The Horse of Delaware Valley

Kentucky 5* Three-Day Event back on, but without spectators

Details: February 10, 2021; By Staff Writers

LEXINGTON, Ky.--Great news for eventers - the Kentucky Three-Day Event 5* is back on, albeit without spectators, because of funds raised by the eventing community.

Phillip Dutton Z photo by Allen MacMillan DSC 3081 Phillip Dutton on Z at Kentucky (Photo by photo by Allen MacMillan)An unprecedented outpouring of public support and a grassroots fundraising effort have led to a reversal of the announced cancellation of the Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI Five Star.

A new partnership between Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI). producer of the world-class event, and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation combined with the support of US Equestrian and longstanding sponsors Land Rover, Mars Equestrian, and Rolex will ensure that the CCI5*-L three-day event will be held, without spectators, alongside a new CCI4*-S, April 22-25 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

“The uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic placed us in the financially impossible position of having to run the Five Star event without spectators, a situation that left us no choice but to cancel the Five Star for 2021 in order to preserve it for many years to come,” said Mike Cooper, President of EEI. “We are humbled and honored by the response of the eventing community as they’ve stepped up in a mind-blowing way enabling us to go forward.”

Wolf's proposed budget that would end racing in Pennsylvania faces opposition

Details: February 7, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

HARRISBURG, Pa.--Governor Tom Wolf has again proposed a budget that would try to take $199 million from the Race Horse Development Trust Fund, and that would mean the end of horse racing in Pennsylvania.

Racing Parx grandstand Sarah Andrew Racing past the Parx grandstand (Photo by Sarah Andrew)"Similar to last year, the Governor has proposed using Race Horse Development Trust Fund dollars to fund higher education at state schools," said Brian Sanfratello
Executive Secretary of the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association. "We feel that the result will also be the same as last year. I’ve already been contacted by both Democrats & Republicans saying that this is a very bad idea."

"We are confident that we’ll be able to beat this again by making sure there is a concerted effort from everyone involved, and we’ve already begun that process," said Sanfratello. Discussing this issue with your specific legislators will be very helpful. Information will be sent in the near future."

Horse racing is an integral part of the state’s agriculture industry that supports hundreds of small businesses and 20,000 family-sustaining jobs.

The proposed budget repeats a recommendation the Wolf Administration put forth last year that failed to gain traction in the legislature.

Bruton Street-US's Moscato wins Steeplechasing Eclipse Award

Details: January 30, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

BUTLER, Md.--As pretty much unanimously predicted, Bruton Street US's Moscato, trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Mikey Mitchell, won the Steeplechasing Eclipse Award over Rashaan, trained by Leslie Young, and Snap Decision, also trained by Fisher, all three owned by Bruton Street.

Moscato tight at wire in Smithwick1 Moscato winning the A.P. Smithwick (Photo by Tod Marks)The award was announced at the 50th Annual Eclipse Awards ceremonies, held for the first time as a virtual event streamed live on Thursday, Jan. 28.

Charlie Fenwick, Mike Hankin and Charlie Noell, owners of Bruton Street, Fisher, Mitchell and even Young had all agreed that they thought Moscato should be the winner, although Hankin volunteered reasons for Snap Decision.

But after the ceremony, Fenwick said that Richard Pittman, a retired jump jockey and a racing commentator who had picked out Moscato as a flat horse for Bruton Street to buy, had said that Snap Decision should have been the winner.

"He said `Any horse that wins seven in a row is the best horses,'" said Fenwick. "And history may say that is right, and at the end of the day Snap Decision may be the better horse, but this is 2020 we're talking about."

While Snap Decision did win seven in a row, three of them in 2020, those races were all novice races and he never faced the type of competition that Moscato faced.

But this year, Snap Decision will be racing in the open division, although he won't meet Moscato until the end of the year, as Moscato has been sidelined until next fall by a tendon injury.

Willowdale Steeplechase to Run Saturday, May 8, 2021

Details: January 15, 2021; By Staff Writers

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa.--Great news for all of us sick of being closed down - Plans for the 28th running of the Willowdale Steeplechase are moving forward!

Willowdale 1 The races will run on Saturday, May 8, 2021 as the kick-off to Mother’s Day weekend.

“We are grateful to the supporters who helped us survive the losses brought on by the pandemic - and to be able to run the races this spring! “said Race Director Leslie Carpenter.

“The safety and well-being of our spectators, horsemen, officials and volunteers is our top priority so our planning decisions are being guided by federal and state government mandates and public health guidelines.”

Proceeds from the races benefit the Stroud Water Research Center and New Bolton Center.

Please go to Willowdale.org or the Willowdale Steeplechase Facebook page for the latest updates on attendance opportunities.

Jonathan Sheppard, one of this country's winningest trainers, announced his retirement

Details: January 4, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

HOLLYWOOD, Fla.--Jonathan Sheppard, arguably America's greatest trainer, announced on Jan. 4 that, at age 80, he is retiring as a trainer in America, although he still has a small string of horses in Ireland, one of which, French Light, will run in his name on Jan. 7.

Jonathan Sheppaard w. program Jonathan Sheppard Among his accomplishments are 15 Eclipse Awards, training a stallion that became this nation's Leading Sire, being the National Steeplechase Association's all-time leading trainer by wins, with 1,242 wins, and by purse earnings, with $24,902,442, winning champion trainer by wins 26 times and leading the sport by purses in 29 years, both records, winning a race at Saratoga for 47 straight years, and, as a breeder, breeding an Eclipse Award winner.

But one major accomplishment not so well known is the number of today's top trainers Sheppard "trained".

Sheppard won 15 Eclipse Awards, and, while two trainers, Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lucas, have won more, no other trainer won multiple Eclipse Awards both on the flat and in steeplechasing, and Sheppard had winners on the dirt, on turf and over fences.

And, to make it even more amazing, in one year, 2009, he won an Eclipse Award both on the flat with Informed Decision as the Top Turf Female and with Mixed Up for steeplechasing.

Never before and perhaps never again has any trainer won both a flat and a steeplechase Eclipse in the same year.

Only one trainer, Sidney Watters Jr., has won even one Eclipse Award on the flat as well as over fences.

Ellie Glaccum wins the Photo Contest, Action, with Andrea Bates placing second and Pam Coeth third.

Details: January 4, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

UNIONVILLE, Pa.--Ellie Glaccum won the Photo Contest, Action with a photo of Mr. Stewart's Cheshire Foxhounds streaming over a fence in pursuit of a fox that she entitled "The Wave.

The picture was shot with a Canon Eos 7D II with a telephoto 70-200 mm lens.

Glaccum previously worked for the Cheshire Foxhounds, but she said she left last year.

"I’ve been working at EQB part time, which is fascinating, and doing odd jobs here and there," said Glaccum. "Actually came out as they were behind my house that day. I love the hounds. So much character ,and they love the huntsman. Cheshire has a great group."

Andea Bates and Pam Coeth placed second and third, and second and third place photos will be published in the next two days.

Contest Action hound wave

Kevin Babington continues to improve, inch by inch

Details: January 4, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

LOXAHATCHEE, Fla.--Kevin Babington is making slow but sure progress with daily exercises that leave him exhausted, but he is now also looking forward to participating in a new therapy involving stem cells at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Kevin Babington on horse Kevin Babington hopes to be able to ride again Babinton was paralyzed from the chest down in a fall at the Hampton Classic in 2019, and he has been working tirelessly, and often with great pain, ever since to regain some movement.

He bruised his spinal cord but did not sever it, giving him hope of someday being able to walk and perhaps even ride again.

He can now lift his right arm and almost touch his mouth, presumably meaning that he is close to being able to fed himself.

He can move several fingers and toes and can now move his left thumb.

Kevin's wife Dianna said a month ago that he has been getting some slight sensation a little bit lower in his abdomen and that also continues to improve a bit.

Another Successful Year for Retired Racehorse Adoptions at Turning For Home

Details: January 2, 2021; By Staff Writers

BENSALEM, Pa.--Over 3,100 Parx horses have been assisted over the last 11 years by Turning For Home, a racehorse retirement program, and Danielle Montgomery and Dani Gibson wrote a synopsis in the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association newsletter..

Despite a three month COVID -19 shutdown and the associated slashing of Program Income and donations, The Partner Farms of Turning for Home never missed a beat in their care for Parx horses.

Turning for home Row 1: (left to right) Way Over Budget, Old Rivers, Trapps Star, Grandma Gertie, Known But To God, Orquidea, Spectacular Move
Row 2: She Is Gorgeous, Alex Again, No Hiding Place, Bubblegum Tree , Refinery, Rossmoor Way, Backyard Boogie, Allgussiedup
Row 3: Nurse Betty, Fashion Shoot, Graymond, To The Victor, Rainbow Valley, Style Points, Warrior A.P.

We could never thank them enough.

The number of horses retired was surprisingly the same as in prior years, 287 directly plus numerous Parx and PA-Bred OTTBS rehomed after their owners could not care for them.

Sheppard's career includes 14 Eclipse Awards and 25 Trainer titles in six different decades

Details: November 16, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

CHARLESTON, S.C.--Jonathan Sheppard won both the Leading Trainer, Races Won and Money Won titles for 2020 to run his skein of Leading Trainer titles to 25, with at least one title coming in each of the past six decades.

jonathan sheppard w. a horse Jonathan Sheppard The Eclipse Award that he won last year with Winston C took his victories there to 14, with two of them coming for flat race horses.

Sheppard is only the second man to win an Eclipse Award with both a flat horse and a steeplechase horse, Sidney Watters Jr. having also accomplished that feat.

While Sheppard has already accumulated an historic number of wins as Leading Trainer and in Eclipse Awards, he may still add to that number, as he says he has no intention of retiring, and his barn is stacked not only with proven major winners like Winston C and Iranistan, but also a large number of young winners this year who look ready to move up to graded stakes company.

"It was a blessed year," said Sheppard. "It's amazing how sometimes things just seem to fall into place, so you'd better enjoy it while you can."

Sheppard said that, for this year, he was most proud of Iranistan's two wins at Saratoga, while overall he was most proud of his record of 47 straight years with a win at Saratoga and of his success with Storm Cat.

Great news for Eventers as Plantation Field will hold 13 Events in 2021

Details: November 10, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

UNIONVILLE, Pa.--Thrilling news for eventers of all levels as Plantation Field Equestrian Events, Inc. has announced that 13 Events of varying levels will be competed on its grounds in Unionville next spring, summer and fall.

Plantation Field 2 Because those at the blog Eventing Nation decided that the word Plantation was racially offensive, that blog, which should support events not tear them down, decided that it would refer to all events held there as P Field.

Eventing Nation also apparently persuaded the U.S.Eventing Association to go along with that decision, despite the fact that the dictionary describes Plantation first as "formerly, a colony" and second as "an area growing cultivated crops."

Cuyler Walker, who owns Plantation Field and leases the land to Plantation Field Equestrian Events, rightly felt that calling all events P. Field gave it a racially offensive overtone that cast aspersions on his family, and he terminated the lease.

Plantation Field acquired its name 80 years ago when a Boy Scout troop asked Walker's grandfather. Plunkett Stewart, if it could plant trees there, which would earn it a badge.

So Eventing Nation turned an act of generosity into a racial slur.

Jonathan Sheppard wins two more at Calloway Gardens and goes four up in Trainer race

Details: November 8, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

COLUMBUS, Ga.--Jonathan Sheppard won two more races, including both the featured $25,000 Ratings Handicap with A Silent Player and the $20,000 4-year-old hurdle with Baltimore Bucko, to go four up in the Trainer, Races Won standings with one meet, at Charleston on Nov. 15, left to compete.

French Light 1A A Silent Player take jump early in 1st REMOTE 4 French Light, left, and A Silent Player, right in a race at Saratoga in which they finished one-two (Photo by Tod Marks)Sheppard has 16 wins to Jack Fisher's 12, while Fisher still leads in Trainer, Money Won, but his margin there has been reduced to $25,920.

Fisher holds a strong hand in what appears to be a wide open race for the Eclipse Award

His top horse is Moscato, who won one of the only two G1 races this year, the A.P. Smithwick, and also won the G3 Temple Gwathmey while placing third in the only other G1 race, the New York Turf Writers.

Fisher also trains Snap Decision, who dominated the Novice division with three Stakes win, in the Michael G. Walsh, the Jonathan Kiser and the David Semmes Memorial.

Leslie Young saddled the only other G1 winner, Rashaan, who won the New York Turf Writers and was third in the G3 Temple Gwathmey.

If Sheppard wins a Leading Trainer title, it will mean that he has won a Leading Trainer title in six different decades, an amazing feat of long standing excellence, made even more amazing when it is taken into consideration that he has lost two of his top owners in George Strawbridge and Bill Pape a couple of years ago.

"That just makes me old," joked Sheppard of standing at the top of the game during six decades. "I'm ecstatic. It's not something at the start of the year that you expect to do. When I was younger, I probably was more ambitious. I would try to be Leading Trainer every time. Now I just try to do the best I can. I have good help. I couldn't do it without them."

Curve of Stones tops very competitive Pennsylvania Hunt Cup field

Details: October 28, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

UNIONVILLE, Pa.--Rebecca Shepherd's Curve of Stones, who already won two stakes this year, tops a field of 12 top horses entered in the $25,000 Pennsylvania Hunt Cup timber race on Sunday, Nov. 1.

Pa. Hunt Cup generic Trained by David Bourke and ridden by Barry Foley, Curve of Stones won the National Sporting Library and Museum Cup Stakes at Middleburg on Oct. 10 and followed that up with a seven length victory in the International Gold Cup Stakes on Oct. 24.

Mystic Strike, trained by Todd McKenna, who won last year's Pennsylvnia Hunt Cup and who was second at Middleburg to Curve of Stones, is back to defend his title.

Super Saturday, trained by Kathy Neilson, second in the 2018 Hunt Cup, third in last year's Hunt Cup and second at this year's Gold Cup, is also entered on Sunday.

Grand Manan, trained by Billy Meister, who was second in last year's Hunt Cup and is always a threat in timber races, is back for another try for a win.

Liz Merryman's Caravel wins second Stakes at Presque Isle

Details: October 23, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

ERIE, Pa.--Caravel,, bred, owned and trained bybElizabeth M. (Liz) Merryman and ridden by Pablo Morales, won the $80,000, 6 1/2 furlong Malvern Rose Stakes for 3-year-old Pa-bred fillies at Presque Isle on Oct. 22.

Caravel Malvern Rose Coady Caravel winning the Malvern Rose Stakes (Photo by Coady Photography)This was her second Stakes win, both at Presque Isle and both under Morales, and her fourth win from five starts, running her earnings to $140,872 and contributing to Morales' Leading Jockey title at Presque Isle.

Caravel sprinted to the lead from the start, setting fractions of 23.28, 45.85, 1:09.15 and drew off to win by 4 3/4 lengths in 1:15.40..

"She shot out of the gate at the start when she broke, so it was clear we'd take the lead," said Morales. "I was nursing her all the way, and I had a ton of horse left in the tank when I hit the stretch, and when I asked her she just took off."

"I love this horse," said Morales. "She's so fast but does it so easily. The quarter in .23 wasn't fast for her, she did it last time in .21."

Jonathan Sheppard goes two ahead in Trainer Races won with two wins at the International Gold Cup

Details: October 25, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

THE PLAINS, Va.--Parker Hendriks rode Sherry Fenwick's Anticipating, trained by Jonathan Sheppard, to win the $30,000, 2 1/8 mile Ratings Handicap, the featured hurdle race at the International Gold Cup, to give Hendriks his first sanctioned race win and Sheppard the first of his two wins on the day.

jonathonsheppard Jonathon SheppardSheppard is now leading Jack Fisher by two wins, 14 to 12, in Trainer, Races Won, while Fisher still leads, $371,560 to Sheppard's $313,440 in Trainer, Money Won.

Hendriks got the usual reward for winning his first sanctioned race, a bucket of water dumped over his head.

Hendriks benefited from a big difference in the weights, with Anticipating carrying 134 to second placed New Member, trained by Fisher, who carried 158 pounds.

"I told Parker that there wasn't much pace in the race, so I told him to go out in the lead and take advantage of the break in the weights," said assistant trainer Keri Brion, who saddled all Sheppard's horses at the Gold Cup. "Parker gave him a brilliant ride.

"Parker has worked for us for almost two years now," said Brion. "He comes in every day,, even with school. e works very hard, so he deserved that."

Sheppard's second win came with Hudson River Farm's Galway Kid (Ire), ridden by Darren Nagel in the $25,000 Rating Handicap Hurdle.

Brion found Galway Kid in Ireland at Mick Goff's, and he is now one of the most consistent steeplechasing horses, with three wins, a second and a third, all but his first win coming this year..

He broke his maiden at Callaway last fall and won at Middleburg earlier this year.

Todd Minikus rode Amex Z to win the $214,000 President's Cup for the third time in 30 years

Details: October 25, 2020; By Staff Writers

MILL SPRING, N.C.--Todd Minikus rode Amex Z to win the $214,000 Washington International Horse Show's President’s Cup Grand Prix CSI 4* on Oct. 24, winning this prestigious event for the third time.

Todd Minikus on Amex Z Sportfot Todd Minikus on Amex Z (Photo by Sportfot)Thirty years after his first WIHS grand prix win, Todd Minikus raced to an historic third victory, but this time at the Tryon International Equestrian Center instead of in Washington due to Covid-19.

Minikus first won the President’s Cup in 1990 aboard Thrilling and then took the title again in 2009 riding Alaska.

His third victory puts him among a talented few who have their name listed on the prestigious trophy more than twice, including Rodney Jenkins, Beezie Madden and McLain Ward.

Minikus finished the jump-off in 36.52 to edge out Karl Cook on Caillou 24, who finished in 36.82 seconds

Third place saw an unusual tie between Beat Mändli of Switzerland on Galan S and Lillie Keenan on Fasther, both of whom stopped the timers in 37.39 seconds.

Keenan also received the Leading Lady Award and the U25 International Rider Award.

Taylor Griffiths-Madden, trainer Frank Madden's step-daughter, wins the Medal Finals

Details: October 12, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

MILL SPRING, N.C. –Frank Madden, who has trained his now step-daughter Taylor Griffiths-Madden, since she was 5, trained his eighth Medal National Championship winner when Taylor emerged victorious from a starting field of over 200 juniors.

taylor griffiths madden Taylor Pence USEF Taylor Griffiths-Madden (Photo by Taylor Pence, USEF)Moved to the Tryon showgrounds in Mill Spring from it's usually venue at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, the Medal also changed its format, having the first round on Saturday and the final top 25 and the ride-off on Sunday.

Griffiths-Madden, 18 of Wellington, Fla., rode Mac One III, an 11-year-old warmblood gelding owned by the Maddens, to secure the gold medal..

“This is my last medal final, and we drove here from Ohio (where the Capital Challenge Horse Show as held) with my horse Mac One III," said Griffiths-Madden. "I was just hoping to have a solid last medal finals, and, of course, hoped to win. I’m really happy it turned out the way it did.”