Race Recap

©Tod Marks For the first time since 2000, Laurel Park in Maryland will host National Steeplechase Association hurdle races, on Father’s Day, Sunday June 15. The races, to be run over the turf course at 2 ⅛ miles, include a $40,000 maiden special weights contest and $45,000 allowance for non-winners of two races. The races…

©Tod Marks The two-month National Steeplechase Association spring season came to an end on Saturday with a pair of easy wins in the featured events at the 94th Radnor Hunt Races in Malvern, Pa. In the $35,000 National Hunt Cup, contested at 2 1/8 miles as an allowance hurdle, Irv Naylor’s Sultan Pierji earned his…

©Tod Marks Abaan, China Beach, and Gold Charm sparkle in Nashville, while Mr. Fine Threads triumphs in Willowdale’s timber feature. With 13 races and $690,000 in purses, Saturday’s meets drew more than 90 hurdle and timber entries from maidens, claimers, and ratings handicappers, to novice, allowance, and stakes stars, looking to increase their bankrolls as…

©Tod Marks Trainer Mark Beecher earns his first Hunt Cup score as a conditioner, while jockey Conor Tierney edges the horse he rode to victory in the historic contest in 2023. In a thrilling renewal of $100,000 Maryland Hunt Cup, American timber racing’s most celebrated and demanding event, Daniel Baker’s gutsy Road to Oz took…

©Tod Marks St. Rita Racing’s China Beach went from relative unknown to formidable foe with a dominant performance in the 90th running of the $75,000 Carolina Cup novice stakes at Springdale Race Course in Camden, S.C., on Saturday. Making his first stakes start – and only fourth career try over jumps following a long career…

©Tod Marks Blue Creek takes featured Imperial Cup; caps two-win day for Brion, Mulqueen On a picture-perfect Saturday afternoon, a record crowd turned out for the National Steeplechase Association season kickoff in Aiken, S.C. a six race, $140,000 card highlighted by the $40,000 Imperial Cup, a handicap for horses rated at 120 or less. It…

Westerland winning at Callaway © Tod Marks Plenty of major moments after last Saturday’s 14-race doubleheader, including Graham Watters’ 100th NSA victory, and three-win days for both Jamie Bargary and Gerard Galligan. Trainer Leslie Young, too, was prolific, and her combined four wins at both venues put her in a tie at 27 with Jack…

Gerard Galligan and Todd McKenna © Tod Marks On a picture-perfect autumn afternoon, the National Steeplechase Association returned to Glenwood Park in Middleburg on Sunday, just two weeks after the Virginia Fall Races, the traditional October fixture at the site. The running of back-to-back meets at the same venue is highly unusual, and came about…

Snap Decision © Tod Marks After six seasons of scintillating performances that included 15 victories (13 stakes) facing top-flight competition, Bruton Street-US’ Snap Decision finally landed the biggest prize that had eluded him, the $250,000 American Grand National at Far Hills. With the hard-fought victory on Saturday — his first in four tries in the…