*Story originally posted on nationalsteeplechaseassociation.com on 5/7/2025, written by Emma Cary, Photos courtesy of Douglas Lees*
Despite some ominous weather in Virginia, fan turnout was undeterred as the Virginia Gold Cup celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Six races were on tap at Great Meadow Race Course – a seventh was cancelled when storms blew in – including three stakes highlighted by the season’s first Grade 1, the $150,000 Commonwealth Cup, and the eponymous $100,000 Virginia Gold Cup timber stakes.
In the Commonwealth Cup, Riverdee Stable’s Cool Jet, a two-time novice stakes winning Irish-bred, earned his first victory since 2023 and first Grade 1 ever with a tactical front-running performance under veteran reinsman Bernie Dalton. Dalton, the NSA’s -most seasoned rider, is having a sensational spring, with more than $200,000 in earnings, good enough for second in the standings. Under Dalton’s skilled handling, the nine-year-old broke on top, controlled the pace, and never looked back, drawing off from a classy field of seven by 7 1/4 lengths.
Ballybristol Farm’s Noble Anthem (Evan Dwan), exiting a 115 handicap score at the Carolina Cup Races in his NSA debut following a long career in Europe, was second with Irv Naylor’s G1-conqueror of Snap Decision, Too Friendly, third under Jordan Canavan.
In the Gold Cup, one of only two $100,000 timber races on the calendar, Dolly Fisher’s Keys Discount captured his second consecutive stake with a 1 3/4-length victory, coming from off-the-pace in the centennial running of the storied event.
With Graham Watters aboard, who made a speedy recovery from a bad spill at Middleburg two weeks ago, the Maryland-bred six-year-old grabbed an early lead then backed off as Uco Valley (James O’Sullivan) took charge, regaining the top spot at around the 3 1/2-mile mark, and drew clear through the stretch following a duel with Irv Naylor’s Family Tree (Jordan Canavan). Daniel Colhoun, Achsah O’Donovan, and Harvey Goolsby’s Bogey’s Image (Sean McDermott) was third.
In a third stake on the day, the $50,000 Speedy Smithwick for four-year-olds, Fisher and Watters joined forces once again, this time with Northwoods Stable’s Mission North, who romped by 27 lengths in the three-horse field. For Mission North, another Maryland-bred, it was his second consecutive score following his maiden tally in his NSA debut at the Old Dominion Hounds meet in early April. Actually, it was the son of Noble Mission’s third win in a row, if you include his final race on the flat at Laurel.
In other action
A sorcerer’s apprentice no more
Runnymoore Racing’s The Wizards Well made his first trip to the winner’s circle in five career starts, leading from start to finish in the opener at Gold Cup, a $40,000 maiden special weights contest.
With Harry Beswick riding for trainer Todd McKenna, the five-year-old Irish-bred led the field of 10 from the start, leading by a length and a half for the first mile and a half, then extending his advantage after Risk Taking (Gerard Galligan) slipped and fell on the final turn. The margin of victory was 20 lengths. Bruton Street-US’ Derby Street (Graham Watters) was second in his second start over jumps, while Jacqueline Ohrstrom’s Blueflagflyinghigh (Mell Boucher) was third.
Fashion Line cements his status as the new king of the steeplethon
Armata Stables’ Fashion Line captured his second steeplethon in three weeks, his third in his last four outings, and fourth overall, with a determined one-length tally over gritty challenger Animal Kingston.
The steeplethon, a $20,000 race at 2 5/8 miles contested over timber, natural brush fences, and through water, is a unique test, and the nine-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Morning Line was more than up to the challenge.
Once again ridden by Gerard Galligan for trainer Kathy Neilson, Fashion Line sat patiently, gradually moving up from fifth to fourth, to third at the two-mile mark as Runnymoore Racing’s Old Style Humor (Dan Nevin) set the pace. He assumed the lead heading into the final turn, opened up by three, and held on by a length over Will Russell’s Animal Kingston (James O’Sullivan). It was far back to Gill Johnston’s Mortlach in third.
Active Duty pulls rank in $45,000 allowance
Gill Johnston’s Minella Juke may have been the betting favorite in the non-winners of two contest, but at the wire it was his 4-1 Johnston stablemate Active Duty who stole the show with a three-length victory in the field of nine.
With Bernie Dalton riding for trainer Tom Garner, the French-bred six-year-old son of millionaire and multiple group 1 winner Almanzor rated off the pace, rallied two fences from home, and drove past Irv Naylor’s Sultan Pierji (Evan Dwan) for the score. Riverdee Stable’s Palio (Stephen Mulqueen) was third.
The win was the second straight for Active Duty, who was coming off of a year-and-a-half layoff. Active Duty broke his maiden at Aiken in November 2023.