The steeplechase season stays in high gear this weekend with a tripleheader on tap in Maryland and Virginia.
Saturday features major hurdle players on the usual deep program at Glenwood Park for the Middleburg Spring Races while Maryland timber horses take center stage at the Grand National in Butler. Sunday’s action goes down at Morven Park in Leesburg, Va., for the Loudoun Hunt Point-to-Point, which includes three NSA sanctioned events.
How are the TIHR handicappers doing you ask? OK, maybe you didn’t ask but here’s the answer anyway. Joe and Sean shared top honors for the weekend with four winners apiece. Joe tabbed three at the Blue Ridge Point-to-Point – That’s Not Funny, Grahamzilla and Hard Par – along with De Nordener at My Lady’s Manor. Sean doubled at each meet – Tufton Avenue and De Nordener at the Manor and Grahamzilla and Hard Par at Blue Ridge. Miles came up with a pair – Tufton Avenue and Hard Par – while Tom needed a double scratch to eek out his lone winner in Hard Par. For the year, Sean leads with 13 wins. Joe, making up for some lost time and adjusting the grandpa duties, sits in a tie for second with Miles at 10. Tom trails with nine.
The real standings show Molly and Paul Willis still atop the owner’s table with $62,200 in purses and three wins from eight starts. Leslie Young leads the way for trainers by wins (five) and money won ($117,950). Freddie Proctor tops the riders by wins with five, one more than Stephen Mulqueen, who leads by money won at $135,400. Plenty of opportunity to shake up those standings heading into a 15-race weekend.
All weekend races are live-streamed on the NSA website.
Middleburg Spring Races at Glenwood Park. Post time 1 p.m.
We’ve written it in this space before, if you’re coming from the north and east, go west on Route 50, make a right at the Red Fox Inn and go back about 100 years. Eight races of all types worth $300,000 on the docket.
First race. Training flat going 1 ½ miles. 1 p.m.
Field of seven marks the return of Grade 1 winners Jimmy P and Little Trilby, along with stakes-winning mare Timetoshine and imports Mr Percy and Navid.
- Sean: Jimmy P, Worthington, Mr Percy.
- Joe: Mr Percy, Worthington, Alpamayo.
- Miles: Worthington, Little Trilby, Jimmy P.
- Tom: Jimmy P, Navid, Little Trilby.
Second race. $50,000 Warrior Canine Connection allowance (NW2) hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. 1:35 p.m.
Scorpius and Grey Pharoh placed in stakes last fall get started on their 2026 campaigns against stakes winner Cooper, Salted Carmel and Dynamite Dan.
- Sean: Grey Pharoh, Dynamite Dan, Scorpius.
- Joe: Dynamite Dan, Grey Pharoh, Cooper.
- Miles: Dynamite Dan, Salted Carmel, Cooper.
- Tom: Salted Carmel, Scopius, Cooper.
Third race. $30,000 Middleburg Hunt Cup timber going 3 1/4 miles. 2:10 p.m.
Defending champ Keys Discount – riding a five-race win streak including back-to-back 10-length scores last fall at Middleburg and Great Meadow – returns in his 7-year-old debut. Trained by Jack Fisher, Maryland-bred Medal Count gelding won this last year by 2 lengths under Graham Watters, who returns again on the 2025 timber champion.
- Sean: Keys Discount, Marcel Magic, Track And Trace.
- Joe: Keys Discount, Marcel Magic, Track And Trace.
- Miles: Keys Discount, Track and Trace, Marcel Magic.
- Tom: Keys Discount, Lightning Ridge, Marcel Magic.
Fourth race. $100,000 Temple Gwathmey Handicap hurdle stakes going 2 1/2 miles. 2:45 p.m.
Strong cast for Grade 2 feature with five stakes winners in the mix. Fil Dor, winner of the Grade 1 Colonial Cup in his second U.S. start to cap the 2025 season for Ricky Hendriks, makes his return along with 2024 Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick winner Ziggle Pops for Jack Fisher. Vae Patron and Foxy Walk, a respective second and fourth in the Colonial Cup last year; Hidden Path, winner of an allowance at Old Dominion last time out; and 2024 Iroquois third Zabeel Champion are also in the mix.
- Sean: Hidden Path, Vae Patron, Foxy Walk.
- Joe: Hidden Path, Vae Patron, Fil Dor.
- Miles: Foxy Walk, Vae Patron, Fil Dor.
- Tom: Vae Patron, Zabeel Champion, Ziggle Pops.
Fifth race. $30,000 The Ptarmigan filly/mare maiden hurdles going 2 1/8 miles. 3:20 p.m.
Unfolding Beauty, Fiery Dart and Wonderfull Lady finished 2-3-4 in late-season maiden at Aiken and are among the entries. Unfolding Beauty will need to draw in off the AE list, which also features the 4-year-old filly Broken Vow. Streetwhereyoulive transitions from the synthetic at Turfway Park and Diamond Approach, Vana Bright, Ziggy Wiggy and Articuno look to improve off runs at prior meets this spring.
- Sean: Diamond Approach, Fiery Dart, Wilma Flintshire.
- Joe: Ziggy Wiggy, Diamond Approach, Wilma Flintshire.
- Miles: Wilma Flintshire, Diamond Approach, Fiery Dart.
- Tom: Fiery Dart, Diamond Approach, Wilma Flintshire.
Sixth race. $30,000 Virginia Equine Alliance maiden hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. 3:55 p.m.
Promising cast of six led by De La Cruz, who won 1 5/8-mile flat race last August at Fair Hill after bouncing around the maiden ranks up and down the East Coast in 2024-25. Bourbonator finished second his first try over jumps in the Raymond G. Woolfe Memorial at Camden.
- Sean: De La Cruz, Siennois, Bourbonator.
- Joe: De La Cruz, Bourbonator, Siennois.
- Miles: Bourbonator, De La Cruz, Massif.
- Tom: De La Cruz, Massif, Bourbonator.
Seventh race. $25,000 James Wiley starter maiden hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. 4:30 p.m.
Tea With Edgar and Cartographer didn’t fare well in their 2026 debuts and look to bounce back here in field of seven. They’ll meet Really Good, fresh off the claim in a 1-mile optional claimer on synthetic at Turfway Park in late February; New York-bred flat winner Jhirsch; Roundtop and others.
- Sean: Jhirsch, Roundtop, Tea With Edgar.
- Joe: Jhirsch, Tea With Edgar, Cartographer.
- Miles: Jhirsch, Roundtop, Really Good.
- Tom: Roundtop, Jhirsch, Cartographer.
Eighth race. $20,000 Alfred Hunt going 2 5/8 miles over the cross-country course. 5:05 p.m.
Former Grade 1 competitor Quick Master makes the transition to the steeplethon against Anzio, third in a 3-mile event last time out at the Cheshire Races; consistent hurdler Decisive Triumph, Sultan Pierji and Icandothat.
- Sean: Decisive Triumph, Sultan Pierji, Anzio.
- Joe: Decisive Triumph, Anzio, Sultan Pierji.
- Miles: Sultan Pierji, Quick Master, Decisive Triumph.
- Tom: Decisive Triumph, Quick Master, Anzio.
Grand National Races in Butler, Md. Post time 2:30 p.m.
The Maryland timber circuit swings through Butler for the 123rd edition of the $50,000 Grand National, which features a half-dozen runners with eyes also on next week’s $100,000 Maryland Hunt Cup. The course outside Baltimore hosts a four-race all-timber card that also includes two allowance events and a maiden race.
First race. $35,000 Grand National timber stakes going 3 1/4 miles. 2:30 p.m.
Uco Valley, the winner via the disqualification of Bogeys Image in last week’s My Lady’s Manor, returns for another run in the featured event. He finished second in last year’s renewal behind Keys Discount, who goes to Maryland instead of here. Veteran is 2-for-2 this season, with another win by 12 1/2 at Cheshire in late March. Tall order against old rival Master Seville, who topped him in last year’s Pennsylvania Hunt Cup. Mr. Fine Threads, Storm Team, Royal Ruse, Shootist and Huyana add plenty of depth to the mix.
- Sean: Master Seville, Uco Valley, Mr. Fine Threads.
- Joe: Master Seville, Mr. Fine Threads, Uco Valley.
- Miles: Master Seville, Mr. Fine Threads, Uco Valley.
- Tom: Master Seville, Uco Valley, Mr. Fine Threads.
Second race. $15,000 maiden timber going 3 miles. 3:15 p.m.
Field of 11 line up, including the New York-bred Kiyomori, multiple stakes placed the last few seasons over hurdles; Pavoni, fourth at the Cheshire Races last month; and Corky Lemon, runner-up in similar race last spring at Old Dominion.
- Sean: Samui Sunset, Kiyomori, Keys To Court.
- Joe: Samui Sunset, Kiyomori, Keys To Court.
- Miles: Ruthenian, Kiyomori, Pavoni.
- Tom: Kiyomori, Corky Lemon, Pavoni.
Third race. $20,000 Benjamin H. Murray Memorial allowance timber going 3 1/4 miles. 4 p.m.
Recoup comes in off back-to-back seconds behind De Nordener at Cheshire and Monkton. He won’t face that foe here, but seven others led by Eternal Story, Old Style Humor and Jeremy Pass.
- Sean: Eternal Story, Recoup, Jeremy Pass.
- Joe: Recoup, Eternal Story, The Ballybreen Fox.
- Miles: Recoup, Eternal Story, Old Style Humor.
- Tom: Recoup, Eternal Story, Old Style Humor.
Fourth race. $15,000 allowance apprentice rider timber going 3 miles. 4:45 p.m.
For The Parish came up a whopping 32 lengths clear in timber debut last month at Cheshire and could be the standout here in field of seven. Include It won here back in 2022 but needs better luck now four years later. To Be Or Not To Be started his timber racing career with a second and a win back in 2023 and makes his return since a fall at Monkton in April 2024.
- Sean: For The Parish, The Red Fox, Include It.
- Joe: For The Parish, Imperial Assassin, Include It.
- Miles: For the Parish, Imperial Assassin, Include It.
- Tom: Include It, For The Parish, Imperial Assassin.
Loudoun Hunt Races (Junior races 12:30 p.m., point-to-point 1:30 p.m.
Morven Park again hosts a mixed card Sunday – everything from junior races, four point-to-point races and three NSA sanctioned events. The open hurdle entries include Vae Patron, Palio, Abaan and Quick Master.
First race. $20,000 maiden claiming hurdle ($20,000-$15,000), 2 1/4 miles. 2:35 p.m.
Big George owns three placings in five hurdle tries, including a third April 4 at Old Dominion for trainer Jack Fisher. Cal-bred looks poised to pick up maiden victory here in field of 10 with two more on the also-eligible list.
- Sean: Regal Kingdom, Ranger Thunderbolt, Army Times.
- Joe: Big George, Bourbon Outlaw, Army Times.
- Miles: Regal Kingdom, Ranger Thunderbolt, Army Times.
- Tom: Ranger Thunderbolt, Big George, Regal Kingdom.
Second race. $20,000 ratings handicap, 110 or lower, 2 1/2 miles. 3:10 p.m.
Eight show up in the entries here, including Love Saga and Super Chunk for trainer Sean McDermott. He rides the latter, who finished a close second in similar spot last November at Montpelier. The Insider should benefit from his second after leading most of the trip last month at Aiken for trainer Keri Brion.
- Sean: The Insider, Love Shaq, Hold Hard.
- Joe: Super Chunk, The Insider, Love Shaq.
- Miles: The Insider, Love Shaq, Brie’s Mission.
- Tom: Love Saga, Love Shaq, Super Chunk.
Third race. $15,000 apprentice allowance hurdle 2 1/2 miles. 3:45 p.m.
Walk The Warrior showed his readiness for the season with runner-up finish to Hidden Path April 4 at Old Dominion. Trained by Leslie Young, he takes on just two foes in 2023 Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick winner Belfast Banter and Clifton Down, who finished a spot behind at Old Dominion.
- Sean: Belfast Banter, Walk The Warrior, Clifton Down.
- Joe: Walk The Warrior, Clifton Down, Belfast Banter.
- Miles: Walk the Warrior, Clifton Down, Belfast Banter.
- Tom: Belfast Banter, Walk The Warrior, Clifton Down.
