'Jump' - The 127th Maryland Hunt Cup & Foxfield Spring Races - Snap Decision holds top spot + Join Megan Connolly, Aiden Coleman, and Harry Beswick to discuss the VA Gold Cup!
'Jump' - The 127th Maryland Hunt Cup & Foxfield Spring Races - Snap Decision holds top spot + Join Megan Connolly, Aiden Coleman, and Harry Beswick to discuss the VA Gold Cup!
Friday April 26th, Edition #30
In Case You Missed It: This Weekends Top 6 USA Jump Racing Stories
Contents
Weekend Preview - The Maryland Hunt Cup and Foxfield Races: Super Saturday
Saturday’s Entries - Entries for the 127th Running of The Maryland Hunt Cup and Foxfield Spring Races
The NSA Top 20 Horses in Training - Snap Decision Secures Top Spot as America's Premier Jumper
Flashback Friday - Title: Heart of Racing: Mark Beecher - 2105 Maryland Hunt Cup winning jockey
The Jumping Game Podcast - Join Megan Connolly, Aiden Coleman and Harry Beswick to discuss the VA Gold Cup - May 2nd
Foxfield Races - Foxfield Races prepares for 45th running
and two dynamic stakes races on Saturday, April 27
“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)
The Hunt Cup and Foxfield Races: Super Saturday
Withoutmoreado © Douglas Lees
By Tod Marks
This weekend promises to be a bonanza for jump racing fans with a pair of showcase National Steeplechase Association meets. In Glyndon, nine horses are expected to face the starter in the 127th Maryland Hunt Cup, America’s oldest, longest, and most challenging timber race. Meanwhile hurdlers will take center stage at Foxfield in Charlottesville, Va., where $260,000 in purses are on the line in a seven-race card highlighted by two stakes worth a combined $125,000.
At four miles over 22 post-and-rail fences — some nearly five-feet tall — the Maryland Hunt Cup – the third and final leg of the Maryland Timber Triple series over a three-week span – is a unique test of jumping skill and stamina. In keeping with tradition, the $100,000 race is restricted to amateur riders. Neither winner of the first two legs of the series will run in the Hunt Cup. But two previous winners, including the defending champion, are in the field.
Last year, Armata Stable’s Vintage Vinnie, who was seeking his third straight Hunt Cup win, towered over the field. But after leading for 18 fences, he tired and was pulled up, losing his aura of invincibility. When Vintage Vinnie faltered, it opened the door for Irv Naylor’s Withoutmoreado, who took over under Conor Tierney and roared to the wire 10 ¾ lengths ahead of the only other finisher, Charlie Fenwick’s Royal Ruse.
Vintage Vinnie prepped for the Hunt Cup with a non-threatening second in an allowance contest at the My Lady’s Manor races two weeks ago. One of four Hunt Cup entries trained by Joe Davies, Vintage Vinnie will be ridden by Teddy Davies, the trainer’s son. Withoutmoreado, trained by Kathy Neilson and again ridden by Tierney, lost his rider after the eighth fence in the second leg of the series, the Grand National, on April 20. Royal Ruse, who experienced a career moment when taking the 2023 Pennsylvania Hunt Cup, has had two preps this spring for the big race, finishing second in an allowance event at Cheshire in March and fourth in the My Lady’s Manor stakes, the first leg of the series. Elizabeth Scully rides for trainer Sanna Neilson.
Also taking aim at the past champs are seven additional foes, four of whom have attempted to win the great race before. Kinross Farm’s Blackhall, a maiden trained by Joe Davies, finished fifth in 2022 and fell at the 16th fence last year; he’ll be ridden by Charlie Marshall. Armata Stables’ Goodoldtimes, who captured the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup in 2021, has a third in two previous tries. He’s one of two Mark Beecher trainees, and will be ridden by Dan Nevin. Lucy Goelet’s Rocket Star Red, Beecher’s other entry, is seeking his first win after finishing second and third in three attempts. Brett Owings has the mount. Upland Partners’ Shootist, trained by Todd McKenna, made his Hunt Cup debut last year, but tired and pulled up at the 18th fence. Freddie Procter will be aboard.
The prospective field includes two first-timers as well. Armata Stables’ Mr. Fine Threads, a lightly raced 11-year-old who has made just 11 career starts, has a maiden and allowance victory in his past three outings. If there’s a wild card it’s Meriebelle Stable’s Wagner, an NSA newcomer who runs for Blythe Miller Davies. Coming off of a 17-race career in the UK, the Irish-bred nine-year-old, came from off the pace to break his maiden over timber in his very first try at the My Lady’s Manor races. A week later at the Grand National races, he set the pace early but jumped the wrong fence on the second circuit and pulled up after leaving the course. Eric Poretz is the rider.
Gates open at 11 a.m. Post Time is 4 p.m. For full entries, including owners, trainers, and riders, click here. You can access full past performance information at www.equibase.com.
At Foxfield
Home to presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, as well as the University of Virginia, the city of Charlottesville will host the new-and-improved Spring meet on Saturday.
The Foxfield card consists of seven races worth a record $260,000 – $80,000 more than last year’s event. The meet is anchored by the $75,000 Daniel Van Clief Memorial Sport of Kings novice stakes at 2 ⅛ miles, the distance of all hurdle races over the course. The race has gotten a $15,000 purse bump over 2023. Foxfield will also host a new stakes race, the $50,000 Good Night Shirt Sport of Kings Handicap Hurdle for horses rated at 130 or less. The race is named, of course, for Virginia horseman Sonny Via’s Hall of Fame star, who won six straight Grade 1 stakes among his 13 NSA triumphs and ranks second in all-time earnings.
The rest of the card features four hurdles races – a $15,000 maiden claimer; $30,000 maiden special weights contest; two handicaps, a $35,000 race for horses rated at 115 or less and a $30,000 event for those rated at 110 or less; and a $20,000 maiden race over timber at 3 miles.
Post time is 12:30 p.m. For full entries, click here.
If you can’t make it to the races, you can watch the live stream via the NSA web site at www.nationalsteeplechase.com.
SATURDAY’S ENTRIES
Entries for the 127th Running of The Maryland Hunt Cup
Post Time: 4:00PM
Entries for Foxfield Spring Races
Post Time: 12:00PM
THE NSA TOP 20 HORSES IN TRAINING
Snap Decision Secures Top Spot as America's Premier Jumper
By USASteeplechase
Bruton Street-US' Snap Decision, ridden by jockey Graham Watters, showcased his remarkable talent by securing his third G2 Temple Gwathmey Stakes victory in four years. Snap is now rated 15lb ahead of his nearest competitor at a mark of 167.
Leipers Fork Steeplechasers also introduced a powerhouse in High Definition on Saturday. The six-year-old Galileo progeny secured a narrow victory over Gill Johnston's Bickley by a neck in a non-winners of two allowance race. This performance propelled him to 4th in the NSA rankings to a mark of 145
FLASHBACK FRIDAY
Title: HEART OF RACING: Mark Beecher
Jockey Mark Beecher, won the famous Maryland Hunt Cup in 2015
Photo - Harry Aycock
Jockey Mark Beecher, who won the famous Maryland Hunt Cup last weekend, talks to John O'Riordan about his career - Original article was published in the Irish Field in 2015
Read the full article in TheIrishField.ie
THE JUMPING GAME PODCAST
Join Megan Connolly, Aiden Coleman and Harry Beswick on May 2nd to discuss all things VA Gold Cup
Live on You Tube at Thursday May 2nd at 2pm (EDT)
FOXFIELD RACES
Foxfield Races prepares for 45th running
and two dynamic stakes races on Saturday, April 27
Photo by Dillon Keen Photography
Charlottesville, Va. (April 17, 2024) Albemarle County’s signature Steeplechase racing event will celebrate its 45th running with the return of the Foxfield Races on Saturday, April 27 (2215 Foxfield Track, Charlottesville)
THE DANIEL VAN CLIEF MEMORIAL STAKES RACE
The long-standing Daniel Van Clief Memorial Stakes Race will bring impressive equine talent to Foxfield as they compete for the $75,000 purse. The hurdle race honors the history of one of Virginia’s most influential racing dynasties, named for the late D.G. “Danny” Van Clief, a 1970's state legislator who’s credited with beginning the process of legalizing pari-mutuel wagering in the Commonwealth.
INAUGURAL GOOD NIGHT SHIRT SPORT OF KINGS STAKE RACE SPONSORED BY BROWN ADVISORY
Foxfield will debut an additional stakes race named after consecutive Eclipse Award-winning horse, Good Night Shirt, owned by Charlottesville native Harold "Sonny" Via, Jr. A stakes race with a $50,000 purse, this is the first year for this race and it will continue to be an annual race for years to come at the Spring Races. One of the most dominant steeplechasers in American racing, Good Night Shirt left a lasting legacy on the steeplechase world and Foxfield. Learn more and check out the video here.
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