Sean's Blog

End of the road trip. End of the season. Home for the Eagles Sunday night. Disappointing day Saturday. Penicillin Success and Palio pulling up in their respective races. A lost shoe, a bad trip, a lost weekend. Both seem OK. Perhaps, the ground was too loose and too soft. Perhaps. … Read More

Ballyburn won his chasing debut at Punchestown. Steel Ally lugged top weight in a handicap hurdle at Haydock. The Morgiana still to come. I’ll be on the road by then, trying to stay focused on I-20 in South Carolina and not racing in Europe. The American jump season comes to … Read More

One more road trip before the season finishes. The Aiken Steeplechase offers a crescendo. Seven competitive races. Most of the championships are locked up, the trainer’s title still on the line. It will be the first time to the new course for me. Not many courses I haven’t seen in … Read More

Took the long road home Monday. Option A was I-95, straight and true, 30 minutes shorter than Option B, a route north, winding, through the flatlands of South Carolina. The forgotten towns, main streets running perpendicular, a traffic light in a few. An old man sitting on a bench. A … Read More

Another road trip coming to a close. About to get on the road, the long road home. It’s longer when you don’t win. It’s that simple. We didn’t win. King Tsunami ran hard to finish third, came back lame with a grabbed quarter. Enough to explain his tame finish. Cool, … Read More

Welcome back to Camden. South Carolina. Steeplechasing returns to the Colonial Cup for the first time in eight years. Once a mainstay, the mainstay, of the steeplechase calendar, the Grade 1, title-clinching, race of races was canceled, mostly for financial reasons. Like canceling Christmas. The sport lost its signature race. … Read More

Second leg of the road trip about to begin. Lexington to Camden. Two new recruits from Keeneland, on their way north. Went 2-for-2, then 2-for-6. The anatomy – and art – of a horse sale. As always, I was congratulated for my purchases. And, as always, I thought to myself, ‘Congratulate … Read More

“Give him a walk.” “Another walk.” “Can you trot?” “That’s good.” “Vet report?” “There aren’t any jumpers here.” “This one will make a jumper.” “He’s already schooled.” “Oh, I can see him flying over a fence.” “He never gets tired.” “Give him a walk.” “Another walk.” “Can you trot?” “That’s … Read More

The steeplechase season winds to a close at the Colonial Cup – the return of the Colonial Cup – and the Aiken Steeplechase. We entered American War Hero on the flat and King Tsunami and Cool Jet over hurdles at Camden. We are aiming Penicillin Success and Palio for Aiken. Hoping … Read More

Riverdee is going international. Again. “One more.” Those were my words of advice to Patrick Harty as we bid again on Imarajan at the Goffs HIT Sale in Ireland this morning. The son of Camelot rolled into the sale fresh off his best effort, a second going 1 3/4 miles … Read More