Picks & Preview: My Lady’s Manor and Blue Ridge.

Week four of the spring season. Happy Orthodox Easter. The Masters turns the corner. The Jenny Wiley and the Lexington showcase the Saturday card at Keeneland. The flag drops on the Maryland timber circuit with the historic My Lady’s Manor while the Blue Ridge Point-to-Point anchors the Virginia tour. Four races at the Manor and four NSA races on the mixed card at Blue Ridge.

As for last week, the TIHR Handicappers picked at least one winner in every race (half full, baby) at Old Dominion. Sean tabbed two (Morning March and Hidden Path). Miles picked one (Morning March). Joe found one (Hidden Path). Tom discovered one (Doctor Love). For the year, Sean leads with nine wins. Miles and Tom are tied with eight. Joe, obviously distracted with grandad duty, has six.

As for the real standings, Stone Farm leads the owner’s race over Molly & Paul Willis. Leslie Young tops the trainer’s standings, one win ahead of Keri Brion, Ricky Hendriks, Kathy Neilson, Kate Dalton and Todd McKenna. Stephen Mulqueen and Freddie Procter sit atop the jockey’s race with four wins apiece. Carolina Cup winner Swore leads all horses in earnings.

Back at it.

You can watch the live stream via the NSA website.

My Lady’s Manor. Monkton, Md.

Race 1. 1:30. The My Lady’s Manor. Timber stakes. Sponsored by The Butler Cabin and Maury, Donnelly & Parr. $50,000. 3 miles.

The 115th running. Wow. A prep for the Maryland Hunt Cup. Certainly it is for 2025 Hunt Cup winner Road To Oz who gets back to work for owner Dan Baker, trainer Mark Beecher and jockey Dan Nevin. The son of Quality Road finished third in the allowance race at the Manor last year and takes on five rivals in the big one this year. But all eyes are on two weeks from now.

“There’s when you know it and there’s when you admit it to yourself. Personally, I always had it in my head but never really said it until I watched him run around the Grand National the year he won it (2022),” said Beecher about Road To Oz’s journey to Hunt Cup glory. “I remember when he won at the Manor as a maiden, I’ve ridden plenty of maidens there and seen plenty of them jump around there but I had never seen one jump around so easy especially in his second start. That was the first time I thought it. When he won the Grand National, I knew it. It took him four or five fences to get into his groove, just because they were that bit bigger but after that, he was comfortable. I’m sure if Road To Oz was with some other trainers, he would have been (to the Hunt Cup) two years beforehand and they might have been 100 percent correct to put him there but I always ask myself about horses going to races, especially the bigger timber, ‘would I ride them myself?’ If I’m half thinking about it, I know it’s not right.”

Beecher isn’t half thinking about it with Road To Oz. A short but deep field awaits. Bob’s Bar is 2-for-4 over timber for Todd McKenna. Bogey’s Image won the Manor last year for Joe Davies. Animal Kingston, a Virginia mainstay, makes his first Maryland start for Neil Morris. The Butler Yeats won the Genesee Valley Hunt Cup last year for Leslie Young. Uco Valley forms a tough entry for Young.

Race 2. 2:15. The John Rush Street Memorial. Maiden timber. Sponsored by The Naylor Foundation. $20,000. 3 miles.

Beecher unveils Tufton Avenue for his timber debut. Holiday Charm has the look of a timber horse for Julie Gomena. Bet The Pot won at a point-to-point race at Old Dominion last weekend.

Race 3. 3:00. The Thomas H. Voss Memorial. Maiden timber. Sponsored by Gladden Farm and Cambria Veterinary Group. $20,000. 3 miles.

Just five line up in the second division of the maiden timber. Jeremy Pass makes his NSA debut for Davies. Awesome Strike makes his debut for Beecher. Step Out went chasing in Ireland.

Race 4. 3:45. The John D. Schapiro Memorial. Apprentice timber. Sponsored by R & A Insurance. $15,000. 3 miles.

The apprentices get their chance in the finale. De Nordener and Recoup square off again after finishing one-two at Cheshire two weeks ago. Good to see old friends Paddy’s Crown, Huyana, Storm Team, Great Road, Monbeg Stream and Include It.

The Blue Ridge Point-to-Point. Berryville, Va.

A welcome addition to the circuit, the hybrid meet offers opportunities for maidens over timber and over hurdles in a beautiful setting.

Race 2. 1:35. Maiden timber. $15,000. 3 miles.

This looks like a plan hatched long ago. Shannon Hill Farm’s Evie’s Prince makes his timber debut at his local meet. The Saratoga hurdle stakes winner looks like the Best Bet of the Day.

Race 3. 2:10. The Virginia Equine Alliance. Maiden hurdle. $30,000. 2 miles.

Two paths converge. No Yield, Righthere Rightnow and Mickey Shillelagh make their hurdle debuts against experienced maidens That’s Not Funny, Middleburg and Verbal.

Race 4. 2:45. Maiden starter, maiden claiming hurdle. $20,000. 2 miles.

With three seconds in three tries, it could be graduation day for Coal Boss. Mission Man takes the most important drop from maiden special to maiden claiming. Grahamzilla should improve from his hurdle debut at Aiken. Competitive race for the grade.

Race 5. 3:20. Maiden starter, maiden claiming hurdle. $20,000. 2 miles.

On paper, this division looks far easier. Eyes go toward Hard Par who makes his hurdle debut for Bernie and Kate Dalton. Gettin’downonit was competitive against similar last year.