'Jump': Rampoldi Plan earns first stakes win in NSA's newest Grade 1, Leslie Young bags 5, Schoodic is sensational...again!
'Jump': Rampoldi Plan earns first stakes win in NSA's newest Grade 1, Leslie Young bags 5, Schoodic is sensational...again!
Monday May 6th, Edition #35
In Case You Missed It: This Weekends Top 6 USA Jump Racing Stories
Contents
Weekend Review - Five times a charm!
Virginia Gold Cup Races - Rampoldi Plan earns first stakes win in NSA's newest Grade 1, Schoodic is sensational...again!
Nominations for Iroquois - The Green Pastures, The Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Grade 1) and the The Margaret Currey Henley
The Iroquois Steeplechase - Paint the bell, but in who’s colors?
Willowdale Steeplechase - The Willowdale Steeplechase Timber stakes
NSA Standings - Leslie Young Sets the Pace in NSA Trainer Standings with a Stellar Weekend
“The ‘Jump newsletter’ is an absolute boon to me. Now domiciled in the UK, it keeps me updated on US jump racing. Thank you.” - Barbara Shaw (Facebook)
WEEKEND REVIEW
Five times a charm!
By Tod Marks
Leading NSA trainer Leslie Young had another big weekend with a combined five winners at the Virginia Gold Cup Races and Winterthur Point to Point.
Besides Rampoldi Plan taking the inaugural G1 Commonwealth Cup, Young scored with Silverton Hill's Kelmscott in a maiden special weights hurdle and Runnymoore Racing's Clifton Down (pictured) in the Speedy Smithwick stakes at Gold Cup, and Leipers Fork Steeplechasers' Fast Vision in the Winterthur Bowl allowance and Potter Group USA and Ashwell Stable's Right Tempo in the Middletown Cup training flat contest.
Jockeys Bernie Dalton, Jamie Bargary, and Stephen Mulqueen also doubled at Gold Cup. Freddie Procter doubled at Winterthur. Keri Brion also had a training double at Gold Cup.
The entire race day photo gallery from Winterthur is now up at
www.todmarks.photoshelter.com.
Read more articles about this week’s action by visiting Tod Marks Facebook Page
VIRGINIA GOLD CUP RACES
$150,000 Commonwealth Cup
Rampoldi Plan earns first stakes win in NSA's newest Grade 1
Leipers Fork Steeplechasers' five-year-old son of Hard Spun gave trainer Leslie Young and jockey Jamie Bargary victory in the inaugural $150,000 Commonwealth Cup at yesterday's Virginia Gold Cup Races. ForBargary it was also his first G1 win.
$75,000 Virginia Gold Cup
Schoodic is sensational...again!
Dolly Fisher's 14-year-old, ridden by Graham Watters and trained by Jack Fisher, captures his fourth straight stake with blockbuster victory over a tough Awesome Adrian in the $75,000 Virginia Gold Cup timber stakes at Great Meadow yesterday.
NOMINATIONS FOR IROQUOIS
The entries are expected to be revealed later today, but it's quite striking to see few international competitors this year. Only, Gordon Elliot has entered a runner in ANDY DUFRESNE (IRE) for the Grade 1 race, however, it seems he's been bought to stay in the US, thanks to our friends at Del Rio Racing.
IROQUIOS STEEPLECHASE
A special tradition at the Iroquois is to paint the bell with the colors of the winner's silks from the Calvin Houghland Iroquois Steeplechase Race. Will it be the yellow and blue of Bruton Street-US this year?
Tickets are still available at https://www.iroquoissteeplechase.org
WILLOWDALESTEEPLECHASE
FIVE days until race day!
The fourth race of the day is our feature race, The Willowdale Steeplechase timber stakes. A timber stakes is for experienced timber horses. It is our longest race of the day at 3 1/2 miles, and will run over a different course than the rest of the races - much of the action will be right in front of you!
Race chair Dixon Stroud explains, "Well, the race is in Willowdale, Pa, so the name was a natural. My wife Lisa and I had fun choosing the trophy from Bulgari."
The 2023 Willowdale Steeplechase was won by Kiplin Hall's RENEGADE RIVER, ridden by George Daly and trained by Willie Dowling.
Join us on Saturday May 11! Tickets are available right through race day at Willowdale.org. Ticket prices INCREASE on Wednesday!
NSA STANDINGS
Leslie Young Sets the Pace in NSA Trainer Standings with a Stellar Weekend
Leslie Young is currently dominating the NSA trainer standings. She clinched victories in both hurdle stakes this weekend, bringing her impressive total to 15 wins!
On the other hand, the competition for the jockey title and the owners' titles is much tighter. Leipers Fork Steeplechasers holds a slender lead of one race over Armata Stables Farms in the owners' championship, while Graham Watters is just one race ahead of Jamie Bargary in the jockeys' standings.
Share the Love for Jump!
Are you a fan of Jump? Know someone else who might enjoy our content? Don't hesitate to share! We cover everything from jockey profiles to race recaps, offering something for every jump racing enthusiast.
Sharing is simple and helps us grow - allowing us to keep delivering the content you love. So, spread the word about Jump and help us build a community that celebrates the thrill of jump racing. Thank you for your support!
If you have any articles or topics to share, send us a link at usasteeplechase@gmail.com.
Check back on Friday for more USA Steeplechase news and insights!
Steve
@USASteeplechase - Twitter, Facebook and Instagram