News

I don’t own a broodmare, but I might be in the market now. And if I did, I know what I’d do with her.

Call Tom Bowman. The Northview Stallion Station veterinarian and managing partner hosted the Chesapeake City farm’s annual open house Sunday afternoon. The day featured a glimpse of history – Northern Dancer’s stall; a great lunch spread – Andy Nelson’s Barbecue; a parade by Maryland’s best stallion lineup – led by distinguished gentlemen Not For Love and Two Punch (that’s him in the photo by Lydia Williams); and a much-needed and timely pep talk on Thoroughbred racing from Bowman.

I left wondering about investing in a stallion or a mare. Not that I have the disposable income but yes, really.

Wednesday morning. 10 o’clock. Clocker stand. Turf works.

How many clockers you have up here? It won’t be enough. Can’t catch them. The most important move is the one who’s just galloping, Booby Trap, with Kent over there.

Coming to the 6. I’ll take Proctor, wire to wire. You got it. Bobby, you take contestant number one coming to the half. Meg, you’ve got white towel, contestant number two. Charlotte, you get the set, contestant number three. Chris, which one you want, brother? Get ready guys, here we go.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Slip Away completed his steeplechase run from claimer to champion with the official Eclipse Award announcement Monday night in Miami Beach, Fla. The front-running gray led all jumpers in earnings in 2010, completing the season with a runaway triumph in the Colonial Cup, and outdistanced all in the Eclipse vote.

Ever get asked to make a keynote address? Daunting task. No instructions, no real guidelines even. “Talk about whatever you want,” Turney McKnight told me when we met for lunch a few weeks ago. McKnight, chairman of the My Lady’s Manor race meet and leader of the National Steeplechase Association’s race chairmen’s group, asked me to speak before the group at its annual gathering Friday in Middleburg, Va.

Carlos Martin, in a tan suit, read Sunday’s overnight in the racing office. His assistant, Dave, asked him why he was dressed up.

I nearly spat on the floor.

Respect.

Respect for Saratoga.

Green Acres is the place for me . . .

The farm, the year-long project my wife and I have been involved with, still creeps along, steadily making progress but it’s a lot like watching your kid grow – it takes an outsider to see him for the first time and tell you how much he’s grown.

Romantic, Yaw, Bisbalense, Flying Frenchman and plenty of others flew the silks of Bill and Tina Entenmann’s Timber Bay Farm around steeplechase courses – winning the Colonial Cup, New York Turf Writers Cup and others through an ownership career that began in 1982.

After bravely battling blood cancer for the past year, Col. Charles Coolidge “Chuck” Ross, US Army retired, passed away on Christmas Eve, surrounded by family. The longtime horseman, steeplechase enthusiast and dedicated supporter of the Block House Races in Tryon, N.C. was 86. The immediate cause of death was congestive heart failure.  During his final week of life Col Ross and his family were gently and ably assisted by the hospice staff at Elizabeth House in Hendersonville, N.C.

“When this community rallies, it really rallies.”

Jake Chalfin said that, via video, at the Chasin’ for Chalfin benefit party at the Stone Barn in Unionville, Pa. Dec. 4. The amateur steeplechase jockey was paralyzed in a fall at a point-to-point in September and is battling to walk again in the face of health issues, staggering costs and sobering odds. The community turned out Dec. 4, packing the place for a sold-out dinner/dance/auction designed to offset Chalfin’s expenses.

By Sean Clancy

Bubble Economy has put together a long and steady career; making at least two starts over jumps from ages 3 to 11. Never scintillating, sometimes frustrating, but always there or thereabouts, the Arcadia Stable veteran won his first timber championship in 2004, his second in 2008 and his third in 2010.