One of the Nation’s Largest Steeplechase Events, Virginia Gold Cup, will Run without Spectators on June 27; Equestrian industry suffers huge financial losses from cancellations of competitions

WARRENTON, Va., June 11, 2020—Every May, on the same date as the Kentucky Derby, one of the nation’s largest steeplechase events takes place in Northern Virginia. As an event that has been run on the first Saturday in May for the past 94 years, the Virginia Gold Cup is considered to be Virginia’s answer to the Kentucky Derby. Like other industries, COVID-19 has forced the equestrian industry to quickly pivot due to ongoing restrictions. Now, having had to cancel the May event on its 95th year, the Virginia Gold Cup will be held on June 27 without spectators and with limited people on the grounds (participants and essential personnel only.) It will be livestreamed and will be available at no cost.

“We wanted to provide a venue for the steeplechase/racing industry to be able to get horses out and receive some financial support in the form of purse money,” explained Dr. William Allison, chairman of the Virginia Gold Cup Association. “Jockeys and trainers have continued training their horses all spring without having anywhere to run them. This will provide a great opportunity.”

Race meets have been cancelled all spring and this has left the horse industry flat out with unprecedented hardship. The steeplechase community has come together to try to maintain the employment of more than 1,000 jockeys, trainers and many others on farms who exercise and care for the horses. The 95th running of the Virginia Gold Cup will provide purse money for participants. Even more importantly, it will provide a viable and tangible boost to keep many working in the equine industry employed.

The equine industry is important to Virginia’s economy. A 2018/19 report by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reported that the horse industry brings more than $2 billion annually in economic development to the Commonwealth. The report noted that there are more than 183,643 horses in the state that provide approximately 38,874 jobs. It also stated that there are 30.5% or one million households that contain horse enthusiasts. “The viability of the horse industry is an important component for the Commonwealth’s economy,” Allison added.

The 95th Virginia Gold Cup will be held with limited people on-site—participants and essential personnel only. “We’ve worked closely with the National Steeplechase Association and Virginia Equine Alliance to find a way to run the Virginia Gold Cup that follows the current restrictions, but helps support the struggling horse industry in Virginia,” Allison added. “It will be a bittersweet day without our loyal fans in attendance, but ultimately being able to host race day is a victory for us. We are hopeful racegoers will tune into the livestream.”

The Virginia Gold Cup encourages race fans to tune in and celebrate with appropriate socially- distanced Gold Cup watch parties. Tailgate recipes and hat photos, in honor of the annual Hat and Tailgate Contests, can be shared on the VGCA facebook, Instagram, and twitter. Viewers can tune in to http://nsa.network.video/ to live stream the event on June 27 at 12:30 p.m. EST.

For more information visit vagoldcup.com.

The 2020 Virginia Gold Cup Races are presented by Brown Advisory, the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, the Virginia Thoroughbred Association, Virginia Equine Alliance and the Virginia Breeders Fund.

(Photos 1 & 2 provided by Virginia Gold Cup. Photo 3 provided by Douglas Lees).

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About the Virginia Gold Cup
The Virginia Gold Cup is one of the largest and oldest steeplechase race meets in the country. Typically run every spring on the first Saturday in May, it has been hailed as Virginia’s answer to the Kentucky Derby. It was the first steeplechase to have sanctioned pari-mutuel wagering in the Commonwealth. Known for its quality racing, spectacular scenery and lavish tailgating, the event attracts more than 60,000 spectators annually. It is held at Great Meadow in The Plains, Va., approximately 45 minutes west of Washington, D.C. in the heart of Virginia horse country. For more information visit www.VaGoldCup.com.

The following appeared in The Racing Biz June 9 and was written by Nick Hahn. Join Nick & others every Saturday at 10 AM for the “Off To The Races” radio show, heard on ESPN radio affiliates in Richmond and at theracingbiz.com.

Pleasant Colony in later years. Photo by Nick Hahn.

When it came to the lead up to the 1981 Triple Crown, you could have considered Virginia-bred Pleasant Colony, a sleeper in more ways than one. His Triple Crown campaign didn’t ignite until he left the starting gate of the Wood Memorial at odds over 12-1.The unexceptional attention Pleasant Colony received coming into the Wood was merited. Previously Pleasant Colony had shown a double-digit length setback in his debut, three second-place finishes to the same horse, Akureyri, (a DQ did result in a Remsen stakes win for Pleasant Colony), and a dull Florida Derby effort, finishing fifth and over 12 lengths behind the winner.Only a nine-length maiden breaking win at the Meadowlands in his second start kept him from never having crossed the finish line first entering the Wood.

Owner Thomas Mellon Evans assigned John Campo the training duties prior to the Wood. He gave Pleasant County a new jockey, Jeffrey Fell, one of six different jockeys who would ride Pleasant Colony in his 14 career starts. After spotting pacesetters Cure the Blues and Noble Nashua a sizable lead, Fell and Pleasant Colony took advantage of a weigh-anchor third quarter and took the lead at the 3/16ths pole to win by three lengths.

“When he won the Wood, I thought we had a pretty good chance to win the Derby with the extra furlong,” said Robert “Shel” Evans, T. M. Evans’ son. His father had also bred Pleasant County at his Buckland Farm ranch near Warrenton, Virginia.

As the Kentucky Derby approached, another redemption opportunity appeared, this time for veteran jockey, Jorge Velasquez, winless in five prior Kentucky Derby attempts. Velasquez, you could say, toppled onto Pleasant Colony when Fell took the mount on Proud Appeal as part of the coupled entry favored in the Derby. It was the first Derby mount for Velasquez since riding Alydar in his each of his gallant second place Triple Crown races of 1978, when he lost to another horse three times in a row, Affirmed.

“Too bad he ran into Affirmed. That Belmont Stakes was the best I saw in my life,” said Velasquez who had a great seat.

The special relationship between jockey and horse surfaced quickly for Velasquez and Pleasant Colony in his first workout leading up to the Derby.

“He was kinda tall with long legs and a long body. He was good to ride because he suited my style of coming from behind,” recollected Velasquez in an interview earlier this year. “He could go very fast at the end, so you can choose your spots easier, you can go in, out, and in between. It makes it easier. He had no speed; he was a plodder. He’s not comfortable to ride until he takes off running; then he’s very comfortable.”

With the styles of the jockey and horse rapidly becoming in sync, Campo infused confidence into the lineup.

“I worked him a mile at Belmont and I told Campo I liked the way he worked,” said Velasquez. “I said he was going to be tough. He said he was going to win.”

After a quarter-mile in the Derby, Pleasant Colony was 17th in the 21-horse field, the last Derby that started more than twenty. He wouldn’t receive another call until after he had worked his way through traffic, straightened up just inside the quarter-pole and targeted Partez, who now taken the lead.

As in the Wood, Pleasant Colony took the lead at the 3/16ths pole and prevailed by three-quarters of a length. If not for the late bid of hard charging Woodchopper, the margin would have been substantially larger. Velasquez finally had his Derby.

“I got to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I didn’t know what to do I was so happy. Should I jump off the horse?” Velasquez wondered. “A tear started to come out (and Velasquez had to gather thinking…) you can’t be crying on TV so I had to stop myself.”
As Velasquez entered the winner’s circle, he heard “What, I’d tell you?” as Campo approached. “Preakness, too. You’ll see.”

“Shel” Evans had fond memories of the winner’s circle, as well, using the Derby to advance a courtship underway at the time.
“I was dating my wife and asked her if she wanted to go to the Derby,” remembered Evans in an interview earlier this year. “After the race we are down in the winner’s circle and she said, ‘This is fun. Let’s do it again next year.’”

Evans follows an ownership principle of not attending the Derby unless you have a horse in it and responded that he wouldn’t be back to the Derby until they ran in it again. He hasn’t been back for a Derby since.

With Derby success, Pleasant Colony finally achieved favoritism for the first time in his career in the Preakness when he was backed at 3-2 in the wagering. The emerging colt appeared to be feeding on the frenzy.

“He went to the track on his hind legs,” said Evans of his appearance at Pimlico. “He was ready for war.”

Trailing the field where he was comfortable, eighth at the first Preakness call among 13 horses, he stayed back, avoiding some of the brushes, bumps and walls ahead of him. Velasquez went wide and late again turning for home, this time attaining the lead at the sixteenth pole, only gradually, to win by a length over Bold Ego.

“You wait ‘til he gets good, that’s yet to come. This horse does it for fun,” Campo said to ABC’s Jim McKay on the Pimlico cupola porch after the Preakness.

“And then (in the Belmont) I thought we’d be a cinch,” admitted Velasquez.

In under a month, Pleasant Colony went from 12-1 in the Wood starting gate to 2-5 to win the race for the Triple Crown as he sought to become the fourth Triple Crown winner in eight years.

In the 11-horse Belmont stakes, the Pleasant Colony ran last up the long Belmont backstretch behind a pack of slow-moving frontrunners. After working into third, perhaps second briefly as they straightened up at the top of the lane, Velasquez didn’t like what he was seeing.

Summing, who’d taken the lead after six furlongs in a dawdling 1:14 1/5, spurted clear in upper stretch, opening a three-length lead.

“Pace killed me in the Belmont,” said Velasquez. “Turning for home, I knew I was beat because I was not gaining, I was in trouble. They began to pull away from me again.”

Pleasant Colony fought back to gain third, but his Triple Crown bid was negated. He had faced likely a record 42 rivals total in the three Triple Crown races (20 in the Derby, 12 in the Preakness, and 10 in the Belmont). Evans recollected his father accepting the Belmont loss in stride. No excuses, no complaints.

“When he lost the Belmont, my father got up and just walked out,” said Evans.

Pleasant Colony would live to race other days, finishing second in the Travers before winning the Woodward in a return to Belmont Park. An Eclipse Award for champion three year awaited him at the finish line in 1981, when Pleasant Colony retired with six wins in 14 starts, earning just shy of a million.

For the younger Evans, the memory of Pleasant Colony’s 1981 season continued into the 21st century. For decades, the space for the Belmont Stakes trophy in the Evans’ family Triple Crown case remained empty. The quest for the missing trophy moved forward when Evans was shown, nearly dragged, by Cathy Sweezey to see a promising young horse with lineage to Pleasant Colony. Evans immediately spotted a characteristic that was eerily familiar. It took him back to Louisville.

“When we went to the barn in the morning before the Derby, the media was all over the place and (Pleasant Colony) was asleep with his head laying underneath the netting,” said Evans. “He was dead asleep. I thought to myself, ‘This horse is going to run big today.’’’

The dozing trait was no secret to those around him.

“I used to stop by the barn all the time because I was riding a lot of races for Campo,” said Velasquez. “I didn’t mind he was resting, so I thought ‘Let him rest.’ Instead of going to eat after a work, Pleasant Colony would sleep and then go eat.”

The prospect Shel Evans saw was Tonalist, who like his maternal grandsire, liked a good snooze. When Evans approached, he found Tonalist laid out dozing with his head underneath the stall netting and liked what he saw.

“There’s a lot of Pleasant Colony in that horse,” thought Evans when he sought the horse in a year when he bought four of his own yearlings. In fact, he cautioned himself, “I really shouldn’t do this.”

If Tonalist had been a more attractive a prospect, he may not have enjoyed the success he later achieved with Evans. He brought a top bid of $195,000 from Sweezey and partners, but that did not meet Tonalist’s reserve. Eventually, Evans purchased him privately from his breeder, Woodslane Farm in the Plains, VA.

Tonalist would later thwart California Chrome’s 2014 bid to win the Triple Crown, winning in a style similar to his grandsire.
“He won the leg of the Triple Crown that PC didn’t,” said Evans, hence, completing the Evans family career Triple Crown.

Pleasant Colony was by His Majesty out of Sun Colony, by Sunrise Flight. Despite having a limited number of mares each year, he would himself sire 1993 Belmont Stakes winner Colonial Affair, Forbidden Apple, Shared Interest, and Pleasant Tap, among others. Pleasant Colony now rests at Buckland Farm, where was buried after passing away on New Year’s Eve in 2002.

His grandson satisfied a quest for Evans that began when the great sleeper awoke, rose and besieged the Triple Crown.

The following appeared at www.nationalsteeplechase.com and was written by Don Clippinger.  

Most races for Saturday’s 100th Middleburg Spring Races continued to be oversubscribed, and the meet’s traditional features were largely unchanged after scratches as the National Steeplechase Association prepares to open its coronavirus-delayed season.

Middleburg Spring will feature 11 races, and eight of them have also-eligible lists. First post time is 12:30 p.m. at Glenwood Park, and the races will be run without spectators and under strict health and safety safeguards. Broadcasts of the races will be available on the NSA website.

In all, a record 148 horses remained in the entries, with also-eligible lists limited to a maximum of four potential starters. The races offer opportunities for a broad swath of the steeplechase community’s horses in training.

Middleburg’s grass course is 1 1/4 miles around at its outermost point.

Middleburg’s traditional feature races, the Temple Gwathmey Handicap (Gr. 3) over hurdles and the Middleburg Hunt Cup over timber, each had one scratch. Jacqueline Ohrstrom’s Winner Massagot was scratched from the 2½-mile Temple Gwathmey, which features a clash of titans including 2017 Eclipse Award champion Scorpiancer and 2018 Eclipse winner Zanjabeel.

The Middleburg Hunt Cup also spotlights two returning champions, last year’s timber leader Andi’amu and the 2017 and 2018 champion, Doc Cebu. Swansea Mile, a Grade 1 winner over hurdles, was scratched to run in Middleburg Spring’s maiden timber race.

The meet kicks off with a training flat race containing two Grade 1 winners, Stonelea Stables’ Balance the Budget (2018 Colonial Cup) and Mark W. Buyck Jr.’s Show Court (2018 A. P. Smithwick Memorial). The 1½-mile turf race will have 16 starters, with four others on the also-eligible list.

The afternoon’s second race, the Glenwood Hurdle, presents an interesting match-up of 14 maiden winners, plus four others with a chance to draw into the race. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard will send out Hudson River Farms’ Clondaw Camp, who breezed to an overwhelming maiden victory at last fall’s International Gold Cup in his first career start.

Glenwood Park will host the 100th edition of the Middleburg Spring Races, without spectators, on June 13.

Middleburg Spring will create six new winners, five over hurdles and another in the timber maiden race. The maiden special weight hurdle was split into two divisions of 10, the NSA maximum for maiden hurdle races, with four also-eligibles in each division. Also with 10 starters and four also-eligibles are two divisions of a maiden claiming hurdle.

A maiden hurdle for fillies and mares similarly will have 10 prospective starters, with four on the waiting list.

The meet concludes with a staple of Virginia steeplechase racing, a steeplethon over mixed obstacles in the Alfred M. Hunt Steeplechase. The three-mile race attracted a formidable field of 11, including Dapper Dan, Mercoeur, and Invocation, the respective first three finishers in last fall’s International Gold Cup Steeplethon Stakes. Also in the field is Kiplin Hall’s Katnap, the 2018 Hunt winner.

Middleburg Spring Race Association President Doug Fout is also Clerk of the Course for the Fall Races and Point-to-Points held at Glenwood Park.

Here is the field for the Temple Gwathmey Handicap after the sole scratch. The horses’ handicap weights are in parentheses at the end of their profiles.

Surprising Soul. 2012 b. g., Perfect Soul (Ire)—Elusive Surprise, by Elusive Quality. Owner: Wendy W. Hendriks. Trainer: Ricky Hendriks. Jockey: Ross Geraghty. Breeder: Charles Fipke (Ont.) 2019 record: 4-1-1-0, $133,000. 2018 record: 3-2-1-0, $97,500. 2017 record: 7-3-0-1, $106,500. Won Belmont Park’s 2019 Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) by 3¾ lengths, then was sixth in the Grand National (Gr. 1). Finished second in 2019 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr 1) after fourth in Carolina Cup Handicap, his 2019 debut. Won Saratoga’s 2018 Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes, then was second in Far Hills’ Foxbrook Champion Hurdle division. Opened 2018 with dominant victory in Radnor’s National Hunt Cup (Gr. 3). (152)

Scorpiancer (Ire). 2009 b. g., Scorpion (Ire)—Janebailey, By Silver Patriarch. Owner: Bruton Street-US. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Sean McDermott. Breeder: Mary O’Connor (Ire). 2019 record: 4-1-1-0, $177,000. 2018 record: No starts. 2017 record: 2-2-0-0, $150,000. Finished second in 2019 Grand National (Gr. 1). Won Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1) for a second time in 2019 before fifth in Belmont’s Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1). Missed 2018 season and was pulled up in his first 2019 start, the Temple Gwathmey Handicap (Gr. 2). Claimed 2017 Eclipse Award with victories in Calvin Houghland Iroquois and Temple Gwathmey. Won Belmont Park’s 2016 Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1). (158)

Iranistan. 2014 dk. b. or br. g., Einstein (Brz)—Miss Vindictive, by Stephen Got Even. Owner: Hudson River Stables. Trainer: Jonathan Sheppard. Jockey: Gerard Galligan. Breeder: Crossed Sabres Farm (Ky.) 2019 record: 2-0-0-0, $3,750. 2018 NSA record: 5-3-1-1, $145,000. Champion novice 2018. In first 2019 start, pulled up in Grand National (Gr. 1) after leading early, then was fourth in Aflac Supreme Hurdle for novices. Finished game second in Saratoga’s 2018 A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1), then was third in New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1), while favored in both. Won 2018 Marcellus Frost Champion Hurdle for novices by six lengths. Skipped maiden ranks and won allowance hurdles at Carolina Cup and Middleburg Spring to begin 2018 season. Scored maiden flat victory at Delaware Park in July 2018. (140)

New Member (Ire). 2011 b. g., Alhaarth (Ire)—Sincere, by Buhhare. Owner: Armata Stables. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Willie McCarthy. Breeder: Golden Garden Stud. 2019 record: No starts. 2018 NSA record: 4-1-0-2, $94,500. 2017 NSA record: 4-0-1-2, $28,500. Won Saratoga’s 2018 Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths, then was second in New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap (Gr. 1). Began 2018 with thirds in Carolina Cup and Queen’s Cup MPC ’Chase, then was sixth in Iroquois’ Marcellus Frost Champion Hurdle. Finished second in Belmont Park’s 2017 William Entenmann Novice Stakes after well-beaten third in Saratoga’s Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes. Finished third in Far Hills’ Foxbrook Champion Hurdle. Had allowance and handicap wins in England in 2016. (140)

Belisarius (Ire). 2011 b. g., Montjeu—Lasting Chance, by American Chance. Owner: Gary Barber, Brous Stable, and Wachtel Racing Stable. Trainer: Kate Dalton. Jockey: Bernie Dalton. Breeders: Lynch Bages Ltd. And Camas Park Stud (Ire). 2019 NSA record: 6-0-1-1, $28,500. 2018 NSA record: 6-2-1-2, $106,200. Finished third in Saratoga’s 2019 New York Turf Writers Cup (Gr. 1) after 10th in A. P. Smithwick Memorial (Gr. 1), then was seventh in Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) and pulled up in Foxbrook Champion Hurdle. In 2019 debut, finished second in Temple Gwathmey Handicap (Gr. 2), then was ninth in Iroquois’ Marcellus Frost Champion Hurdle for novices. Won 2018 Foxbrook Champion Hurdle by 6¼ lengths. (140)

Rashaan (Ire). 2012 ch. g., Manduro (Ger)—Red Halo (Ire), by Rainbow Quest. Owner: Bruton Street-US. Trainer: Leslie Young. Jockey: Thomas Garner. Breeder: The Aga Khan’s Studs (Ire). 2019 NSA record: 2-0-0-0, $3,000. No starts. Pulled up in 2019 Grand National (Gr. 1), then was fifth in David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial Handicap (Gr. 2). Won the Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle in April and then was last of 18 in Galway’s Mervue Hurdle. (146)

Amschel (GB). 2014 b. g., Nathaniel (Ire)—Darinza (Fr), by Dalakhani (Ire). Owner: Irvin S. Naylor. Trainer: Cyril Murphy. Jockey: Graham Watters. Breeder: Newsells Park Stud (GB). 2019 record: 2-1-0-0, $25,500. 2018 NSA record: 1-0-0-1, $12,500. Won 2019 Noel Laing Handicap after sixth-place finish in Far Hills’ Appleton Ratings Handicap. In only other U.S. start, finished third in division of Far Hills’ 2018 Foxbrook Champion Hurdle. Won three straight races in Ireland in 2018 before export. (142)

Zanjabeel (GB). 2013 b. g., Aussie Rules—Grain Only, by Machiavellian. Owners: Rosbrian Farm and Meadow Run Farm. Trainer: Ricky Hendriks. Jockey: Darren Nagle. Breeder: Kirsten Rausing (GB). 2019 record: 1-0-0-0, $3,750. 2018 record: 4-2-2-0, $265,500. 2017 NSA record: 2-2-0-0, $120,000. In comeback race, finished fourth in 2019 David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial Handicap (Gr. 2). Won 2018 Eclipse Award with victories in Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1) and Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1). Finished second in Marion duPont Scott Colonial Cup (Gr. 1) and Temple Gwathmey Handicap (Gr. 2). Won Far Hills’ 2017 Foxbrook Champion Hurdle, his U.S. debut for former owners and trainer Gordon Elliott. For new owners, won Steeplechase at Callaway’s 2017 Aflac Supreme Hurdle. (154)

Moscato (GB). 2011 gr. or ro. g., Hernando (Fr)—Alba Stella, by Nashwan. Owner: Bruton Street-US. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Michael Mitchell. Breeder: Miss K. Rausing (GB). 2019 record: 4-1-0-2, $105,000. 2018 record: No starts. Novice champion of 2017 returned from a year on the sidelines and won the 2019 Temple Gwathmey Handicap (Gr. 2), then was third in Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1), eighth in Belmont Park’s Lonesome Glory Handicap (Gr. 1), and third in Grand National (Gr. 1). Won Belmont’s 2017 William Entenmann Novice Stakes and Saratoga’s Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes impressively after strong closing second in Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes. (152)

The winners circle at Glenwood Park is also named in Paul Fout’s honor.

Here is the field for the Middleburg Hunt Cup after its one scratch:

Andi’amu (Fr). 2010 b. g., Walk In The Park—Sainte Parfaite, by Septieme Ciel. Owner: Ballybristol Farm. Trainer: Leslie Young. Jockey: Thomas Garner. Breeder: Therese Bouche (Fr). 2019 record: 4-3-1-0, $115,500. 2018 record: 2-2-0-0, $36,000. Timber champion, 2019. Easily won Virginia Fall’s 2019 National Sporting Library and Museum Cup, then was second in International Gold Cup. Won the 2019 Virginia Gold Cup by three lengths and Middleburg Hunt Cup by 5¾ lengths. Won Middleburg Spring’s 2018 Alfred M. Hunt steeplethon, then added Virginia Gold Cup’s Steeplethon Stakes. Finished second in 2017 Noel Laing Handicap and third in 2017 Calvin Houghland Iroquois (Gr. 1).

Codrington College (Ire). 2010 ch. g., Duke of Marmalade—A.P. Easy, by A.P. Indy. Owner: Hudson River Farms. Trainer: Jonathan Sheppard. Jockey: Darren Nagle. Breeder: Laundry Cottage Stud Farm (Ire). 2019 record: 4-1-0-2, $22,500. 2018 record: 1-1-0-0, $9,000. Won Shawan Downs’ 2019 Brown Advisory Legacy Chase, then was fourth in International Gold Cup. Finished third in Grand National’s 2019 Western Run Plate and in Iroquois Steeplechase’s Mason Houghland Memorial. Won his timber debut at 2018 Queen’s Cup.

Super Saturday. 2009 gr. or ro. g., Any Given Saturday—Lady Aloma, by Cozzene. Owner: Irvin S. Naylor. Trainer: Kathy Neilson. Jockey: Gerard Galligan. Breeder: Walton Breeders (Ky.) 2019 record: 3-0-1-3, $29,900. 2018 record: 6-1-2-1, $51,800. 2017 record: 6-0-1-1, $13,400. Finished second in Virginia Fall’s 2019 National Sporting Library and Museum Cup, then was third in International Gold Cup and Pennsylvania Hunt Cup. Finished third in 2019 Virginia Gold Cup, then fell in Radnor Hunt Cup. Finished fifth in Middleburg Hunt Cup. Finished second in 2018 International Gold Cup and Pennsylvania Hunt Cup. Won the 2018 Middleburg Hunt Cup, then was third in the Virginia Gold Cup and fourth in Radnor Hunt Cup.

Doc Cebu. 2010 b. g., Hard Spun—Berga, by Jade Hunter. Owners: Charles C. Fenwick Jr., Michael Hankin, and Charles Noell. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Michael Mitchell. Breeder: Graceville Breeding (Ky.) 2019 record: 1-0-0-0, $0. 2018 record: 5-4-0-1, $102,000. 2017 record: 5-4-1-0, $96,600. Timber champion, 2017, 2018. Finished fourth in 2019 Virginia Gold Cup after losing rider late in My Lady’s Manor. Won International Gold Cup for a second time to lock up 2018 timber title. Also won Shawan Downs’ 2018 Brown Advisory Legacy Chase by 3 1/2 lengths and scored a second victory in the Genesee Valley Hunt Cup by seven lengths. Won Willowdale Steeplechase for a second straight year in 2018 after third in Middleburg Hunt Cup. Clinched 2017 timber championship with 11-length victory in International Gold Cup.

Shinobi (Ger). 2012 b. g., Lord Shanakill—Singuna, by Black Sam Bellamy. Owner: Irvin S. Naylor. Trainer: Kathy Neilson. Jockey: Skylar McKenna. Breeder: Stifung Gestut Fahrhof (Ger). 2019 record: 2-0-0-0, $500. 2018 record: 1-1-0-0, $9,000. 2017 record: 3-0-1-0, $4,800. Finished fourth in 2019 Genesee Valley timber allowance and then was pulled up in similar Pennsylvania Hunt Cup race. Won a division of the John Rush Streett Memorial maiden timber race at the 2018 My Lady’s Manor meet. Finished second over hurdles in a 2017 Willowdale claiming hurdle, his first start over fences.

Schoodic. 2010 b. g., Tiznow—Aunt Henny, by Hennessy. Owner: Dolly Fisher. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Willie McCarthy. Breeder: Edith R. Dixon (Ky.) 2019 record: 6-5-1-0, $109,500. 2018 record: 6-0-1-2, $35,800. Won the 2019 International Gold Cup and Genesee Valley Hunt Cup. Opened his timber career in 2019 with three straight victories, including 16¾-length romp in Iroquois Steeplechase’s Mason Houghland Memorial and an open-length win in Fair Hill novice timber, then was second in Shawan Downs’ Brown Advisory Legacy Chase. Was a Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed over hurdles.

Curve of Stones 2011 gr. or ro. g., Arch—Exceptionally, by El Prado (Ire). Owner: Sarah Rebecca Shepherd. Trainer: David M. Bourke. Jockey: Barry Foley. Breeder: Audley Farm (Va.) 2019 record: 6-1-1-0, $21,800. 2018 record: 3-0-0-0, $2,100. 2017 record: 8-0-0-1, $18,100. Finished second in Callaway Gardens timber allowance after fifth in International Gold Cup. Won timber maiden at 2019 Virginia Fall meet. Switched to steeplethons in 2019 and finished fifth at Middleburg Spring and fourth at the Virginia Gold Cup.

The 2020 Colonial Downs summer thoroughbred racing season will kick off Monday July 27 — four days later than originally planned — and continue through September 2 with racing every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30 PM. The 18-day season originally was scheduled to run July 23 – August 29 with race days of Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the same post time.

Track officials repositioned the race days to stay away from other major summer weekend simulcast signals like Saratoga and Del Mar. With the effort to maximize exposure to online horseplayers, Colonial Downs could be a very attractive signal to wager on weeknights.

Tryon Summer (#6) beat Braxton to win the 2019 Nellie Mae Cox Stakes at Colonial Downs. Photo courtesy of Coady Photography.

Due to the temporary covid-19 related closure of the four Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums and four VA-Horseplay OTBs since mid-March, the absence of recent historical horse racing and simulcast revenue has resulted in a daily purse distribution decrease from the planned $500,000 level, to $300,000.

Virginia Derby Night will be moved from its original date of Saturday August 29, to Tuesday September 1. The showcase evening will feature four stakes as planned with updated purses — the $200,000 Virginia Derby (Gr. 3), $100,000 Virginia Oaks, $60,000 Rosie’s Stakes and $60,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes. Two additions — the $60,000 Old Nelson Stakes and $45,000 Old Dominion Overnight Handicap — will complement the Derby night program.

A total of eight stakes for Virginia-bred/sired horses will take place over two programs. The Camptown, Nellie Mae Cox and Edward P. Evans will all be contested Wednesday July 29 while the M. Tyson Gilpin, Brookmeade, Bert Allen, Jamestown and Punch Line will be held on closing night. Purses for each will be $60,000 except for the Punch Line’s, which is $75,000.

The Secretariat Turf Course, as seen several weeks after the 2020 controlled burn which took place in late March.

A total of 18 overnite races have been dedicated as Virginia restricted, which are open to horses that are either Virginia-bred, sired or certified. Another three restricted overnites are listed as substitute races throughout the meet. Additionally, a four pack of $40,000 restricted handicaps are scheduled — the Van Clief (July 27), Miss Oceana (August 5), William M. Backer (August 5), and Quarter Path Road (August 12). A pair of $40,000 restricted stakes — the White Oak Farms and Hansel — complete that program and will be held July 28.

Open stakes include the $45,000 Richmond Overnite Handicap (July 29) along with the $50,000 Da Hoss and $45,000 Williamsburg Overnite Handicap (both on August 26).

The $35,000 Randolph D. Rouse Stakes is the headlining steeplechase event of 11 that will be spread out over six Monday cards. The Rouse will be contested on August 31.

The MATCH Series, which had been slated for an August 15 tour stop at Colonial, has been cancelled.

Colonial’s racing surfaces are both highly regarded. Its Secretariat Turf Course is the widest grass surface in the country at 180 feet across. Last year, 90% of the races were contested over the course. Colonial’s 1 1/4 miles dirt track is the country’s second largest next to Belmont’s, which is 1 1/2 miles around.

The 2020 condition book along with stall applications are online at colonialdowns.com/horsemen.

As summer weather nears, things are getting back to a new normal for horseplayers around the country as more and more thoroughbred and harness tracks open every day. Though on track spectators are not allowed, simulcast signals from every track are available to watch and wager online. Virginia residents can wager via these four industry partners: TVG.com, Xpressbet.com, Twinspires.com and NYRABets.com.

Thoroughbred tracks currently available are Santa Anita, Churchill Downs, Golden Gate, Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream, Charles Town, Mountaineer, Assiniboia, Lone Star, Laurel, Fort Erie and Belmont. Later in the week, Thistledown, Belterra, Evangeline and Woodbine begin. Later in the month, Delta Downs, Indiana Grand, Delaware Park and Los Alamitos all start.

Though every harness track was shut down for two months, Scioto Downs, Northfield and Buffalo are up and running again while Mohawk, Meadowlands, Tioga, Hawthorne and Georgian Downs all start up later this week. In coming June days, Vernon, Running Aces, Hoosier and Harrington will begin as well.

Tampa Bay Downs extended their current meet thru June.

The stakes calendar is taking shape nicely and is headlined by the Belmont Stakes — normally the third leg of the Triple Crown — on June 20. The $1 million Grade I stakes will kick off the 2020 Triple Crown Series at a revised distance of 9 furlongs. The Kentucky Derby (Sept. 5) and Preakness (Oct. 3) will follow. Belmont Day’s traditional strong under card returns with a trio of additional Grade I stakes — the $300,000 Acorn, $250,000 Jaipur and $250,000 Woody Stephens. The Belmont card also features the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge and Grade 3 Wonder Again Stakes.

There is plenty of action in June before and after the Belmont Stakes. The $400,000 Santa Anita Derby (Gr. 1) headlines the menu on Saturday June 6. Santa Anita also plays host to the Grade I Hollywood Gold Cup, Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks and a trio of other stakes on that card. Belmont chips in with a four pack of graded stakes the same day highighted by the Grade I Runhappy Carter Handicap. Others on the program include the Grade 2 Fort Marcy Stakes and a pair of Grade 3’s — the Intercontinental and Westchester Stakes.

On the next weekend, Belmont hosts the Grade I, $300,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes on Saturday (June 13) while Golden Gate offers up the Grade 3, $250,000 San Fransisco Mile on Sunday (June 14).

Kentucky Derby Day is slated for September 5 at Churchill Downs. Derby. The Belmont Stakes will kick off the Triple Crown on June 20.

The Saturday after the Belmont Stakes — June 27 — both Belmont and Churchill present four graded stakes each while Thistledown hosts the $500,000 Ohio Derby (Gr. 2). The headliner in New York is the Grade 1, $300,000 Just A Game Stakes while in Kentucky, the Grade 2, $500,000 Stephen Foster takes center stage.

Planning ahead, racing on July 4 features the Manhattan Stakes (Gr. I), Metropolitan Mile (Gr. I), Delaware Oaks (Gr. 3) and Kent Stakes (Gr. 3). And of course later in the month, Colonial Downs will usher in its second thoroughbred season under the ownership of the Colonial Downs Group. Final details on the meet will be announced soon.

The following appeared at www.nationalsteeplechase.com 

The National Steeplechase Association’s spring race meets, the Middleburg Spring Races on June 13 and the Virginia Gold Cup on June 27, will be conducted under health and safety best practices mandated by the Virginia Department of Health to control the spread of the new coronavirus and the disease that it causes, COVID-19.

The Department of Health detailed the standards for outdoor racetracks as part of its Phase 1 reopening under the Forward Virginia program. Attendance will be limited to trainers with horses in the races, handlers, jockeys, essential race-meet officials and personnel, veterinarians, and meet physicians.

Owners will not be permitted to attend the races. Video coverage of the races will be provided on race days through the generosity of an NSA member who wishes to remain anonymous.

Glenwood Park will host the 100th edition of the Middleburg Spring Races, without spectators, on June 13.

“We will strictly adhere to the standards set by the Department of Health,” said NSA President Al Griffin Jr., who is co-chair of the Virginia Gold Cup. “As Virginians and Americans, we are committed to controlling the spread of this disease, and we are gratified that we now have the go-ahead to race for the benefit of our horsemen.”

The standards adhere to guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Virginia Department of Health. They stress social distancing, wearing of face masks in indoor settings or when physical distancing is impossible, and proper hygiene.

Before the meet

No one who has a fever or symptoms associated with COVID-19 or has been exposed to COVID-19 is permitted on the grounds.

Participants must self-monitor their symptoms.

Race organizers must provide signage mandating physical distancing and prohibiting gatherings of individuals.

Physical markings to guide appropriate distancing must be provided.

Hand sanitizer or hand-washing stations must be provided.

Restroom facilities such as portable toilets must be sanitized and separated by at least six feet.

Race organizers must establish a schedule of routine cleaning and disinfection of high-contact surfaces.

Deposit was one of two sons of Gio Ponti to win allowance races at Great Meadow on the 2019 Gold Cup under card. Photo by Douglas Lees.

Upon entering the race-meet grounds.

Meet organizers must limit entry onto the race-meet grounds and establish entry guidelines that allow for proper distancing.

Upon arrival, all participants will have their temperature taken and will be questioned about their current health and symptoms, such as feeling warm to the touch or feeling feverish in the prior 72 hours.

Any participant who has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, or who fails other parts of the screening test will be denied entry to the race course.

On the grounds

Participants must maintain distancing of at least six feet.

Face masks covering the nose and mouth must be worn in enclosed areas such as barns and in circumstances where six feet of distancing cannot be maintained.

Participants will be encouraged to wipe down equipment after each use with an approved disinfectant.

Trainers and handlers should depart the race course after their races have concluded and their horses are ready to be shipped.

Departure from the race course after the last race must be monitored to assure appropriate physical distancing.

Phone: 410-392-0700 | Fax: 410-392-0706
Email: info@nationalsteeplechase.com