Can you say homestretch? The National Steeplechase Association season turns to its final two weekends with a stop at Callaway Gardens in Georgia Saturday. The southernmost stop on the circuit shifted two weeks later in the calendar and offers a runway into next weekend’s South Carolina finale at Aiken (Saturday) and Camden (Sunday).
Callaway’s five-race card starts at 1 p.m. with a cross-country timber over a variety of fences, then puts on four hurdle races – a 115 handicap, a maiden, the $75,000 novice feature and a maiden claimer. The date change, shifting away from direct competition, should have helped the field sizes more but maybe that comes next year.
Last week at Charleston, Laker Mamba got up by a head to win the opening maiden claimer over Harrenhal for Slingshot Racing, Neil Morris and Graham Watters. Kentucky owner/trainer Bill Wofford won a maiden claimer with 4-year-old filly Forever Hopeful, who won by 21 lengths to give jockey Gus Dahl his first win since 2017. Dahl rode regularly on the circuit with 29 wins from 2011-2017. Winchell Thoroughbreds won its first jump race with Magic Tap in the maiden as Morris and Watters teamed up for another win. The 5-year-old son of Tapit finished fourth in the 2023 Pennsylvania Derby and was second in the 2024 Razorback Handicap for trainer Steve Asmussen. Trainer Mark Beecher continued his strong fall season with a 110 handicap hurdle win by Rejection Hurts, a week after breaking his maiden at Montpelier. Dan Nevin rode the Minnesota-bred winner for Turks Head Turf. Risk Taking won the featured allowance hurdle in a 13-length romp for Stonelea Stable and Bonnie Rye Stable, trainer Julie Gomena and jockey Bernie Dalton.
The TIHR handicappers found a few winners. Sean (Rejection Hurts and Risk Taking), Joe (Laker Mamba and Risk Taking) and Miles (Rejection Hurts and Risk Taking) doubled. Tom singled with Rejection Hurts. The leaderboard didn’t change much. Sean leads with 22. Joe is second with 21. Tom has 14 and Miles has 13. As Gene Hart used to say, “Time’s a wasting.”
Callaway Gardens. Post time is 1 p.m. You can watch the live stream on the NSA website and learn more on the race meet website.
First race (1:00). $20,000 open timber, 3 1/2 miles. They jump timber, hurdles and water so versatility matters. Five give it a go including Great Meadow winner Anzio, Genesee winner Crealion and divisional specialist Fashion Line. Veteran Animal Kingston finished third in the hurdle stakes here in 2021 and won a handicap here in 2023. He couldn’t handle Keys Discount last time but was third at Middleburg and second at Shawan. Walk The Warrior looked like a rising hurdle star early this year, but shifted gears for the fall.
- Sean: Animal Kingston, Anzio, Walk The Warrior.
- Joe: Animal Kingston, Anzio, Walk The Warrior.
- Tom: Animal Kingston, Anzio, Crealion.
- Miles: Crealion, Anzio, Animal Kingston.
Second race (1:40). $30,000 Handicap hurdle (115), 2 3/8 miles. They run right-handed at Callaway, which typically doesn’t factor but you never know. Darn Tipalarm was a demon on this course, which also goes downhill to the backside and uphill to the front. Six clash here. Lydford was second over the course last year and shakes off some rust. He and Willowdale maiden winner Anador carry the top weight of 158 thanks to 114 ratings. King Of Tsavo won at Great Meadow. Bright Eyed Eagle won a 110 at Colonial and was third in a 115 at Shawan. Artistic Choice was second in that Shawan race. Ruthenian gets weight from everybody.
- Sean: Lydford, Artistic Choice, Anador.
- Joe: Anador, King Of Tsavo, Lydford.
- Tom: King Of Tsavo, Anador, Bright Eyed Eagle.
- Miles: Lydford, Anador, Artistic Choice.
Third race (2:20). $30,000 maiden hurdle, 2 3/8 miles. Just six tackle one of the year’s final maiden hurdle races. Leslie Young entered two Leipers Fork runners – Yes Sir Jack (off a second at Great Meadow) and Keys To Court (seventh in that race). Cartographer was fourth there for Neil Morris and picks up jockey Graham Watters. Another from that race, Aft represents the home team of owner Mason Lampton. Arturo Toscanini was fourth in the Far Hills maiden.
- Sean: Yes Sir Jack, Arturo Toscanini, Cartographer.
- Joe: Yes Sir Jack, Cartographer, Arturo Toscanini.
- Tom: Yes Sir Jack, Cartographer, Arturo Toscanini.
- Miles: Yes Sir Jack, Arturo Toscanini, Keys to Court.
Fourth race (3:00). $75,000 Aflac Supreme novice hurdle stakes, 2 3/8 miles. Seven meet in the feature including Grade 1 winners Swore and Rampoldi Plan, three-time winner King Of The Kids and stakes winner Smart Uncle. Two Past Eight exits an allowance win at Great Meadow. Boldog drops out of a Grade 1. Don’t sleep on Batman Girac, who ran off halfway through the Foxbrook at Far Hills and hung around to finish third.
- Sean: Rampoldi Plan, Swore, King Of The Kids.
- Joe: Rampoldi Plan, King Of The Kids, Swore.
- Tom: King Of The Kids, Smart Uncle, Swore.
- Miles: Batman Girac, King Of The Kids, Rampoldi Plan.
Fifth race (3:40). $25,000 maiden claiming hurdle, 2 3/8 miles. Five go in the finale. Fouroneohsmokeshow has been second twice this year. Big George was third at Shawan, but hasn’t run back to that effort twice. British Royalty was second to King Of Tsavo at Great Meadow.
- Sean: Fouroneohsmokeshow, Big George, British Royalty.
- Joe: British Royalty, Fouroneohsmokeshow, Big George.
- Tom: Big George, Fouroneohsmokeshow, British Royalty.
- Miles: Big George, British Royalty, Fouroneohsmokeshow.
