friends and family along for the trip – which usually included a course walk, a close-up look at the fences and fond recollections of past timber greats. In 2007, he estimated that he had seen 50 consecutive runnings of the historic timber stakes.

Doty first came to Glyndon with Lew Scott, master of the North York Hunt near Toronto. Scott took an interest in steeplechasing and brought a contingent to Maryland. There, the group became acquainted with Janon Fisher Jr., a Hunt Cup participant as far back as 1922 and owner of three-time winner Mountain Dew. “At one time there were 27 or 28 of us,” recalled Doty in 2007. “Janon always had a party and we went there.

Most of the group has died or got old or something like that.”

Three years ago, it was just Joyce and friend Tom Boyce and they cheered for Bug River – who was going for his third win, but settled for second behind The Bruce.

“Be nice to see another three-time winner, but it’s a great day no matter what,” said Doty before the race. “Jay Trump was special, Mountain Dew too.

I saw all of their races. Pine Pep (1952) was the second one I saw, and that really sticks in my mind as a special race.”

Doty subscribed to Steeplechase Times for years and routinely met owners, trainers and jockeys along the way.

Doty was predeceased by his wife Elizabeth (2002) and his son Michael (1995). He was the father of Virginia (Henry) Hildebrandt, Philip (Leslie) and Geoffrey (Margo); grandfather of six and great-grandfather of three.

He was born in 1916 in New York State. The original founder of the family was Edward Doty, a passenger on the Mayflower, which landed at Plymouth in 1620 and Doty’s immediate forbearers lived in upstate New York where

NSA Fall Schedule Saturday, October 23 FAR HILLS, Far Hills, N.J. Saturday, October 30 AIKEN FALL, Aiken , S.C. Saturday, November 6 STEEPLECHASE AT CALLAWAY, Pine Mountain, Ga. MONTPELIER, Montpelier Station, Va. Sunday, November 7 PENNSYLVANIA HUNT CUP, Unionville, Pa. Saturday, November 13 COLONIAL CUP, Camden, S.C.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Hello South Carolina Horse Community Who

George Doty (left) and Tom Boyce at the Maryland Hunt Cup in 2007.

they were active in textiles and banking.

For most of his life, Doty was involved with retail fashion, working for Northway Company, C. Wallace, Savette Limited and Walker stores.

In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances made to the Easter Seals Foundation would be appreciated.

Dickie Hendriks, 75 Longtime steeplechase enthusiast and participant Richard Joseph “Dickie” Hendriks Jr. passed away Oct. 7. The father of trainer Ricky Hendriks was 75.

A lifelong professional horseman, Hendriks was a fixture on the steeplechase circuit and helped launch his son’s career as a steeplechase jockey with long

Sarah Libbey Greenhalgh

hours prepping such stalwarts as Red Raven and Twin Nora for pony races.

Hendriks and his wife, Wendy, operated a small racing and layup stable and won jump races with the hard-knocking Hunt Lane among others.

Hendriks was born in New Jersey, the son of the late Richard Joseph Hendriks and the late Effie Watson Hendriks.

He is survived by his wife Wendy, his son Ricky and his wife Sanna, his sister Joyce Theriault and her husband Larry, his sister Jean Williams, four grandchildren McLane, Liza, Parker, and Natalie, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to the National Steeplechase Museum, 200 Knights Hill Rd., Camden, SC 29020 or to a charity of your choice.

Oscar Edward Power, Farrier with over 30 years in the field doing athletes; I own few horses that I train here at Camden Training Center in Barn 5, I hope to have fun with them at the local events next season, I also have two broodmares making me future champions. I love this game and I am in it deep with a lifelong personal commitment of time, money, and resources.

Credo

“I love the Athlete, the Horse that gives its all in competition, there is a certain nobility about such animals. It gives me great pleasure to deliver the highest quality of service to my equine clientele blending the traditional hand made process with today’s latest medical research to achieve a service and product that can meet and surpass the tough demands of modern day competition.”

Belief

I believe that all horses have good feet and it is the farrier’s task to find, nourish and grow this good foot in each horse he serves. I am committed to no excuse shoeing, performing deliberate quality work, grounded in solid personal experience, real research based on fact not opinion and finally time tested methods and skills used by farriers over the centuries when horses were conveyances and implements of production.

Purpose

Waterfront retreat on 16 acres of privacy!

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Call Ruth Clancy at (302) 740-0464 Prudential, Fox, Roach 88 Lantana Drive Hockessin, DE 19707 302-999-9999

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I have recently relocated to Camden, South Carolina from Woodside, California and I am very pleased to be here in the capitol of Steeplechasers, this being a lifelong ambition of mine. Camden is simply the best place in the country to train a horse all year round. I am presently building a farrier shop at the Camden Training Center for clients, who prefer the freedom, convenience, and safety of the shop set up, I also can make the custom products my clients expect before their appointments. I look forward to meeting each of you so don’t hesitate to call.

Edward Power

Farrier in Camden, South Carolina Home: 803 424 2080 Business: 803 421 9377 Mobile: 831 236 5838 Email: farrierpower@mac.com

Steeplechase Times

• 25

THE NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE MUSEUM NEWS

The Great Neji – and his Ladies

Come see us Colonial Cup Weekend

Friday, November 12 at 6 p.m.

The National Steeplechase Museum presents: Jonathan Sheppard – By The Numbers

By Tricia Mitchell

Join Museum members and our co-host The Steeplechase Times for a cocktail reception on the eve of the Colonial Cup. Our new exhibit will honor the career of trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who recently reached the 1,000 victory mark. $25 Members; $35 Non-members.

Friday, November 13 at the races

Find our gift shop goods at the Jr. Welfare League’s souvenir tent near the paddock.

Museum Hours

Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Other times by chance or appointment.

Museum to launch new website, mission

In keeping with our mission to educate, the National Steeplechase Museum is pleased to announce that we will unveil our revamped website this autumn.

One section will be a library detailing champion horses, owners, trainers, riders and the all-important grooms. In an increasingly electronic age, where the primary source of information is often derived from the internet, we believe that our effort to provide more data online will further promote the sport nationally and internationally. As this is a large undertaking, we intend to build this wonderful new resource in stages;members are warmly invited to suggest topics for inclusion.

See Tricia Mitchell’s article on Neji as an example.

Neji developed into a remarkable racehorse, indisputably one of the very best. But as he fought to the top, he was blissfully unaware that his very existence and subsequent career came about because of two women – in their own ways each as remarkable and determined as he.

The first was his breeder, Marion du Pont Scott, about whom volumes have been written. The mating between her wonderful American mare Accra and the French stallion Hunters Moon IV produced Neji. A chestnut like his dam, he was foaled in England in 1950 and named after a Rudyard Kipling character.

The second important woman in his life was Lillian Bostwick Phipps, who bought the gelding as a three year old and sent him to the United States to train under the tutelage of her brother, George H. (Pete) Bostwick, himself destined for the Hall of Fame.

Lillian Bostwick was born in New York into a very wealthy and horsey family.Her father was an accomplished polo player who passed along his love of horses to his children. Lillian and her brothers Pete and Dunbar built and operated Bostwick Field in Old Westbury, Long Island where they hosted international polo matches.

An early marriage to an Aikenite produced three daughters, the second of whom became the fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer. When Lillian married Ogden Phipps in 1937, she became a member of one of the

pre-eminent racing families in the United States, and her course was set. Her husband had registered his soon to be famous black-with-a-cherry-cap silks several years earlier. Phipps bred and/or owned innumerable horses of great talent, including the legendary stallion Bold Ruler and the indomitable Buckpasser.

Lillian walked her own path and chose to campaign steeplechasers instead of flat horses. She had success with Oedipus (another Hall of Famer) as well as with Mako, Top Bid, Straight And True and Le Ronceray.

Concurrent with her racing interests, Lillian Phipps remained an involved and committed benefactor throughout her life. She served actively on several Boards, including those of theMetropolitan Opera and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Art acquisition and antique furniture were both of immense interest to her, which dovetailed nicely with her love of interior design; she founded at least two design companies.

Lillian Bostwick Phipps died in the autumn of 1987 at her residence in Summerville, South Carolina.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that Neji was a particular favorite of his owner. In addition to his considerable racing prowess, it seems that he had a knack for attracting dedicated and talented people into his life.

Champion jockey Paddy Smithwick always proclaimed that three-time Eclipse Award winner Neji was the best horse he ever rode. It was his belief that Neji was able to carry huge weight over long distances because of his uncommon ability to pace himself throughout a race. He didn’t rely on his rider, he just knew how to win.

The function of the Handicapper in racing is to endeavor to provide a close finish and is looked upon as a necessary evil by those within the industry. The NSA’s Jack Cooper once assigned Neji 176 lbs. When the great horse finished second, beaten by a head, to a horse carrying 29 pounds less than he, Cooper was quite distraught and stated “. . .I feel absolutely terrible about what I have done.” That sentiment was echoed by many.

Box 2424, 200 Knights Hill Road, Camden, SC 29020 | 803.432.6513 ext.14 | hopec@nationalsteeplechasemuseum.org | www.nationalsteeplechasemuseum.org Hope Cooper, Executive Director; Tricia Mitchell, Assistant Director; Nancy G. Stogsdill, Membership

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26 •

Steeplechase Times

Sean Clancy will be attending the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale in Newmarket, England, October 24 – 28. Prospects include 3 and 4-year-olds with flat form and unbelievable pedigrees for American jump racing.This sale graduates include American hurdle winners Arcadius, Swagger Stick, Dalucci, Duke Of Earl and Ballet Boy.

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Friday, October 22, 2010

Love, Cathy

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Jonathan Sheppard 1,000 Career Steeplechase Wins

Friday, October 22, 2010

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Steeplechase Times

• 27

6

Steeplechase

‘Pick Six’

FA N TA S Y S TA BL E G A M E Presented by The Whip Tavern

A New Leader

Turning the corner toward the season’s richest day, Gail McGuire shows the way with a narrow advantage on Bill Hutchinson (Richard’s son). The latter got a nice boost from Patriot’s Path at Genesee this month. The questions now center on who has active runners at Far Hills – stables with Tax Ruling could be looking at a big jump with a Grand National victory.

The top 22 are listed here. Check www.st-publishing.com for complete standings.

Genesee Valley Racers........... Gail McGuire Arcadius.............................................. $124,500 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Virginia Minstrel.................................... $42,600 Meet At Eleven...................................... $37,500 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Make Believe......................................... $13,500 ...........................................................$296,400 Chinese Checkers Stable....... Bill Hutchinson Arcadius.............................................. $124,500 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Patriot’s Path......................................... $41,500 Sweet Shani.......................................... $33,000 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Air Maggy............................................. $10,500 ............................................ $287,800 Honey Locust......................Winfield Sapp Arcadius.............................................. $124,500 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Virginia Minstrel.................................... $42,600 Meet At Eleven...................................... $37,500 Class Century........................................ $18,000 Make Believe......................................... $13,500 ............................................ $283,600

Rolling Thunder Stable...............Bob Lunny Tax Ruling........................................... $105,250 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Virginia Minstrel.................................... $42,600 Patriot’s Path......................................... $41,500 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Confined.................................................. $5,000 ............................................ $272,650 Try Again Stable...................... Jim McVey Bubble Economy................................... $95,400 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Virginia Minstrel.................................... $42,600 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Torlundy................................................ $27,000 Make Believe......................................... $13,500 ............................................ $256,800 Browntrout Stable.................. Douglas Lees Tax Ruling........................................... $105,250 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Virginia Minstrel.................................... $42,600 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Incomplete.............................................. $7,500 Confined.................................................. $5,000 ............................................ $238,650

Douglas Lees

Stakes horses Mixed Up (left) and Dictina’s Boy (center, partially hidden) chase Class Indian home in the training flat at Morven Park.

Carglen Stable................... Joe Clancy Sr. Arcadius.............................................. $124,500 Tax Ruling........................................... $105,250 Peace Proposal....................................... $2,700 Jack Twist............................................... $2,250 Shiny Emblem............................................ $800 Hi Flyin Indy................................................... $0 ............................................ $235,500 Mustangs........................... Patrick Morss Divine Fortune....................................... $86,000 Virginia Minstrel.................................... $42,600 Ptarmigan............................................. $42,000 Patriot’s Path......................................... $41,500 Class Century........................................ $18,000 Your Sum Man............................................... $0 ............................................ $230,100

Cheltenham Invasion.......Richard Hutchinson Bubble Economy................................... $95,400 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Diva Maria............................................. $28,000 Prince Rahy........................................... $17,500 Left Unsaid.............................................. $9,000 ............................................ $228,200 Here’s The Plan Stable........... Serelee Hefler Tax Ruling........................................... $105,250 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Swagger Stick....................................... $33,600 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Confined.................................................. $5,000 Fleeting Thunder............................................ $0 ............................................ $222,150

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28 •

Steeplechase Times

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Kim’s Kutie Kolts.......................Kim Koran Tax Ruling........................................... $105,250 Virginia Minstrel.................................... $42,600 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 South Monarch..................................... $30,500 Confined.................................................. $5,000 Best Alibi................................................. $3,000 ............................................ $217,150 Baby Sister Stable................ Saoirse Young Arcadius.............................................. $124,500 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Miss Crown........................................... $22,200 Prince Rahy........................................... $17,500 Relear...................................................... $2,000 Baylor Dude............................................... $945 ............................................ $214,645 Polish Power Stable.............. Eric Dudzinski Arcadius.............................................. $124,500 Virginia Minstrel.................................... $42,600 South Monarch..................................... $30,500 Mixed Up................................................. $8,000 Confined.................................................. $5,000 Steppenwolfer......................................... $2,000 ............................................ $212,600

ST

Pink Moon.......................Susan Haldeman Bubble Economy................................... $95,400 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 All Together........................................... $17,000 Make Believe......................................... $13,500 Mixed Up................................................. $8,000 ............................................ $212,200 Prestbury Dreams Stables.......Pete Fornatale Bubble Economy................................... $95,400 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Dictina’s Boy......................................... $14,400 Make Believe......................................... $13,500 Steppenwolfer......................................... $2,000 ............................................ $203,600 Mitch’s Mule Ranch............. Edwin Mitchell Tax Ruling........................................... $105,250 Virginia Minstrel.................................... $42,600 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Mixed Up................................................. $8,000 Incomplete.............................................. $7,500 Confined.................................................. $5,000 ........................................................... $199,150

Pony Girl.......................Elizabeth Watrous Bubble Economy................................... $95,400 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Left Unsaid.............................................. $9,000 Back To Mandalay................................... $8,100 Jellyberry................................................ $4,500 ............................................ $195,300 So Hard Being A Mets Fan....... Brian Nadeau Tax Ruling........................................... $105,250 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Erin Go Bragh.......................................... $5,750 Confined.................................................. $5,000 Best Name...................................................... $0 ............................................ $194,300 Dadofthree Farm...................... Joe Clancy Arcadius.............................................. $124,500 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Hidden Trail........................................... $16,000 Make Believe......................................... $13,500 You The Man........................................... $7,000 Major Price............................................. $1,250 ............................................ $193,050

Totally Random Stable............ Bruce Rodger Bubble Economy................................... $95,400 Spy In The Sky...................................... $47,500 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Seer...................................................... $10,000 Confined.................................................. $5,000 Lions Double.................................................. $0 ............................................ $188,700 ’Bout Broke Farm..................... Lisa Beige Bubble Economy................................... $95,400 Slip Away.............................................. $86,500 Dynaskill................................................. $4,600 Steppenwolfer......................................... $2,000 Old Man Buck................................................. $0 Your Sum Man............................................... $0 ............................................ $188,500 Geraldal Stable.................. Allison Janezic Bubble Economy................................... $95,400 Virginia Minstrel.................................... $42,600 Italian Wedding..................................... $30,800 Mixed Up................................................. $8,000 Planets Aligned....................................... $6,250 Jellyberry................................................ $4,500 ............................................ $187,550

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Steeplechase Times

• 29

The

ast Fence Editorial • Opinion • Comments • Columns

Times Editorial

Far Hills breeds positive thinking Put down your sword. Cap your pen. Stop complaining about participation and patronage.

Forget it – at least for a week.

Time for Far Hills. And a weekend of what’s right. Trainers entered 70 horses in six races worth $500,000. The shortest field is 10. Ben Huffman, P.J. Campo and Georgeanne Hale would drool over those numbers. Field size and purse size exceed most racetracks this weekend.

As a bonus, the premier race meet of the season doesn’t conflict with the International Gold Cup. The numbers were wild there. The numbers are wild at Far Hills. It’s amazing what can happen when the sport pulls in the same direction.

The ST editors called the meet Essex when it split the large pony race, Morris Dixon would win the flat race and the Samuel K. Martin was the feature. We don’t know what ever happened to Martin’s legacy but the meet has grown into the meet of the season (though, we still miss the pony races). Unlike many struggling meets, Far Hills has capitalized on the perfect storm of course, charity, crowd and committee to host a championship day. Last year, it had a title of such and other years it carried the Breeders’ Cup emblem, but in the steeplechase world, Far Hills means one thing – the pinnacle.

It’s the goal, the mission, the carrot at the end of a long stick. Just look at the entries.

The $50,000 Peapack for fillies and mares.

Jazz Napravnik bred an event mare with a Thoroughbred stallion and came up with Farah T Salute. The Jeffords family’s legacy continues with Dynaskill (and Jellyberry for that matter). Ptarmigan tries to pad her title run.

The $25,000 Harry E. Harris maiden. Race chairman Guy Torsilieri aims to take some purse money home with Good Request. Flat owner Gary Broad heard Dynaformers make good jumpers and sent Nickypalmer to the one jump trainer he had heard of, Jonathan Sheppard. Bertram and Diana Firestone are back with homebred Lake Placid.

The $100,000 Foxbrook novice stakes. James Piper spent his life as an assistant trainer and wanted to know what it was like to be on the other side, he bought Call You In Ten two years ago and has a shot on the biggest day.

The $250,000 Grand National. Ken Ramsey, a businessman, sold Flat Top for peanuts and watched him achieve jumping greatness, Ramsey became a jump owner and has former $10,000 claimer Slip Away eyeing the big prize. Hanne Bechman and Morten Buskop traveled from Norway to Far Hills last year, they’re back again, this time with Percussionist. Irv Naylor wants to win the richest race of the year so badly, he bought Decoy Daddy from Ireland to bolster his chances alongside Iroquois winner Tax Ruling.

The $25,000 Gladstone 3-year-old stakes. Jack Fisher has always enjoyed success with 3-yearolds, he’s got three for different owners in this year’s renewal. Todd McKenna likes the game so much, he raised St Of Circumstance, named him after a Grateful Dead song and tilts at a windmill called Far Hills.

The $50,000 New Jersey Hunt Cup. The timber stakes is back this year and trainers rewarded the committee with 12 starters ranging from 4-year-old Lion’s Double to 13-year-old Westbound Road.

And there is no rain in the forecast.

30 •

Steeplechase Times

Tod Marks

Victory Ride. Trainer Teddy Mulligan gets a lift from an enthusiastic Dan Haney after Canardly won a $30,000 optional claimer at Great Meadow Oct. 16. A week earlier at Morven Park, Mulligan claimed the horse for $15,000.

Making Good

Brown backs up self-imposed dare with return Retired jockey Gus Brown and trainer Richard Valentine watched Professor Maxwell run loose after falling in the 2008 Pennsylvania Hunt Cup and when the horse skied a big fence, Brown spoke.

“I’d ride that horse in the Maryland Hunt Cup,” he said.

It was a joke, and the two men shared a hearty laugh.

Brown hadn’t ridden a race in four years and Valentine had his hands full with other goals, including the Hunt Cup aspirations of owner/rider George Hundt.

“Gus said it, but so did a few other guys and we all laughed about it then,” said Valentine. “But it wasn’t that far-fetched. He’s a beautiful timber rider and I remember thinking that it could be something he could do someday.”

Brown’s comment came true as he engineered a comeback as an amateur in 2010. He rode seven pointto-point races this spring and returned to the NSA side aboard Professor Maxwell in the Grand National and Hunt Cup. The latter ended with a fall at the 16th fence – and a broken collarbone for Brown.

“I had a lot of fun this spring and I think Maxwell could win the Hunt Cup someday,” Brown said. “I

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The Outside Rail

By Joe Clancy

made a little bit of a mistake and he made a little bit of a mistake.”

With an eye toward erasing that miscue, Brown is back riding timber races this fall and won his first race since the 2004 novice stakes at Callaway Gardens aboard Cherokeeinthehills when Justpourit scored at Genesee Valley. So far, the limited mounts are strictly timber and training flat and all aimed at a better performance on the last Saturday in April 2011. This year, Brown has ridden five NSA races.

“While I have the opportunity to come back and try the Hunt Cup again next spring, I’m going to do it, and to ride better in the Hunt Cup I need to ride some races this fall,” he said. “Riding a handful of races is weird, compared to what I used to do.”

See inside page 31

Friday, October 22, 2010

Inside –

Continued from page 30

Brown used to ride 100 races a year.

Used to eat, sleep and drink steeplechasing. Used to diet. Used to stand up and speak out. He worked for leading trainer Sanna Hendriks, partnered with champion Pompeyo in 2001 and teamed up with other stars Praise The Prince, Lord Zada. Brown won 25 races in 2000, 30 in 2001. He rode McDynamo. He set a record when his horses won $815,897 in 2001.

When he retired in 2004, Brown had 122 wins – good for a spot on the alltime leaderboard – and wanted nothing more than to get away from steeplechasing.

“I was burned out by it when I stopped,” he said. “I was that opinionated professional, I took positions, spoke up,” he said. “I’m not about that anymore, I’ll speak if I’m worried about something but I’m riding for the fun of it, for the challenge of it. I’m not that guy anymore and I know I’m not that guy anymore.”

Brown created a career after racing as a real estate agent. He ate what he wanted, he kept more normal morning hours, he stayed home on weekends, he didn’t worry about safety wings, course inspections, riding Grade I stakes.

He also didn’t worry about his

weight, which went up.

“My heaviest was 208 that I know of – because I didn’t get on the scale that often,” Brown said.

When his wife Linda, a personal trainer, got pregnant in 2008, Gus Brown Brown put himself back on the road to fitness – and, inadvertently, the saddle.

“We were eating healthy and she was cooking healthy and I made a huge effort to eat better and eat less,” Brown said. “Give Linda all the credit for that.

I got down to 185 just by giving up a few things and eating better.”

After daughter Peyton was born,

Brown stayed on the health kick – “three-quarters” committing to the P90X workout program, riding his bicycle and eating better. Then he started riding horses a little more often and half-thinking about riding a race again.

Now he rides regularly to stay fit.

“I get on a few every morning for (trainer) Lizzie Merryman, I school Linda’s horse, I help the odd person school a horse here and there, and I go school timber horses at Richard’s,” Brown said. “It means a lot to do it with Richard. It’s cool, comfortable and fun. He respects my riding, he’s a friend, he lets me do it.”

Brown tacks 165 in the same saddle he used to ride in at 145, sticking to timber races. He’s heard a few rumbles about being a former professional riding as an amateur, but has declined invitations to ride highweight amateur

hurdle races.

“That’s not really meant for me, it’s not fair, not why I came back,” he said.

“I came back to ride a few races, for Richard, to have some fun and to try something new. Having ridden the Hunt Cup, it’s a completely different experience, a different challenge for horse and rider, than anything else I’d done up to then. I like it, but it’s not the same.”

Predictably, Brown came back with some rust.

“Running and jumping is not a problem, my eye is fine, it’s the strategy and getting involved in a race and thinking through a race that has been difficult,” he said. “By the time I get to ‘OK, I’m going to get in the race now,’ I’m beyond where I wanted to do it. It all happens so fast. That has been slow to come back. My eye feels like it was yesterday.

The rest, not so much.”

LETTER TO THE EDITOR I am writing to you about an injustice I feel was done to me and my horse, Rexson’s Halo.

I entered him on the flat at Fair Hill in May and was told by (the Maryland Racing Commission’s) Mike Hopkins that I couldn’t run under pari-mutuel wagering since the horse was barred at Delaware Park for standing once in the gate. My son Ricky’s horse Three Stepper was on the starter’s list in Pennsylvania, and ran at Fair Hill however.

This fall, Jonathan Sheppard’s horse Sgt. Karakorum, who stood three times and was barred in New York, was allowed to run at Monmouth Park with pari-mutuel wagering.

I was told my horse had to break at a point-to-point, run at an NSA meet and then could run with pari-mutuel wagering. Sgt. Karakorum did none of these things. Is this because Sheppard is in the Hall of Fame and gets special treatment?

I have had several horses of this type make good steeplechasers.

Question The Devil won over hurdles and timber for Penny Pape, Real Pip won stakes over hurdles for Charlie Fenwick, Sly Bandit was Ricky’s first sanctioned winner and Hero’s Tour won over hurdles and timber.

Horses can have second careers as jumpers and it seems the stewards and the NSA are making it difficult by not having the same rules for everyone. It is expensive and time consuming to make up a jumper and I’m discour aged by the lack of consistency with

the organization.

I hope that incidents like this can be ironed out better in the future.

Wendy Hendriks, owner Kennett Square, Pa.

Friday, October 22, 2010

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• 31

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