Originally posted on Nationalsteeplechase.com on 4/8/24, written by Tod Marks

Photos courtesy of Douglas Lees

Three races, three different winning combinations score at Virginia Point to Point

With substantial purse money on the line, Saturday’s Old Dominion Hounds Point to Point in Washington, Va., attracted some budding maiden and veteran timber talent. And by day’s end trainers Doug Fout, Sean McDermott, and Parker Hendriks had their first winners of the young season while leading 2023 rider Graham Watters notched his initial score. McDermott and Hendriks, who also do double duty as jockeys, also had winners on the card. For McDermott it was his first of the year, while Hendriks earned his NSA-leading fourth.

Here’s a recap of the three-race, $80,000 card at Ben Venue Farm:

Late surge propels Hold Hard to open maiden hurdle victory

Rolling Tide’s Hold Hard came on with a burst in deep stretch to overtake Runnymoore Racing’s Clifton Down and land the $30,000 opener by a half length.

With Parker Hendriks riding for trainer Doug Fout, Hold Hard sat in second in the field of 10 for most of the 2-mile race, never more than about four lengths behind Clifton Down and jockey Jamie Bargary. Clifton Down still maintained a comfortable advantage heading over the 11th and final fence, and that’s when Hendriks quickly swung to his inside, moved alongside Clifton Down and edged clear in the final strides.  Irv Naylor’s Travesuras, under Gerard Galligan, was well-placed throughout and snatched the show spot.

The Irish-bred five-year-old winner was making only his fifth career start and fourth over jumps since launching his career last August.

Love Saga out finishes Camcha to take filly & mare hurdle

Ivy Hill Stable’s Love Saga had the lead, relinquished it, and fought back to repel Greg Hawkins’ Camcha in the $30,000 filly & mare hurdle, also at 2 miles over 11 fences.

Trained and ridden by Sean McDermott, Love Saga, a Maryland-bred five-year-old, was making just her third start over jumps. As soon as the flag dropped, Camcha and jockey Gerard Galligan burst to the front, with Potter Group USA and Ashwell Stable’s Fox in the Park, and Love Saga in close pursuit.

There was little change in position until the beginning of the second circuit around the course when McDermott nudged his mount to the front. At about the same time, Camcha hooked the leader and as the two battled, Rolling Tide’s Easy Squeeze made her move. It was still anyone’s race at the second to last fence and as the field moved over the final jump, Easy Squeeze, with Parker Hendriks, made a bold bid for the lead on the outside, briefly taking charge until falling.  Love Saga, on the far inside, avoided traffic, as did Camcha and the two dueled to the wire with Love Saga scoring by a length. Michael Smith’s Split in Two (Jamie Bargary) was third. Both horse and rider were up after the spill.

Watters, Lap of the Gods takes timber allowance

Parker Hendriks, who captured the first of three NSA sanctioned contests at Ben Venue, then missed a golden chance when his mount fell on the lead at the last fence in the second race, lost the opportunity to make it two for three when he had to take off his Lap of the Gods, who put in a late run to take the $20,000 timber finale at 3 miles.

But Lap of the Gods, who Hendriks also trains for owner Stewart Strawbridge, was in good hands under two-time leading NSA rider Graham Watters.

Sitting patiently in second (of four starters) behind Armata Stable’s Fashion Line (Conor Tierney) early in the event over 18 wooden fences, Watters and Lap of the Gods eased back to third behind Irv Naylor’s Family Tree (Harry Beswick) as the quartet began the second circuit of the course. Still running easily alongside Stooshie, a second Naylor runner, Lap of the Gods and the two others remained in striking distance of Fashion Line, a three-time winner in 2023, whose lead began to shrink the third time around the undulating course.

The lead evaporated entirely when Fashion Line bobbled and lost his rider just past the 14th fence, giving Family Tree a one-length advantage over Lap of the Gods, who was looming ominously on the outside. Lap of the Gods had all the momentum heading to the final fence, when he accelerated and extended his advantage to 5 3/4 lengths at the wire. Stooshie was third.

The evening after the races, Tierney reported he was doing well and plans to ride next weekend. 

March 30 was a monumental day for Ashland, Virginia and for horse racing from near and far! The town has proclaimed it “Secretariat Day” to celebrate the birthday of the legendary Triple Crown champion and to hold the long-awaited dedication ceremony for the stunning bronze statue “Secretariat Racing Into History” by sculptor Jocelyn Russell.

A formal dedication and ribbon-cutting took place at the Reynolds Family Plaza at Randolph-Macon College in downtown Ashland. This was the first and only monument of Secretariat in Virginia, his birth state. He was born on March 30, 1970 at Meadow Stable, which was founded by Christopher Chenery, who grew up in Ashland.

At 21 feet long and 11.5 feet tall, the monument depicts a larger-than-life Secretariat at a full run, ridden by jockey Ron Turcotte. The saddlecloth shows the number two for Secretariat’s post position in the 1973 Belmont, his most memorable race. The 3,800-pound artwork garnered national publicity last summer during its 5,000-mile tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown. The Secretariat For Virginia Committee with the non-profit Ashland Museum raised the funds for the project.

“Secretariat Racing Into History represents my family history coming full circle, in more ways than one,” said Kate Chenery Tweedy, chair of SECVA. “Like my grandfather Chris Chenery and my mother Penny overcoming their challenges with Meadow Stable, our team displayed an unwavering determination to get the job done. We are extremely grateful for such a rewarding collaboration with the Ashland community, the Commonwealth of Virginia, generous donors, and loyal fans from near and far. This glorious monument will stand as an emblem of excellence and inspiration that honors a matchless legacy.”

As a tribute to Secretariat’s Virginia roots and his still-unbroken track records in the 1973 Triple Crown, the majestic sculpture will be standing on a base containing portions of sand from the original training track at Meadow Stable and from the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont.

Here are additional pictures from Big Red’s celebration Ashland:

The Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-Point took place on March 30th, at the Woodley Farm in Berryville, VA The card was made up of eight races, ranging from a mile to three miles around the track. This meet is important to local fans of the sport who get to come out in the Northern Virginia area and see one of the first racing events of the year.

The day of racing was highlighted by two new $15,000 races for Amateur or Apprentice riders. These races were sponsored and Sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association (NSA).

The spring PTP season continues at Ben Venue Farm in Washington, VA on April 6 (Old Dominion Hounds), Morven Park in Leesburg April 21 (Loudoun Hunt) and Glenwood Park in Middleburg April 28 (Middleburg Hunt).

Photos courtesy of Douglas Lees

(WARRENTON, VA —- 3/28/2024) —- Racing fans in Ashland, Virginia will celebrate Secretariat — the Commonwealth’s most famous thoroughbred racehorse — with an annual birthday bash this Saturday March 30 and this celebration will offer something extra special. After a year of being trailered around the country to tracks like Churchill Downs, Pimlico, Belmont, Saratoga and Virginia’s two pari-mutuel tracks — Colonial Downs and Shenandoah Downs (harness) — for fans to enjoy, sculptor Jocelyn Russell’s magnificent bronze statue of Big Red has been permanently placed at the new Reynolds Family Plaza just outside the Randolph Macon college campus grounds in Ashland. Locals and visitors can now enjoy this famous Virginia-bred 365 days a year.

A formal dedication of the “Secretariat Racing Into History” statue will take place this Saturday at 2 PM and feature guest speakers like Russell, Kate Chenery Tweedy and others, along with musical performances and a ribbon cutting. The Virginia Equine Alliance, whose mission is to sustain, promote and expand the horse breeding and horse racing industries in the Commonwealth, will be live streaming the entire ceremony via its Virginia Horse Racing YouTube and Facebook channels so fans around the country – and world — can enjoy the special occasion. Viewers can simply click here on Saturday and link directly to the festivities. 

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The Piedmont Fox Hounds Point-to-Point took place on March 23rd, at the historic Salem Racecourse in Upperville, VA. The card was made up of eight races, ranging from a mile and a quarter to three and a half miles around the track. This meet is important to local fans of the sport who get to come out in the Northern Virginia area and see one of the first racing events of the year.

The spring PTP season continues at the Woodley Farm in Berryville March 30 (Blue Ridge Hunt), Ben Venue Farm in Washington, VA on April 6 (Old Dominion Hounds), Morven Park in Leesburg April 21 (Loudoun Hunt) and Glenwood Park in Middleburg April 28 (Middleburg Hunt).

Thanks to Douglas Lees for the Exceptional Photography!

The following was written by Tod Marks and appeared on his social media channels.

In a blockbuster announcement, the National Steeplechase Association has released details of powerhouse jump racing programs at the flat tracks this summer that includes 19 races worth $950,000 at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., and four races at Saratoga Race Course in Upstate New York: the A.P. Smithwick and Jonathan Sheppard, both Grade 1s with a $150,000 purse, and two $75,000 novice stakes, the Jonathan Kiser and Michael G. Walsh.

Additionally, NYRA will showcase the $150,000 Beverly R. Steinman handicap hurdle stakes, named after the longtime owner who has successfully straddled both the steeplechase and flat racing worlds with stars such as Dark Equation, who captured the 2008 New York Turf Writers Cup (G1), and Colstar, a filly who won more than $1 million on the flat. The Steinman will be contested at 2 ⅜ miles on Sunday June 9 at the Spa, the day after Belmont Stakes, which is being run at Saratoga for the first time while Belmont Park is reconstructed from the ground up.

“Peggy Steinman has represented the National Steeplechase Association at the highest level for decades, particularly at Saratoga, where her presence alone, sitting in her prominent finish-line box, has reminded people in the industry and especially at the New York Racing Association that the traditions of steeplechasing run deep,” said Bill Gallo, the NSA’s Director of Racing. “This is a fitting and wonderful tribute to a very special person on an historic weekend in Saratoga. She is thrilled with the honor and looking forward to the Belmont at Saratoga Festival.”

NYRA also reaffirmed its commitment to host the $150,000 Lonesome Glory (G1) and $75,000 William Entenmann novice stakes at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet on Thursday Sept. 19, a week after the Friday Sept. 13 opening day.

The summer calendar, which begins July 11 and ends Sept. 6, offers steeplechasing the opportunity to broaden its appeal to a wider fan base, especially at Saratoga, the highest profile race meet in the U.S.

NYRA races are broadcast live on Fox2 TV, with replays available on NYRA website, https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/replays. Fans can watch the races from Colonial Downs on their simulcast signal or via live stream from the NSA web site, www.nationalsteeplechase.com.

All races will be part of the flat-racing cards at Colonial on Thursdays (the races were previously run on Fridays) and at Saratoga on Wednesdays. At both meets, the jump races will be at the beginning of the day. The races at Colonial will go off as the first, second, and third on the program, with a 1:30 p.m. first post. At Saratoga post time is 1:10 p.m.

Highlighting the action at Colonial are a pair of $100,000 filly and mare stakes, the Randolph D. Rouse and Life’s Illusion. Most of the races at Colonial Downs have been carded as open maiden special weights hurdles (one of which is restricted to four-year-olds), and all have gotten a purse bump to $50,000. There are also two $55,000 allowance contests for non-winners of two, and several ratings handicaps and starter events worth $30,000 to $35,000. Colonial is bringing back another popular event, a $50,000 flat race for horses who competed but didn’t win a jump race at the track during the meet. It’ll take place on the track’s closing Friday, Sept. 6.

The addition of the Beverly R. Steinman stakes gives the NSA a total of eight Grade 1s on the 2024 schedule. In January, the Virginia Gold Cup Association revealed plans for a new Grade 1 fixture, the Commonwealth Cup, at Great Meadow Race Course in The Plains, Va., on May 4. Before that, the Carolina Cup Association announced it would bring back after an eight-year hiatus the Colonial Cup at Springdale Race Course in Camden, S.C., on Nov. 17.

Full major track schedule:

Belmont at Saratoga

• June 9, Beverly R. Steinman (G1)

Colonial

• July 11, Open maiden, filly & mare maiden, allowance

• July 18, Open maiden, 110, and 115 ratings handicap

• Aug. 01, Open maiden, maiden starter, and allowance

• Aug. 08, Open maiden, 115 ratings handicap, and Randolph D.Rouse Memorial filly & mare stakes

• Aug. 22, Open maiden, four-year-old maiden, maiden starter

• Sept. 05, Open maiden, 110 ratings, Life’s Illusion filly & mare stakes

• Sept. 06, Flat race for jumpers who started at the meet but didn’t win

Saratoga

• July 17, A.P. Smithwick Memorial (G1)

• July 31, Jonathan Kiser Memorial novice stakes

• Aug. 14, Jonathan Sheppard Memorial (G1)

• Aug. 28, Michael G. Walsh Memorial novice stakes

Belmont at Aqueduct

• Sept. 19, William Entenmann Memorial novice stakes, Lonesome Glory (G1)

2024 NSA Grade 1s

May 04, $150,000 Commonwealth Cup, 2 ⅛ miles, Virginia Gold Cup Races

May 11, $200,000 Calvin Houghland Memorial Iroquois, 3 miles, Iroquois

June 09, $150,000 Beverly R. Steinman, 2 ⅜ miles, Saratoga

July 17, $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial, 2 ⅜ miles, Saratoga

Aug. 14, $150,000 Jonathan Sheppard Memorial, 2 ⅜ miles, Saratoga

Sept. 19, $150,000 Lonesome Glory, 2 ½ miles, Belmont at Aqueduct

Oct. 19, $250,000 Grand National, 2 ⅝ miles, Far Hills

Nov. 17, $150,000 Colonial Cup, 2 ⅝ miles, Colonial Cup

Note: The Iroquois and Grand National are weight-for-age races. The other Grade 1s are handicaps.

The annual controlled burn of the Secretariat Turf Course at Colonial Downs took place Monday March 18 at the New Kent track. The grass oval is set ablaze at this time every year to quickly and efficiently remove dead cover off the surface’s top player. The burn also drives nutrients deeper into the ground to provide a green, lush and safe racing surface in time for the summer racing which begins July 11 and continues through September 7.

The 2024 burn was completed in a record time of just over one hour. The burn was conducted under the supervision of Colonial’s Senior Director of Racing Operations Frank Hopf, new Director of Track Operations Leif Dickinson and of course, New Kent Fire & Rescue.

The 9-week summer thoroughbred season will feature daily average purses in the $700,000 range along with racing Thursdays and Saturdays at 1:30 PM and Fridays at 4:30 PM. Photos of the controlled follow (overhead photos provided by Mitchell Bradley)

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← Spring Point-to-Point Season Continues with the Warrenton Hunt; Piedmont PTP Up Next

The Warrenton Hunt Point-to-Point took place on March 16th, at the historic Airlie Racecourse in Warrenton, VA. The card was made up of ten races, ranging from a mile and an eighth to three miles around the track. This meet is important to local fans of the sport who get to come out in the Northern Virginia area and see one of the first racing events of the year.

The spring PTP season continues at the Salem Course in Upperville March 23 (Piedmont Fox Hounds), the Woodley Farm in Berryville March 30 (Blue Ridge Hunt), the Ben Venue Farm in Ben Venue April 6 (Old Dominion Hounds), Morven Park in Leesburg April 21 (Loudoun Hunt) and Glenwood Park in Middleburg April 28 (Middleburg Hunt).

Thanks to Douglas Lees for the Exceptional Photography!

In honor of International Womens Day we celebrate Penny Chenery and her contributions to the horse racing industry both in the Commonwealth of Viriginia and to the sport as a whole. Exceptional Horsewomen like Penny have paved the way for the modern racing industry in Virginia!

Originally posted on Americasbestracing.net.

Penny Chenery and her most famous horse, Secretariat. (Paul Schafer/BloodHorse photo)

The letters meant so much to Penny Chenery, breeder and owner of 1973 Triple Crown champion Secretariat. They were written by ambitious girls from coast to coast, telling her she served as a role model for them.

In an age when there was no emphasis on providing women with an advanced education, Chenery attended Columbia Business School. That gave her the background she needed as she turned around faltering Meadow Stable, a racing and breeding operation founded by her father, Christopher.

Chenery, who passed away in September 2017 at age 95, never forgot her father’s encouragement and how much that meant to her.

“He told me, ‘You can accomplish anything you want to, as long as you work hard and care,’ ” she remembered in a 2015 interview.

She became determined to revive Meadow Stable for reasons that involved the heart more than business. “I love horses and I loved my dad,” she said. “He was failing and my brother and sister wanted to sell the stable and I said, ‘No, not while Dad is alive.’ ”

Chenery and Secretariat enter the winner’s circle. (Bob Coglianese)

Chenery embraced the role of a rare female leader in business. She knew horses, having ridden since age 5, and she was prepared to make tough decisions. She fired Casey Hayes, the farm’s long-time trainer, in 1969.

After consulting with family friend and business associate Bull Hancock of Claiborne Farm, she hired Roger Laurin to replace Hayes. He helped to make the operation profitable again before leaving to train for the Phipps family. Chenery hired Roger’s father, Lucien, to succeed him.

Her wisdom and diligence paid off in a big way in 1972. Riva Ridge swept the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes while Secretariat began to fulfill his seemingly boundless potential as the champion 2-year-old.

Chenery thought highly of Secretariat from the minute he was born.

“He was a strong foal and he had an air about him. He was very self-confident,” she said. “He was the boss.”

He achieved somewhat measured victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 1973, each time holding sway by 2 1/2 lengths. Ron Turcotte, always believing a Triple Crown was well within reach, kept as much in reserve as possible for the Belmont Stakes.

And then he emptied the tank. That led to one of the most monumental performances in any sport, one Chenery remembers so vividly. Secretariat broke sharply this time; there was no hanging back the way he had in the first two legs. Sham was determined to make him run and make him run early. Sham gave everything he had – it was not nearly enough.

“He just ground Sham down,” Chenery said.

She could still hear Chic Anderson’s famous call, his voice rising with excitement. “Secretariat is widening now. He is moving like a tremendous machine!” She could still hear Lucien, always fearing the worst, saying, “Ronnie, don’t fall off.“

She could still see Secretariat, all but flying down the stretch as Turcotte peeked behind him to see the scorched competition almost fading from view.

Her pride in Secretariat was as strong in 2015 as it was when he was hailed as a Triple Crown champion. “He’s a hero without blemish,” she said. “He’s a true champion you can admire from any field.”

Chenery went on to join Martha Gerry and Allaire du Pont as the first women to be admitted as members of The Jockey Club. It was only fitting.

Note: This artice was originally published in 2015 and has been updated.

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Fun Facts

• Her father, Christopher Chenery, overcame childhood poverty to make a fortune in utilities.
• She served as a Red Cross volunteer who traveled to France as a Doughnut Girl to boost troop morale during World War II.
• She bred Saratoga Dew, the first New York-bred to win an Eclipse Award. Saratoga Dew was voted the top 3-year-old filly in 1992.
• She was portrayed by Diane Lane in the 2010 motion picture “Secretariat.”
• She received honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va., in March 2011.

The Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-point returns to Woodley Farm in Berryville, VA on Saturday, March 30th for its 75th running. For the first time, the event will feature NSA-sanctioned races! The two sanctioned races are sponsored by the VEA and will feature purses of $15,000.  Gates open at 10 AM and the first post is 1 PM. For tickets and more information visit BRH | Blue Ridge Hunt.

Originally Posted on Clarkeva.com, written by Rebecca Maynard

Everyone in the community is invited on Saturday, March 30 to enjoy the running of the Blue Ridge Hunt’s 75th annual point-to-point races, held at Woodley Farm.

The historic 383-acre property is located at 490 Woodley Lane, two and a half miles south of Berryville. It was originally bought by Daniel Sowers in the 1830s from George Washington’s cousin and has been used for fox hunting ever since. One of the unique things about the property is that it has one of the only point-to-point courses in Virginia that allows spectators to see the entire course at one time.

As Norm Fine notes in his history, today’s followers of the Blue Ridge hounds ride over the same hills and fields and along the same twists and turns of the Shenandoah River as did George Washington nearly 300 years ago when he followed the hounds of his employer and friend Thomas, the sixth Lord Fairfax. At 16, Washington had come to Fairfax’s Greenway Court in what is now White Post, to help survey Fairfax’s holdings. The two pursued the native gray fox behind hounds that Fairfax had sent over from England prior to his arrival.

Fine explains that fox hunting in Virginia flourished privately until the massive changes after the Civil War set the stage for the formation of organized hunts and subscription packs. The period following the war saw a number of Englishmen moving to Virginia, many of whom were fox hunters in their native England. One such Englishman, Archibald Bevan, helped to organize the Blue Ridge Hunt in 1888, and he served as its first Master.

A hundred thirty-six years later, Jeffrey LeHew, Joint Master of the Blue Ridge Hunt and chairman of the races, says that this year is a special one.

“It’s our 75th year at Woodley Farm, which is a big deal for us, and we’ve had races for all these years,” LeHew said. “We have the same things we’ve always had — a parade of fox hounds, a parade of beagles, a kids’ stick horse race, car show, and carriage parade. What we’re having this year is special, and something we’ve never had before. We’re fortunate enough to have the National Steeplechase Association sanction two of our races, and with the help of the Virginia Equine Alliance sponsorship, those two races will have purses of $15,000 each. Because of the purses, we hope they will bring in some really nice racehorses from the East Coast.”

Attendees are welcome to bring picnic lunches to enjoy on the general admission hillside, and food vendors will also be on site, along with a “vendor village” with crafters and other items for sale. There will also be an appearance by the
Easter Bunny.

“We moved our date forward two weeks to March 30, but another exciting thing is we moved it from Sunday to Saturday, and that is a big deal,” LeHew said, explaining that many people had expressed a preference for Saturday in order to be able to picnic and enjoy the day without being concerned with work or school the next day.

General admission is $30 for a carload ahead of time and $40 at the gate, and reservations can be made online at www.blueridgehunt.org or by phone at 540-931-1919. LeHew said there is a new, easy to use online ticketing option this year that allows people to view a chart and reserve parking spaces.

“We hope that many in the community will come out and that we’ll get a big crowd, even if they don’t like horse racing, because there are so many other things to do,” LeHew said.