News

Forty-eight hours after the Colonial Cup and the end of the 2010 steeplechase season. Time for another look at the weekend.

In 2009, Denmark-based owner Morten Buskop brought General Ledger to America and nearly upset the Grand National while settling for second in this country’s richest jump race. This year, Buskop brought a new horse – Percussionist – and got the money.

Longtime steeplechase enthusiast and participant Richard Joseph "Dickie" Hendriks Jr. passed away Thursday, Oct. 7. The father of trainer Ricky Hendriks was 75. A lifelong professional horseman, Hendriks was a fixture on the steeplechase circuit and helped launch his son’s career as a steeplechase jockey with long hours prepping such stalwarts as Red Raven and … Read more

Morten Buskop, Hanne Bechmann and world traveler General Ledger added foreign intrigue to last year’s Grand National at Far Hills. They nearly won the sport’s biggest stakes with a determined second to upset winner Your Sum Man. The owner/trainer combination plans to return for this year’s $250,000 stakes on October 23 with high-class flat horse turned steeplechase horse Percussionist.

Did I miss a meeting?

That was basically my response when told I was to be a judge of the Theodora Randolph Field Hunter Championship of America Finals.

About the sign…

Jonathan Sheppard won his 1,000th career steeplechase race Saturday at Monmouth Park. I was at Shawan Downs and as word hit of the trainer’s milestone, people asked me about a sign or other tribute. Surely, Steeplechase Times – somehow the de facto record-keeper of all things steeplechase – made a sign to help commemorate the achievement.

Trainer Jonathan Sheppard reached a career milestone of 1,000 North American steeplechase wins Saturday with a double at Monmouth Park. Sheppard won a $25,000 maiden hurdle with Augustin Stable’s Port Morsbey and the $100,000 Helen Haskell Sampson Stakes with Hudson River Farm’s Arcadius.

Amateur jockey Jake Chalfin suffered severe injuries when falling from 3-year-old filly Sometimes Not at the Blue Ridge Point-to-Point in Berryville, Va., Sept. 18. Chalfin suffered multiple vertebrae fractures and is paralyzed from the chest down. Alert and stable, he underwent surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore Md.

The lady at the Phillies game pointed at my son Nolan, turned to me and said, “I’m not sure he can see.”

I laughed and replied, “I’m petty sure he can’t, but I don’t think it matters.”

The Saratoga Special’s handicapper John Shapazian finished in the top 10 among all public handicappers at the recently concluded Saratoga Race Course season. Shapazian – "Shapes" to his friends – compiled 115 wins (a victory by his top selection) from 339 races handicapped during the meet. Shapazian hit with a strong 34 percent, tops among … Read more