Joe Clancy

Any discussion on the topic of horse safety should focus in part on removing pieces of the danger puzzle. Having accurate data (see previous post) tells outsiders we care about our horses and should be automatically available. But there are plenty of other points to consider. The NSA took a great step several years ago … Read more

How tidy is your house? In the past week I have discussed steeplechase horse safety with reporters from The Baltimore Sun (before Eight Belles) and the Wilmington News-Journal (after). Both wanted to know how safe, or unsafe, steeplechase racing was. I answered the questions, but I’m not sure I provided much in the way of … Read more

As Ann Stewart jogged/walked/floated to the Maryland Hunt Cup winner’s circle, she laughed at the magnitude of it all. “This is too much for a little old lady,” she said. Little, maybe. Old, not really. And if it’s too much, then she’s fooling everyone. Stewart won her fourth Hunt Cup as a trainer – all … Read more

Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard swept the first two placings in Keeneland’s only steeplechase, the $160,125 Royal Chase (Gr. I) Thursday afternoon as Sovereign Duty rallied in the final yards to edge Sweet Shani by a neck. The winner, ridden by Danielle Hodsdon, covered the 2 1/2 miles and 13 fences in 4:58.13. Best Attack finished third.

The blog police will be coming to get me soon, so sorry for staying away from this space. Blame it on the final edition of Steeplechase Times, which finally went to the printer today. Or calendar-sales season. Or parenthood. Or the Christmas trip my wife, Sam, and I are taking with the boys – we’re … Read more