Down to two. The shadows are long on the 2024 steeplechase season, which includes just two more days of racing – Sunday’s long-awaited return of the Colonial Cup in Camden, S.C. and next Saturday’s Aiken Steeplechase down the road in Aiken.
After that, put the traps away and let the horses rest. Jump racing returns in March.
Last time we saw you, the horses were running and jumping at Montpelier in Virginia and Callaway Gardens in Georgia Nov. 2.
Noah And The Ark got back to winning in the Noel Laing at Montpelier, handling the natural brush fences and the competition for the eighth win of his career. Gerard Galligan rode the 10-year-old, who appreciated his first start away from Snap Decision this year, for Keystone Thoroughbreds and trainer Todd McKenna. Also at Montpelier, Afraid Not enjoyed a monster payday with a win in the $60,00 Marion du Pont Scott Stakes for fillies/mares. Julie Gomena trains the winner for Bonnie Rye Stable. Galligan rode that winner as well, and connected with Tartan Green in the maiden claimer for Ricky Hendriks and Winflower for a triple on the day. Samui Sunset won the other half of the maiden claimer for Dan Nevin, Mark Beecher and owner the Hundred Acre Field. Another Maryland-bred, Love Saga, won the 110 handicap for Ivy Hill Stable and trainer/jockey Sean McDermott. Sharon Sheppard’s Rucker Road graduated the maiden ranks for Leslie Young and Paddy O’Hanlon. Lord Donegal and Kikerran won 1-mile dirt races on the flat.
In Georgia, Young and jockey Jamie Bargary won the first three races – Uco Valley in the open timber, Wrestlingwithrae in the maiden timber and Foxy Walk in the 120 handicap hurdle. Michael Smith owns the latter two while the first races for Potter Group, Gaskells Waste Services and Ashwell Stable. Gill Johnston’s 4-year-old Smart Uncle won the maiden hurdle for trainer Jack Fisher and jockey Graham Watters – the 100th American jump win of Watters’ career. He made it 101 when Matt Groff’s Pavoni landed the maiden claimer for Fisher to close the day. Irv Naylor’s Westerland continued his resurgent year with a win in the $75,000 AFLAC Supreme novice hurdle for Kathy Neilson and Parker Hendriks.
All that dust left Fisher and Young tied atop the 2024 trainers’ standings with 27 wins apiece. Young joined Fisher with more than $1 million in seasonal earnings. She’s the third trainer in history to pass that figure, with Fisher and Keri Brion. Watters is running off with a repeat jockey crown with 27 wins to 15 for Bargary.
Among the TIHR handicappers, Sean came up with six on the weekend – Foxy Walk, Smart Uncle, Pavoni, Samui Sunset, Tartan Green, Noah And The Ark. Joe had five – Foxy Walk, Smart Uncle, Pavoni, Lord Donegal, Samui Sunset. Tom had four – Smart Uncle, Pavoni, Lord Donegal, Noah And The Ark. Sean leads the autumn beer challenge with 15. Joe and Tom lurk one behind with 14 each.
On to the Colonial Cup, the first November meeting at Springdale Race Course since 2016. Post time is 1 p.m. and you can watch the six-race card via live stream on the NSA website.
First race. $30,000 filly/mare maiden hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. Slim field of five late in the year and a week after a $60,000 stakes attracted only three. Avakate was second against males at Montpelier. Articuno stood in the gate in her only flat start. The Camden-based Madaket’s Arrow gets a home game.
- Joe: Avakate, Madaket’s Arrow, Articuno.
- Tom: Madaket’s Arrow, Avakate, Forever Hopeful.
- Sean: Avakate, Madaket’s Arrow, Articuno.
Second race. $50,000 Raymond Woolfe Memorial hurdle stakes for 3-year-olds, 2 1/8 miles. This has been won by some legends such as Inkslinger, Café Prince, Zaccio, Leaping Frog and Flat Top. Seven try to live up to those guys. Super Chunk won the 3-year-old stakes at Middleburg. St James The Great beat older horses over that course two weeks later. Brie’s Mission was third in Super Chunk’s win, and second at Shawan Downs. Holday Charm was fourth to Super Chunk at Middleburg. Beyond Reproach debuts for Arch Kingsley, whose horses are typically ready early.
- Joe: St James The Great, Beyond Reproach, Super Chunk.
- Tom: Brie’s Mission, Super Chunk, Holiday Charm.
- Sean: St James The Great, Brie’s Mission, Beyond Reproach.
Third race. $30,000 allowance hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. Six line up for the starter never-won two, a new condition added this fall. King Tsunami graduated at Middleburg, and also has a flat win this year. L’Avvocato also exits a maiden win. Lightning Rod won over the course in April, but lost his next three (all tougher fields than this). Make A Stand broke his maiden way back in 2022.
- Joe: Lightning Rod, King Tsunami, Make A Stand.
- Tom: King Tsunami, L’Avvocato, Ruthenian.
- Sean: King Tsunami, Lightning Rod, L’Avvocato.
Fourth race. $150,000 Marion du Pont Scott Colonial Cup going 2 5/8 miles. The final Grade 1 and open hurdle stakes of the season returns. Founded in 1970, the Colonial Cup hosted champions for decades and has been missed. Welcome back. Read more about the race and its return in Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred’s November edition. Seven turn up for this one, including division leader Snap Decision. The 10-year-old has won three of four this year including a wild neck victory in the American Grand National Oct. 19. He can put the icing on a superb year, that also includes major wins in the Iroquois and the Temple Gwathmey. Win or lose, the Eclipse Award is probably his as he’s won Two Grade 1 stakes, beaten all of his major rivals at least once and leads the earnings race with an insurmountable $322,500. Grade 1 winners L’Imperator and Jimmy P look to spoil the party. They were fourth and seventh in the Grand National, but could bounce back with their best efforts. Noah And The Ark finished behind Snap Decision three times this year, then enjoyed a winning spin around Montpelier in the Noel Laing Nov. 2. He’s capable of another upset, especially if they get running early and back up to him. Third in the Will Allison at Middleburg Oct. 27, Too Friendly brings five prior jump wins and solid flat form into the race. Snap Decision will recognize Fisher-trained stablemates Welshman and Quick Master in the field. Like the favorite, Quick Master is by Hard Spun and comes off a win.
- Joe: Snap Decision, L’Imperator, Jimmy P.
- Tom: Snap Decision, Welshman, L’Imperator.
- Sean: Snap Decision, Jimmy P, L’Imperator.
Fifth race. $72,000 Hobkirk Hill handicap hurdle going 2 1/2 miles. Whew, this could be a battle. A long-missed Hobkirk Hill battle. Remember when 19 showed up in the early 90s? Ten make the program for a race restricted to non-winners of an open hurdle stakes. The group includes novice stakes winners Abaan, Cool Jet, Evie’s Prince and Westerland, filly/mare stakes winner Gold Charm, the Grade 1-placed Pickanumber, three-time winner Total Joy, tough handicappers Lydford and Foxy Walk, and two-time winner Kiyomori.
- Joe: Cool Jet, Gold Charm, Abaan.
- Tom: Pickanumber, Abaan, Westerland.
- Sean: Abaan, Pickanumber, Cool Jet.
Sixth race. Training flat race going 1 1/2 miles. There’s little to train for at this point but there’s a full field of runners and apprentice jockeys. James Wyatt, son of Todd and Blair, makes his NSA debut on Neutral. British Royalty packs a win in a leg of Canada’s Triple Crown. American War Hero once cost $625,000. Fingal has been close all year. Blue Nile tries to get reorganized.
- Joe: Fingal, Clint Maroon, British Royalty.
- Tom: American War Hero, Fingal, Noble Conquest.
- Sean: Fingal, British Royalty, Blue Nile.
