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Joe Clancy 
Let’s get this out of the way first – Jim Key, trainer Kathy Neilson’s entrant in Saturday’s second race at Shawan Downs – can’t spell, count, tell time or recognize flags of different countries. And doesn’t know who the president is.
Fifty years ago, Jonathan Sheppard bought four yearlings at the Fasig-Tipton yearling sales at Saratoga. And changed racing. Then in his early days as a trainer, he had never really purchased a yearling – let alone traded bids among racing’s big names.
Move over Thrice Worthy. Snap Decision needs room after winning his ninth consecutive American steeplechase race – tying the 1980s great for the all-time record – in Saturday’s Grade 1 Calvin Houghland Iroquois in Nashville, Tenn.
Late June? The Iroquois? Sure, why not? Such is the life of steeplechase racing in the midst of a pandemic and – after one of American jump racing’s truly iconic stops was canceled last year – we’ll take it.
1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1.
That’s eight firsts in a row for steeplechase horse Snap Decision. He goes for nine in Saturday’s Grade 1 Calvin Houghland Iroquois in Nashville. A ninth win would tie Thrice Worthy’s modern-day record for consecutive wins by an American steeplechase horse dating to 1981-82. Though it doesn’t quite measure up to Cigar’s 16 in a row, or the undefeated 13-start career of Snap Decision’s grandmother Personal Ensign, the feat matters given all the variables.
It’s June, do you know where your steeplechase season went? The National Steeplechase Association circuit started in mid-April (instead of mid-March) and extends to a third month with Saturday’s stop in Tryon, N.C. for the 74th Tryon Block House Races. The meet has changed locations and management – now calling the Green Creek Racecourse at the Tryon International Equestrian Center home.
You know it must be a pandemic when the Virginia Gold Cup moves to the last Saturday in May from its traditional first Saturday in May date, but jump racing will take it as spectators will be allowed on site at Great Meadow and a strong lineup fills nine races. If you’re going this year, enjoy. If you’ve never been, put it on your list.
Paget Bennett walked up the steps to my office Tuesday with sad news. I knew it already, but it still hurt. Steve Dance died. The Fasig-Tipton auctioneer, bid-spotter, unofficial historian, fairly official legend collapsed at home on his front porch while having coffee with his wife Nancy.
Trainer Chad Brown means it when he says 2021 Preakness Stakes hopeful Crowded Trade’s past-performance chart is similar to that of 2017 Preakness Stakes winner Cloud Computing.
My friends want to know things, so they call, text, email or otherwise follow some sort of unofficial “Ask Joe” guidebook.
