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Joe Clancy 
You recovered from last week? Some years, the Far Hills hangover can feel like a real thing and this year’s big steeplechase day packed a punch. The American Grand National battle between Snap Decision, Galvin and High Definition is as good as Thoroughbred racing gets. Three game horses delivered huge efforts. Bravo and just 5 … Read more
Years ago, in the heyday of steeplechase star McDynamo, somebody asked what he meant to the game. Watching McDynamo, I said, felt like going to church. I was back in a pew Saturday. And had company. Snap Decision, the best horse on the National Steeplechase Association circuit for four (maybe five) years, won the Grade … Read more
Far Hills, the show of shows. The season’s richest meet, championship day, whatever you want to call is upon us again. It’s the 103rd running of the meet, which is just bananas when you think about it. It wasn’t that long ago that we all called it Essex and the feature was worth $12,000. Now, … Read more
The autumn steeplechase season gets serious with the Virginia Fall Races at stately Glenwood Park outside Middleburg, Va. Saturday. This used to be a two-day affair (who’s staying at the Red Fox?) with racing Saturday and Sunday. Of course, they used to saddle in the paddock way up on the hill behind the boxes and, … Read more
History lesson time. Just three horses have earned more than $1 million in North American steeplechase history – McDynamo with $1,310,104, Lonesome Glory with $1,215,809 (he earned a $250,000 bonus which doesn’t factor in the official NSA standings so he comes in at 965,809 on that leaderboard; he also won twice in England and another … Read more
Here we go. The autumn (don’t say fall) steeplechase season comes back to life Saturday with the races at Shawan Downs outside Baltimore. The six-race card starts at 12:30 p.m. and includes races over hurdles and timber. If you’re keeping score at home – and nobody is – we left you after the spring season with … Read more
A dozen maple trees shade the barn of trainer John Terranova and his wife Tonja a few rows backfrom the main track on the Saratoga Race Course backside. They’re tall, old and run through the center of an outdoor walking ring that has surely seen its share of racing royalty.The Terranova horses enjoy the peace.“They’re … Read more
Kentucky and Louisiana-based the rest of the year, trainer Al Stall flashed his Saratoga Race Course credentials when 2-year-old filly Strong State won on Opening Day July 11. The barn kept rolling on the next program when Lord I Wonder finished second in her debut and Over And Ollie won a maiden claimer. Three-year-old filly … Read more
Willow trees, the “therapy bench,” graduate-level father/son banter, conversations in French and English (with some translation, maybe), a dose of racing history – and world-class horses – are just a few of the items in a typical morning at the Saratoga Race Course barn of trainer Christophe Clement and his assistant/son Miguel. Between Shug McGaughey … Read more
L’Imperator, Kingsley regroup in return to Saratoga Grade 1 Editor’s Note: The Smithwick was shelved because of rain Wednesday, but rescheduled for Sunday as the first race. Post time is 1:10 p.m. Forty-four days ago, a foot abscess forced L’Imperator out of the entries for a Grade 1 steeplechase at Saratoga Race Course. And, chalking … Read more
