Iroquois & Willowdale preview
©Tod Marks
History is on the line as Snap Decision headlines the biggest meet of the spring at Percy Warner Park in Nashville. An unprecedented fourth win in the Grade 1 Iroquois would make the Eclipse Award winner the richest American steeplechaser of all time. Meanwhile, six racing opportunities abound for timber specialists, mid-level hurdlers, and apprentice riders at Willowdale in Kennett Square, Pa.
On the penultimate weekend of the National Steeplechase Association spring calendar, the top horses in training head to Nashville for 84th Iroquois Steeplechase, a seven-race card – three of which are stakes – worth $575,000.
At 3 miles, the $250,000 Calvin Houghland Iroquois, which has gotten a purse bump of $50,000 over 2024, is the longest of the nine National Steeplechase Association Grade 1s. And with each horse carrying 158 pounds, it assures that weight won’t be either an excuse or an advantage to any of the eight competitors.
Towering over the field is Bruton Street-US’ Snap Decision, a three-time winner of the event. Now, 11, Snap Decision made his 2025 debut at Middleburg three weeks ago, putting on another determined display, taking his record-setting fourth Grade 2 Temple Gwathmey in five years while giving away weight to his opponents. With regular rider Graham Watters aboard, the Phipps-bred sensation took the lead two fences out and held off a vigorous charge by multiple novice-stakes winner Abaan by a neck.
The Gwathmey win added $60,000 to Snap Decision’s bankroll, bringing his total NSA earnings to $1,191,900, $118,204 behind Hall of Famer McDynamo. The $150,000 winner’s share of the Iroquois would elevate Snap Decision to the top spot in purse earnings.
Lining up to face Snap Decision, a 17-time winner over jumps, are familiar faces who are no stranger to the champ. Vae Patron, owned locally by Leipers Fork Steeplechase and trained by Leslie Young, is an intriguing foe. The French-bred seven-year-old ran 21 times in France before coming stateside for the 2024 Iroquois, where he ran the race of his life to just miss by a neck to Snap Decision. A winner of $349,000 lifetime, Vae Patron hasn’t run since that performance. He gets the services of Irish jockey Danny Mullins, who crosses the Atlantic for the mount. Mullins has plenty of NSA experience, especially at Far Hills and Percy Warner Park. He’s made numerous trips since 2015 and won a handicap aboard Jimmy P at the 2024 Iroquois meet. His biggest U.S. score came in the American Grand National at Far Hills in 2017 with Mr. Hot Stuff.
Young also saddles Michael A. Smith’s up-and-comer Foxy Walk (ridden by Gerard Galligan), who has won two in a row, including the Good Night Shirt stakes at Foxfield in April, where he edged Cool Jet, who subsequently became a Grade 1 winner in the Commonwealth Cup at the Virginia Gold Cup Races last Saturday.
Fisher has a second entry in Riverdee Stable’s Zabeel Champion (James O’Sullivan), who ran a credible third in last year’s Iroquois. The two-time stakes winner was seventh in the Gwathmey, his first start in 11 months.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Daigneault Thoroughbreds’ Abaan, trained by Kate Dalton and ridden by her husband, Bernie, looms a serious threat following a tremendous effort in the Temple Gwathmey. Rallying from last, Abaan unleashed a furious charge turning for home, going a bit wide entering the stretch but still closing like a freight train to be barely beaten.
Madaket Stables and Paul and Molly Willis’ Jimmy P, trained by Keri Brion and ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, became a G1 winner (Jonathan Sheppard at Saratoga) after his handicap win at last season’s Iroquois Races, but was uncharacteristically dull in the Gwathmey where he finished last of eight.
Another local owner, Gill Johnston, sends out Zarak the Brave, trained by Tom Garner and ridden by Evan Dwan. A three-time winner over hurdles in Europe, the French-bred earned nearly $350,000 before joining the NSA, where he’s made two starts. His first start was a tough outing in the G1 Sheppard at Saratoga, a race in which he fell early after striking the fence and stumbling.
Completing the field is Irv Naylor’s Howyabud, trained by Cyril Murphy and ridden by Harry Beswick. A novice stakes winner in 2022, Howyabud was out of action for two and a half years, returning recently in the Gwathmey, where he rallied from eighth to fourth, closing ground to finish four lengths behind the winner.
The two other stakes on the day are the $125,000 Green Pastures, the richest novice race of the spring, and the $50,000 Margaret Currey Henley for fillies and mares. Both are at 2 ¼ miles and have attracted top talent.
Eight are expected for the Green Pastures, led by several exciting newcomers. Gill Johnston’s Smart Uncle (trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Graham Watters) has captured three straight, rising from the maiden ranks to take the Van Clief Memorial four-year-old stakes at Foxfield several weeks ago. Recent flat racing convert China Beach, owned by St. Rita Racing, is coming off an impressive score in the Carolina Cup novice stakes for Kate and Bernie Dalton. Shannon Hill Farm’s Evie’s Prince (Neil Morris/James O’Sullivan) is looking to rekindle the spark he showed taking the Michael G. Walsh novice stakes at Saratoga last summer. Del Rio Racing sends out Little Trilby (Ricky Hendriks/Gerard Galligan), winner of the Holiday Cup at Aiken last fall, was a good second to China Beach in the Carolina Cup after contending for the lead before bobbling at the final fence.
Leslie Young saddles a pair for Leipers Fork Steeplechase, Walk the Warrior (Paddy O’Hanlon) and Garrison Forest (Danny Mullins). Walk the Warrior, a recent allowance winner, was second in novice company at Callaway Gardens in November. Lightly raced (three starts) Garrison Forest takes a huge step up in class following a maiden score at Foxfield.
Since joining the NSA last September, Upland Flats Racing’s Blue Creek (Keri Brion/Stephen Mulqueen) has started four times, winning twice (a maiden and in March a 120 handicap) along with a second and third in allowance ranks.
After eight starts and two wins in Europe, Butler Hall Racing Stables’ Boldog (Tom Garner/Evan Dwan) made an ambitious first NSA start in the Van Clief Memorial, where he wasn’t a factor.
The Henley has five prospective starters, starring reigning distaff champion Gold Charm, trained by Cyril Murphy and guided by Gerard Galligan. The Irv Naylor six-year-old is riding a three stake winning streak, but experienced the only black mark on her otherwise stellar NSA career at last year’s Henley where she finished a well-beaten fifth. The rest of the field consists of runners who are new to the stakes division.
Northwoods Stable’s Dream North, trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Graham Watters, makes a huge class jump. In three NSA starts, the six-year-old Kentucky-bred, has a second and third in maiden special weights competition. Sullivan Bloodstock Limited’s German-bred Korea broke her maiden at Middleburg in April in her second start. Tom Garner trains and Evan Dwan has the ride.
Trainer Keri Brion saddles a pair in Baltimore Stables’ Diamonds for Her (Declan Carroll) and Porte Jaune, owned by Leipers Fork Steeplechase, Madaket Stables, and Layton L. Register. Each of those runners have started just once in their respective careers. British-bred Diamonds for Her was fourth in a maiden at Foxfield last month, where she launched a bid before flattening out. Porte Jaune won her maiden debut at Aiken in March, a contest in which Korea finished fourth.
The remainder of the card includes the $45,000 Bright Hour handicap for horses rated at 120 or less at 2 ¾ miles; two $40,000 maiden hurdles at 2 ¼ miles, the George Sloan & John Sloan Sr., and Louis Brown McMillan Memorial; and the $25,000 Mason Houghland Memorial at 3 miles over timber for non winners of three races.
Post time is 1 p.m. Central time. The Iroquois goes off as race five, with a 3:40 p.m. post time. For complete entries, click here.
And at Willowdale
While Iroquois is a major spectacle that often showcases champions, the beauty of the Willowdale Races in Kennett Square, Pa., rests with its relaxed country-fair atmosphere.
Six races worth $115,000 are on tap, with the $35,000 Willowdale Steeplechase timber stake at 3 ½ miles anchoring the event. The feature has drawn six starters, including recent winners Armata Stables’ Mr. Fine Threads and South Branch Equine’s Master Seville (both allowance winners), and Irv Naylor’s Macheeda (maiden). Greenlights’ The Butler Yates finished third but was placed second in the 2024 Willowdale, while Adlestrop Hill’s Paddy’s Crown was fourth in an allowance race at the Grand National meet, his first race in 11 months, in April. The most accomplished member of the field is Oakdene Stable’s Storm Team, who in his long and storied career has won 10 times over fences and earned more than $330,000. Though he no longer runs in top-flight company, the durable gelding is still competitive, having a win, two seconds, and a third, in his past five outings.
The remainder of the card consists of three 2 ¼-mile hurdle and two 3-mile timber events:
The hurdle races include the $15,000 Liam Magee, restricted to apprentice riders, for horses who haven’t won a stakes in 2024 or 2025; the $15,000 Folly is a $15,000 claimer; and the $20,000 Rose Tree Cup is a handicap for horses rated 110 or less. The timber contests include the $15,000 Landhope Cup maiden and the $15,000 Willard A. Speakman Memorial Foxhunter’s Chase for apprentice riders and restricted to horses who haven’t won a stakes race in 2024 or 2025.
Post time is 1 p.m. Eastern time. For complete entries, click here.
If you can’t make it to the races, both meets will be streamed live at www.nationalsteeplechase.com