News

There were a couple of “good mornings” on Monday morning. A few, “Hey, how’ve you beens,” and even one “this is what you do all morning, stand around?” As the tour went from the Annex (where we did the standing around), to Oklahoma, through Horse Haven, around Clare Court and down Nelson Avenue – with … Read more

Bill Mott swung into his western saddle and ambled his way to the track to watch his last set gallop on the main track Tuesday morning. The sun was out, the rain loomed and all thoughts were on Opening Day Saratoga 2008.  Mott laughed at the absurdity of predicting what might happen. Defending his leading-trainer … Read more

Ever been to The Whip? I was there before The Whip was The Whip. Then known as the Country Place Deli, the cinderblock square at the corner of Route 841 and Springdell Road in Chester County, Pa. lured an odd mix of cowboys and kids. The cowboys drank beer and threw darts in the back … Read more

Four. Six if you count part-timers. Seven if you count my dad, who does Pennsylvania distribution. Eight if you count Barry Watson, who handles Maryland and Virginia. Other than the occasional freelance writer, some independent advertising sales people, a core group of freelance photographers and a cast of volunteers, that’s the staff of Steeplechase/Eventing Times. … Read more

Visitors, we get visitors at ST Publishing World Headquarters here in Fair Hill. Deliverymen, horsemen, salesmen, relatives, old bosses, relatives’ old bosses, young people, old people, lost people. One day last week, a visitor reminded us of why we do what we do. He came to watch a horse run on TVG. A few moments … Read more

Steeplechase/Eventing Times won the General Excellence Award for 2007 at the American Horse Publications awards banquet Saturday, June 28 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

MALVERN, Pa. – Things were different a year ago. Be Certain hadn’t yet seen a race course, let alone a National Fence. Planets Aligned had just tasted his first success following two disastrous steeplechase starts. And Chip Miller caught Matt McCarron at the wire to win the National Hunt Cup. Some 363 days and 4:54 … Read more

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – If Good Night Shirt emerged in the 2007 Iroquois, he arrived in the 2008 edition with a performance that shouted professionalism, polish and panache. Last year’s steeplechase champion opened 2008 with a win at Atlanta April 12 in his typical style – overwhelming yet a little unkempt – thanks to a couple … Read more

Any discussion on the topic of horse safety should focus in part on removing pieces of the danger puzzle. Having accurate data (see previous post) tells outsiders we care about our horses and should be automatically available. But there are plenty of other points to consider. The NSA took a great step several years ago … Read more

How tidy is your house? In the past week I have discussed steeplechase horse safety with reporters from The Baltimore Sun (before Eight Belles) and the Wilmington News-Journal (after). Both wanted to know how safe, or unsafe, steeplechase racing was. I answered the questions, but I’m not sure I provided much in the way of … Read more