Middleburg, Virginia. Say the name to anyone in American jump racing and you’ll get a memory – of Glenwood Park, the Red Fox Inn, the Coach Stop, the elbow in the stretch and the various greats to grace the place over the decades.
The Virginia Fall Races take over Glenwood Saturday. Remember when it was two days? Eight races over hurdles and timber and the cross-country course. Fill up the day which starts at 12:30 p.m. That’s the main event on the weekend. Get a breakfast sandwich at the Upper Crust and head to the races. Up the road several hundred miles, the schedule’s most-northern spot showcases three NSA timber races as part of a full lineup at the Genesee Valley Hunt Races in Geneso, N.Y. Post time there is 1 p.m.
Catching up from Foxfield, Riverdee Stable’s Cool Jet (Bernie Dalton) took down the $75,000 Mariann de Tejeda Memorial Stakes over Foxy Walk and Who’s Counting. Snap Decision shook off some rust with a fifth behind his Jack Fisher-trained stablemate. Beowulf won the maiden claimer for Tom Garner and Evan Dwan, Gossiper won the filly/mare maiden for Arch Kingsley and Freddie Procter. Newcomer Attrayant won the maiden for Barry Foley and Harry Beswick. Love Saga just got up to win the 110 handicap hurdle over Dante’s Fire for Sean McDermott and Jamie Bargary. Minnesota-bred King Of The Kids, now a three-time winner over hurdles, won the 120 handicap hurdle for Dalton and Cyril Murphy. Del Rio Racing, Ricky Hendriks and Conor Tierney swept the training flats with Passing Game and Rotterdam.
The handicappers had a so-so day at Foxfield. Joe tabbed two winners (Gossiper and Rotterdam). He’s going to kick himself for picking King Of The Kids second, instead of first. Miles also picked two (Gossiper plus Passing Game). Sean got Rotterdam. Tom was blanked. Joe leads with eight. Sean is second with seven. Miles takes third with four. Tom is stuck on three.
As usual, you can watch this weekend’s races on the National Steeplechase Association site.
Virginia Fall Races. Post time 12:30 p.m.
Check out the race-meet website if you’re thinking about going.
First race. $40,000 maiden hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. Six end up in the opener. Risk Taking lost this race by a nose last year and was also second over the course in April. Maybe this time’s the charm. Gettin’downonit looks to become the sixth next-out winner from the Races at Fair Hill flat card Aug. 30. The Virginia-bred picks up leading jockey Graham Watters for trainer Mark Beecher. Verbal won a Grade 3 on the flat.
- Joe: Risk Taking, Gettin’downonit, Verbal.
- Sean: Risk Taking, Ordinary Pleasure, Verbal.
- Miles: Gettin’downonit, Risk Taking, Verbal.
- Tom: Risk Taking, Ordinary Pleasure, Gettin’downonit.
Second race. $25,000 starter/claiming maiden hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. The straight maiden might be an easier spot as 10 tackle this (and its twin, the fifth race). Laker Mamba has run well in each of his last four – three over the course. Take Your Seats was second at Colonial. Big George will be tough to handle off the Shawan prep. Fiery Dart won at Fair Hill and takes on the boys.
- Joe: Big George, Laker Mamba, Take Your Seats.
- Sean: Big George, Fiery Dart, Laker Mamba.
- Miles: Big George, Fiery Dart, Take Your Seats.
- Tom: Big George, Fiery Dart, Camcha.
Third race. $35,000 handicap hurdle (115) going 2 1/8 miles. Seven mid-level handicappers battle here. Dante’s Fire did everything but win at Foxfield, and tries again six days later in a higher-rated race. Garrison Forest was in front when he fell at Shawan. Artistic Choice was second in that race; Bright Eyed Eagle was third. L’Avvocato tried tougher all summer. Holey Moley drops into the handicap ranks.
- Joe: Bright Eyed Eagle, Holey Moley, Dante’s Fire.
- Sean: L’Avvacato, Garrison Forest, Artistic Choice.
- Miles: Garrison Forest, Bright Eyed Eagle, Dante’s Fire.
- Tom: Dante’s Fire, Bright Eyed Eagle, Artistic Choice.
Fourth race. $50,000 National Sporting Library Cup timber stakes going 3 1/4 miles. The race goes through Keys Discount, who rides a three-race winning streak, has a win over the course and looks like the division’s best. That said, he’ll have to deal with timber newcomer The Hero Next Door, who won his debut over the boards at Shawan with ease and knocked heads with some of the best over hurdles. Marcel Magic and Wagner look to get back on track. Druid’s Altar finished second over the course last year.
- Joe: Keys Discount, The Hero Next Door, Wagner.
- Sean: Keys Discount, The Hero Next Door, Wagner.
- Miles: Keys Discount, Wagner, The Hero Next Door.
- Tom: Keys Discount, The Hero Next Door, Wagner.
Fifth race. $25,000 starter/claiming maiden hurdle going 2 1/8 miles. Another 10-horse field. Fouroneohsmokeshow has been second twice over hurdles. Gratia Prince was second at Colonial. Riccio won a stakes on the flat. Nowhere near as tough a race as the second.
- Joe: Fouroneohsmokeshow, Coal Boss, Gratia Prince.
- Sean: Fouroneohsmokeshow, Gratia Prince, Lord Donegal.
- Miles: Gratia Prince, Barrolo, Foreoneohsmokeshow.
- Tom: Fouroneohsmokeshow, Alottacents, Gratia Prince.
Sixth race. $50,000 Will O’Keefe Memorial hurdle stakes for 3-year-olds going 2 1/8 miles. Named for a legend. O’Keefe did pretty much everything at Glenwood Park over his career as an announcer, organizer, leader. Seven hurdle rookies meet in the feature. Six ran at Shawan Sept. 27 – Ethics, Scorpius, Safe At Home, Moreperfectunion, Beau Ciel and Middle Ages. Cooper makes his debut. Ethics won at Shawan. Can he take a step forward?
- Joe: Scorpius, Ethics, Safe At Home.
- Sean: Ethics, Scorpius, Moreperfection.
- Miles: Ethics, Scorpius, Moreperfectunion.
- Tom: Scorpius, Moreperfectunion, Cooper.
Seventh race. $20,000 maiden timber going 3 miles. Potus seems overdue to win one of these after eight tries. He’s been second twice and third three times. Moonshine Runner is a rare 4-year-old timber horse. Glencorrib Sky has been close a couple times. Total Joy brings solid hurdle form.
- Joe: Potus, Glencorrib Sky, Total Joy.
- Sean: Potus, Total Joy, Glencorrib Sky.
- Miles: Moonshine Runner, Potus, Glencorrib Sky.
- Tom: Glencorrib Sky, Potus, Moonshine Runner.
Eighth race. $20,000 cross-country timber, 2 5/8 miles. They jump this and that, make a hairpin turn and run through the middle of the course to a short – really short – stretch. Fashion Line is a specialist and has won three of his last four with a second. Animal Kingston runs for the 54th time, off two seconds. Walk The Warrior looked like a rising player in the hurdle division this spring. I Can Only Imagine tries something new.
- Joe: Fashion Line, Walk The Warrior, I Can Only Imagine.
- Sean: Fashion Line, I Can Only Imagine, Walk The Warrior.
- Miles: Animal Kingston, Fashion Line, Walk the Warrior.
- Tom: Fashion Line, Animal Kingston, Walk The Warrior.
Genesee Valley Hunt Races. Post time 1 p.m.
Get the cream ale (sounds like a good winner’s prize) and check out the fall colors. The first NSA races is at 1 p.m. but gates open at 9 a.m. and the dog events start at 10 a.m. For more, see the race-meet website.
First race. $15,000 maiden timber going 3 miles. Just four make the trek as the Virginia Fall maiden took some horses away. The Red Fox should be at Middleburg, right? Hey Teacher has been second in his last four. Old Style Humor ought to be better than those last three.
- Joe: Hey Teacher, Old Style Humor, Vadavvero.
- Sean: Hey Teacher, Old Style Humor, Vadavvero.
- Miles: Hey Teacher, Vadavvero, Old Style Humor.
- Tom: Hey Teacher, Old Style Humor, Vadavvero.
Second race. $15,000 amateur apprentice timber going 3 miles. Project Two gets some class relief. Rhythmia has been plenty good over timber (including a second here last year) and will be ridden by Conor Tierney, who won two at Saratoga this summer. Master Seville fell here last year but has run well enough to be in the mix.
- Joe: Rhythmia, Master Seville, Project Two.
- Sean: Master Seville, Rhythmia, Project Two.
- Miles: Rhythmia, Project Two, Master Seville.
- Tom: Master Seville, Project Two, Rhythmia.
Third race. $25,000 Genesee Valley Hunt Cup timber stakes, 3 1/2 miles. Uco Valley won the maiden here last year and will be happy to be rid of Keys Discount. Goodoldtimes finished second in this last year and obviously appreciates a jumping test with solid tries in the Maryland Hunt Cup. Hard Game’s best puts him in contention. The same goes for Shootist, who was second in the 2024 Maryland Hunt Cup and second here in 2022. The Butler Yates was fourth in this last year and second twice in the spring. Cool race.
- Joe: Goodoldtimes, Shootist, Uco Valley.
- Sean: Eternal Story, Hard Game, Uco Valley.
- Miles: Eternal Story, Hard Game, Shootist.
- Tom: Goodoldtimes, The Butler Yates, Shootist.
