Foxfield: Picks & Preview

Week two of the fall season. The jumpers roll up or down Route 29 or across I-64 for the Foxfield Fall Races Sunday in Charlottesville, Va. It’s the 47th time for the fall standard which has hosted the best in the sport – Zaccio, Sailor’s Clue, Double Reefed, Victorian Hill to name a few – and will again with Eclipse Award winner Snap Decision gearing up for another fall campaign. The 11-year-old skipped the summer (NYRA won’t allow horses his age to run at Saratoga or Aqueduct) and follows the same route he took to his first championship last year. He carries 162 pounds against six rivals in the $75,000 feature.

As for last week, Keys Discount continued to dominate the open timber division with an easy win in the Brown Advisory timber stakes at Shawan Downs. Dolly Fisher’s 6-year-old leads all 2025 timber horses with $93,000. He was one of three wins on the card for trainer Jack Fisher, who also scored with Riverdee Stable’s Ethics and Cyber Ninja. Trainer Leslie Young registered wins with Rucker Road for Sharon Sheppard and The Hero Next Door for Mike Smith. Tom Garner unveiled impressive debut winner Max’d Out for Irv Naylor.

Riverdee climbed to within $16,900 of Bruton Street in the owners’ standings. Fisher leads Young by seven in the trainers’ race. Graham Watters doubled to take a four-race lead over Stephen Mulqueen in the jockeys’ battle.

As for the TIHR handicappers, Sean and Joe tied at the top by picking four of six winners. Brothers think alike (Max’d Out, Cyber Ninja, Key’s Discount and The Hero Next Door). Tom countered with three (Ethics, Cyber Ninja, Key’s Discount). Miles tabbed two (Ethics, Key’s Discount).

This week’s spotlight transfers to Foxfield for six jump races and two flat races.

Learn more at the meet website and watch all the action on the NSA livestream.

First race. $20,000 maiden claiming hurdle. Sponsored by Porsche Charlottesville. 2 1/8 miles. A full field kicks off the card in the opener. Teddy Davies gets a prep for the Velká pardubická aboard Lucky Prince. The indomitable Beowulf makes his 17th start over hurdles. Top Of The Field didn’t get beat far at Radnor. Philip My Dear takes the most crucial drop in racing. Love Shaq finished second at Colonial Downs. Tricky race.

Second race. $30,000 filly & mare maiden hurdle. Sponsored by Audi Charlottesville. 2 1/8 miles. Another full field converges for the second half of the early double. Bold Look hit the board twice in the spring. Grade 1 winning jockey Gus Dahl returns for his first ride since 2020 aboard Forever Hopeful for Bill Wofford (did Ozymandias run at Foxfield?). Gossiper makes her hurdle debut off a Fair Hill flat romp. Red Tone returns after a stakes try at Colonial. Open race.

• Sean: Wilma Flintshire, Red Tone, Gossiper.
• Joe: Gossiper, Bold Look, Red Tone.
• Tom: Bold Look, Gossiper, Unfolding Beauty.
• Miles: Gossiper, Dark Pool, Wilma Flintshire. 

Third race. $40,000 maiden hurdle. Sponsored by Virginia Equine Alliance and Brown Advisory. 2 1/8 miles. Ten line up in solid maiden hurdle. In Effect hit the crossbar three times at Colonial Downs. Awesome Man finished second at Laurel. Attrayant makes his debut. Point Me By showed promised in the spring. Competitive race.

• Sean: Point Me By, In Effect, Harrenhal.
• Joe: Awesome Man, Point Me By, Nobel Speaker.
• Tom: Awesome Man, Nobel Speaker, In Effect.
• Miles: Point Me By, In Effect, Awesome Man.

Fourth race. $30,000 handicap hurdle (110). Sponsored by Tiger Fuel and Volkert. 2 1/8 miles. And look at that, another full field. This time the handicappers go at it and the handicappers spread out four ways. Dante’s Fire sports a win, five seconds and two thirds in nine tries. Kathy Neilson goes double handed with Ruthenian and Selassie. Icandothat bounces into this off a rich turf win at Colonial Downs for owner/breeder Vivian Rall. Close race.

• Sean: Dante’s Fire, Icandothat, Ruthenian.
• Joe: Scoop The Pot, Icandothat, Rickys Revenge.
• Tom: Icandothat, Love Saga, Scoop The Pot.
• Miles: Dante’s Fire, Rickys Revenge, Icandothat.

Fifth race. $40,000 handicap hurdle (120). Sponsored by Marsh McLennan Agency and presented by Habitat for Humanity. 2 1/8 miles. An eclectic mix of handicap hurdlers clash in the co-feature. Sweet Will exits a third in the Grade 1 Lonesome Glory at Aqueduct. Two Past Eight, Tufton Avenue and King Of The Kids combined for the trifecta at Willowdale and skipped the summer. Veteran Decisive Triumph gets back to work. Good race.

• Sean: Sweet Will, Tufton Avenue, Vintage Year.
• Joe: Vintage Year, King Of The Kids, Sweet Will.
• Tom: Vintage Year, Sultan Pierji, Sweet Will.
• Miles: Tufton Avenue, Sultan Pierji, Vintage Year. 

Sixth race. $75,000 Mariann de Tejeda Memorial grade 3 stakes. 2 1/8 miles. Welcome back, champ. The 2024 champion Snap Decision returns for a fall campaign for Bruton Street, Jack Fisher and Graham Watters. The 11-year-old seeks his 18th career win over hurdles in what should serve as a prep for the Grade 1 Grand National at Far Hills in two weeks. This is far from a layup, although he’s picked across the board (defensive handicapping?) by the intrepid TIHR Handicappers. Foxy Walk won the spring feature over the course. Active Duty takes a step up from an allowance hurdle win in the spring. Cool Jet upset the Grade 1 Commonwealth Cup in the spring. Who’s Counting finished second, ahead of Snap Decision, in this race last year. Noble Anthem chased Cool Jet in the Commonwealth. Moonshine Time Takes a class hike. Belfast Banter is scratched. Best race.

• Sean: Snap Decision, Cool Jet, Foxy Walk.
• Joe: Snap Decision, Foxy Walk, Cool Jet.
• Tom: Snap Decision, Moonshine Time, Cool Jet.
• Miles: Snap Decision, Cool Jet, Noble Anthem. 

Seventh race. Training flat. Sponsored by Faulconer Construction. 1 ½ miles. Preps and debuts for all, including Grade 1 hurdle winner Rampoldi Plan and Grade 3 flat placed Magic Tap. Welcome to steeplechasing, Winchell Thoroughbreds.

• Sean: Magic Tap, The Addison Pour, Rampoldi Plan.
• Joe: Magic Tap, The Addison Pour, Rampoldi Plan.
• Tom: Rampoldi Plan, The Addison Pour, Magic Tap.
• Miles: Passing Game, Magic Tap, The Addison Pour.

Eighth race. Training flat. Sponsored by Faulconer Construction. 1 ½ miles. Same idea here with Iroquois-placed Vae Patron returning from the spring, allowance winner Pure Courage returning from 2024 and Rotterdam, a $135,000 purchase this summer, making his debut for Del Rio Racing.

• Sean: Rotterdam, Vae Patron, Pure Courage.
• Joe: Rotterdam, Headline News, Vae Patron.
• Tom: Vae Patron, Pure Courage, Grey Pharoh.
• Miles: Vae Patron, Worthington, Batman Girac. 

Good luck and enjoy the weekend.