Straight Gin scratched - though he was cross entered at Cheshire and I haven’t seen those results yet.
Miles Ahead, 2006 Virginia Gold Cup winner, won the 3 1/2 mile featured Rokeby Bowl open timber at Piedmont Saturday. Easy for him, though a reasonable test. Last time he was at Salem farm he was hunting … A really good story if anyone wants to check out my coverage in Wednesday’s Fauquier Times Democrat. (Haven’t written the story yet, but it’ll be a good one due to cool subject material.)
I’ll look for the coverage of the races in the Wednesday edition!
With the massive Carolina Cup this coming weekend in Camden, South Carolina the newspaper The State for March 25th has a great series of 37 + pictures of the race of the last 75 years.
Perhaps the largest lawn party in the entire state, over 70,000 strong [maybe hitting 75k this year] will be there to eat, drink … and see some horses 
The 300-year-old silver racing trophy briefly awarded the winner is among the oldest in the sports world, handcrafted in Ireland in 1704, according to the Carolina Cup Racing Association.
The trophy caught the eye of race founders Kirkover and Woodward at auction and was purchased as the official trophy in 1930, when the Cup races began.
Originally, it was given to the race winner to hold throughout the year. But, in 1961, the winner began receiving a replica.
The original is kept on display at the National Steeplechase Museum in Camden.
HR’s article: Fauquier Times Democrat 3/27 "Back on track: Strong entries mark return to racing at Piedmont "
Any updates on this weekend’s action with Straight Gin “going to the post” for his 2007 debut?
He did not run in Virginia - not sure if he was crossentered up in Md. or Pa.
Ground was pretty hard at Blue Ridge Saturday, hard and slightly uneven at Orange County. We got a fair rain shower last night and expect rain Wednesday. Need it badly - though the Old Dominion course is one of the circuit’s best. They’ll be rolling it with those sheep’s foot rollers all week in preparation for the Saturday meet. The course was fertilized with chicken litter last month, and just needed a dousing like last night to work the stuff into the ground and the grass should POP this week and make for a wonderful green expanse by Saturday.
I heard Telly (I’m Telling) won his race by about 30 at Orange County. I love that little horse, although he’s a bit of an arse to handle in the paddock sometimes.
Yes indeed-y. I’m telling was fantastic - wire to wire. Jumped great, very very impressive. I got some good pix if you want to email me your email SteeleRdr.
Sent you an e-mail, HR, to the e-mail address that my e-mail apparently had (I guess you work e-mail?). Anyways, pictures are much appreciated!
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;2318574]
With the massive Carolina Cup this coming weekend in Camden, South Carolina the newspaper The State for March 25th has a great series of 37 + pictures of the race of the last 75 years.[/QUOTE]
They exceeded 75,000 for an all-time record. The State newspaper 4/1/07 “Cup attendance tops 75,000”
Keep in mind this is a one-day race that draws that many. Rolex Three-Day which is very enjoyable too, by comparison, only exceeds 75,000 people in sum over the four days [Thu - Sun] for the official event. At no time does the Kentucky Horse Park have more then 45,000 on the grounds.
This past weekend was the kick off of the first steeplechase of the year in the Delaware Valley - Brandywine Hills Point to Point on Sunday April 1st which was the 65th running of it. It was held at Myrick Conservation Center near West Chester, PA. (The next big one in that region is at Winterthur on May 6th)
For April 7th it will be the 56th Annual Stoneybrook Steeplechase at Southern Pines, NC. Last year the attendence at Stoneybrook exceeded 15,000. This year Crescent Financial Corporation is going to be the title sponsor. It’s held at the Carolina Horse Park at Five Points:
Actually I think for the Deleware Valley point to point association, the first race was Cheshire’s pt-to-pt that was on the 25ht of March. I could be wrong, but I believe it was.
The first race in the DVA was Cheshire 2 weekends ago then Brandywine and before Winterthur their will be Plumsted on April 22 it is the last race in the DVA for the season.
I only know this since I am racing in them this year.
[QUOTE=AilleXWest;2338843]
The first race in the DVA was Cheshire 2 weekends ago then Brandywine …[/QUOTE]
I stand corrected and the original link from The News Journal, Willington DE does say “among” the first
Always scheduled in April, the Brandywine Hills Point-to-Point is among the first steeplechase races of the season, a full month before Winterthur’s.
Aille…what is your horses name? How’d you do the past two races?
My horse name is Cuckoo Too. I am running in the owners chase. I came in 3rd at Cheshire and 4th at Brandywine.
I hope to do better in a few weeks. But I am having so much fun!!!
Despite the cold weather (around the 40 degree F mark) the 56th Annual Stoneybrook Steeplechase at Southern Pines, NC turned out to be very well attended and with plenty of enthusiasm
New 14 Carolina: “Popular Carolina horse race runs for 56th time”
Video in the link above of the day’s festivities
see also: an estimated 8,000 turned out
Despite blustery conditions and competition from a major holiday, organizers were pleased with the number of spectators.
“Given that it’s so cold, I think we’ve had a great turnout,” said Stoneybrook manager Landon Russell. " People are having a great time, it’s a Carolina blue sky: What more could you ask for?"
By the way did anyone catch the maybe 2 minute clip on steeplechasing during the ESPN coverage of the Wood Memorial on Saturday? It was a pretty skinny piece of reporting - just a couple of brief remarks from trainer and jockey.
There was plenty of time to fill on Saturday in between races at the Big A … room enough to give to steeplechasing. Especially enough time if they exclude “Hammering Hank” Goldberg from even one minute on camera. Sorry folks that never-prepared guy is waste of precious air time. Randy Moss is such a pro and Jerry Bailey a total value add and then there is Hank 
What was the ESPN steeplechasing spot about? Who? Where? When? What?
It was about the Carolina Cup. Btw, I’m pretty sure it was less than 2 minutes, maybe one and it wasn’t a ESPN piece, it looked like a paid ad by the NSA. They showed more footage of overdressed people than actually racing and predictably the one racing segement they cut away right as the horses went over the last fence (there was a faller… shock horror). Kinda silly to try and sell the sport if you’re afraid to show that.
Mar-13-07
Supreme Novices Hurdle (G1) 4yo+ Cheltenham
Hurdle
2m
~$240k
1 Ebaziyan (IRE)-6 2 Granit Jack (FR)-5 3 Amaretto Rose (IRE)-6
[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;2351068]
It was about the Carolina Cup. Btw, I’m pretty sure it was less than 2 minutes, maybe one and it wasn’t an ESPN piece, it looked like a paid ad by the NSA.[/QUOTE]
My error to suggest it was an ESPN/NSA cooperation and double the length I think this is the end product of the NTRA partnership to get NSA information on tv during NTRA paid programming. Agreed with Drvmb1ggl3 that it was on the silly side if not confusing of what they are trying to promote or even convey.
As everyone likely knows horse racing is not paid for by ESPN (by contrast, Major League Baseball is paid by the networks to carry the games) but rather the NTRA pays for TV time. A large amount of underwriting comes from Citgo the sadly Venezuelan government controlled oil company. Hence the NSA video airing during the NTRA paid-for-broadcast doesn’t get invoiced by ESPN/ABC to the steeplechase folks.
Sad that even 1-minute of attention with a couple million viewer audience is squandered with an uninspired segment. Did they every think to maybe create a fan-friendly website and then list that at the bottom encouraging those slightly interested to check it out and see if a racing is coming soon to a venue near them? The NSA website is not designed for that - its more “to the trade” so to speak which is what its for.
Marketing 101 isn’t a hard class you just need to go to the sessions and get a passing grade
