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Monday can be good, bad, indifferent, busy, sleepy, slow to begin, snowy (even in spring). Mostly, Monday is here and There, and so is This Is Horse Racing. And Here and There means Worth Repeating, Numbers, a Photo of the Week and other bits and pieces from the world of racing.
Joe Bravo celebrated with showgirls Saturday at Turfway Park. Miguel Mena walked back to the jock’s room, mostly alone after finishing up an interview or two with reporters. Such is life for jockeys after a race like the $550,000 Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes.
Old pro Sunshine Numbers continued to add to his legacy with a runaway triumph in Saturday’s $50,000 Budweiser Imperial Cup at the Aiken Steeplechase in Aiken, S.C.
The winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes always seems to be ranked high on everyone’s Kentucky Derby contenders to watch lists. Rightfully so, considering the race is at Churchill Downs, late in the fall, on traditional dirt, and around two turns. It’s got all the makings of a strong prep for the classic prep season.
We’re back. The fearless ST handicappers return for another year of picking steeplechase winners, or trying to pick steeplechase winners. Joe, Sean and new recruit Tom Law will put their opinions down every week – helping you follow along from home or at the race course. And, yes, we’re aware there is very little opportunity to actually wager on these races, but…consider it practice for when you can.
In another month, it will be about two years. . .Graham Motion stood at the rail of the dirt track at Fair Hill Training Center and waited for Wood Memorial winner Toby’s Corner.
Youngsters and veterans collide in Aiken’s feature, the $50,000 Imperial Cup, Saturday in Aiken, S.C. Only in steeplechasing, the youngsters are 6 and the veterans are 10 and up. Sunshine Numbers, Country Cousin and Cuse provide the wisdom while Pullyourfingerout and Extraextraordinary provide the enthusiasm.
The next week or so should be plenty fun, most interesting, and undoubtedly stressful for Kellyn Gorder.
To put trainer Jonathan Sheppard’s standing in American steeplechasing in perspective, he won his first championship in 1970 and his first-call jockey for 2013, Darren Nagle, was born in 1987.
Nicky Henderson peered through his binoculars, clutching them like he had caught two rats by their necks. Then he lowered them and checked the infield big screen. Then he picked up his binoculars, watched. Again, he set them down. Again, he picked them up.
