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Originally posted on Nationalsteeplechase.com on 4/8/24, written by Tod Marks Photos courtesy of Douglas Lees Three races, three different winning combinations score at Virginia Point to Point With substantial purse money on the line, Saturday’s Old Dominion Hounds Point to Point in Washington, Va., attracted some budding maiden and veteran timber talent. And by day’s end trainers Doug Fout, Sean McDermott, and Parker Hendriks had their first winners of the young season while leading 2023 rider Graham Watters notched his initial score. McDermott and Hendriks, who also do double duty as jockeys, also had winners on the card. For McDermott it was his ...

March 30 was a monumental day for Ashland, Virginia and for horse racing from near and far! The town has proclaimed it “Secretariat Day” to celebrate the birthday of the legendary Triple Crown champion and to hold the long-awaited dedication ceremony for the stunning bronze statue “Secretariat Racing Into History” by sculptor Jocelyn Russell. A formal dedication and ribbon-cutting took place at the Reynolds Family Plaza at Randolph-Macon College in downtown Ashland. This was the first and only monument of Secretariat in Virginia, his birth state. He was born on March 30, 1970 at Meadow Stable, which was founded by Christopher ...

The Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-Point took place on March 30th, at the Woodley Farm in Berryville, VA The card was made up of eight races, ranging from a mile to three miles around the track. This meet is important to local fans of the sport who get to come out in the Northern Virginia area and see one of the first racing events of the year. The day of racing was highlighted by two new $15,000 races for Amateur or Apprentice riders. These races were sponsored and Sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association (NSA). The spring PTP season continues at Ben Venue ...

(WARRENTON, VA —- 3/28/2024) —- Racing fans in Ashland, Virginia will celebrate Secretariat — the Commonwealth’s most famous thoroughbred racehorse — with an annual birthday bash this Saturday March 30 and this celebration will offer something extra special. After a year of being trailered around the country to tracks like Churchill Downs, Pimlico, Belmont, Saratoga and Virginia’s two pari-mutuel tracks — Colonial Downs and Shenandoah Downs (harness) — for fans to enjoy, sculptor Jocelyn Russell’s magnificent bronze statue of Big Red has been permanently placed at the new Reynolds Family Plaza just outside the Randolph Macon college campus grounds in Ashland. ...

The Piedmont Fox Hounds Point-to-Point took place on March 23rd, at the historic Salem Racecourse in Upperville, VA. The card was made up of eight races, ranging from a mile and a quarter to three and a half miles around the track. This meet is important to local fans of the sport who get to come out in the Northern Virginia area and see one of the first racing events of the year. The spring PTP season continues at the Woodley Farm in Berryville March 30 (Blue Ridge Hunt), Ben Venue Farm in Washington, VA on April 6 (Old Dominion Hounds), ...

The following was written by Tod Marks and appeared on his social media channels. In a blockbuster announcement, the National Steeplechase Association has released details of powerhouse jump racing programs at the flat tracks this summer that includes 19 races worth $950,000 at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., and four races at Saratoga Race Course in Upstate New York: the A.P. Smithwick and Jonathan Sheppard, both Grade 1s with a $150,000 purse, and two $75,000 novice stakes, the Jonathan Kiser and Michael G. Walsh. Additionally, NYRA will showcase the $150,000 Beverly R. Steinman handicap hurdle stakes, named after the longtime owner ...

The annual controlled burn of the Secretariat Turf Course at Colonial Downs took place Monday March 18 at the New Kent track. The grass oval is set ablaze at this time every year to quickly and efficiently remove dead cover off the surface’s top player. The burn also drives nutrients deeper into the ground to provide a green, lush and safe racing surface in time for the summer racing which begins July 11 and continues through September 7. The 2024 burn was completed in a record time of just over one hour. The burn was conducted under the supervision of Colonial’s ...

The Warrenton Hunt Point-to-Point took place on March 16th, at the historic Airlie Racecourse in Warrenton, VA. The card was made up of ten races, ranging from a mile and an eighth to three miles around the track. This meet is important to local fans of the sport who get to come out in the Northern Virginia area and see one of the first racing events of the year. The spring PTP season continues at the Salem Course in Upperville March 23 (Piedmont Fox Hounds), the Woodley Farm in Berryville March 30 (Blue Ridge Hunt), the Ben Venue Farm in Ben ...

In honor of International Womens Day we celebrate Penny Chenery and her contributions to the horse racing industry both in the Commonwealth of Viriginia and to the sport as a whole. Exceptional Horsewomen like Penny have paved the way for the modern racing industry in Virginia! Originally posted on Americasbestracing.net. Penny Chenery and her most famous horse, Secretariat. (Paul Schafer/BloodHorse photo) The letters meant so much to Penny Chenery, breeder and owner of 1973 Triple Crown champion Secretariat. They were written by ambitious girls from coast to coast, telling her she served as a role model for them. In an age when there was no emphasis ...

The Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-point returns to Woodley Farm in Berryville, VA on Saturday, March 30th for its 75th running. For the first time, the event will feature NSA-sanctioned races! The two sanctioned races are sponsored by the VEA and will feature purses of $15,000.  Gates open at 10 AM and the first post is 1 PM. For tickets and more information visit BRH | Blue Ridge Hunt. Originally Posted on Clarkeva.com, written by Rebecca Maynard Everyone in the community is invited on Saturday, March 30 to enjoy the running of the Blue Ridge Hunt’s 75th annual point-to-point races, held at Woodley Farm. The ...