Sean's Blog

Eight Strong

We were able to get eight horses in the body of six races at the Virginia Gold Cup Saturday. A three-way split of the maiden starter, that’s a first. Originally a maiden claimer with a possible split, the NSA, the Virginia Gold Cup and SOTA managed to find the money … Read More

Another day

The weekend was a bust. At least I caught an extra Little League game, Miles’ first home run (a one-error, inside-the-parker) and two scoreless innings on the mound. Those were the highlights. We move along. That’s all we can do. We entered eight at the Virginia Gold Cup.

Calendar Boxes

Thursday? Already. Time flies. Especially when you have seven runners last weekend and five runners this weekend. Commiserate/celebrate for a day or two. Write reports. Wait for the calls. Order a win photo. Plan/predict for the rest of the week. Organize passes. Finalize jockeys. Make travel plans. Penicillin Success, Fits … Read More

Tiz A Saturday

One eye on Cool Jet running loose at the back of the field, hoping he stays within the confines of Glenwood’s stonewalls. Or just has the good sense to stop. Which I know is a fool’s wish. Another eye on Awakened, jumping well, traveling well, but always in the whipsaw … Read More

Lucky Seven

Big Saturdays in the spring. It’s what we always wanted from our steeplechase division and here we are with seven runners this weekend. Six at the Middleburg Spring Races in Virginia, 2 miles up the road, and one at the Grand National in Maryland, two hours up the road. Awakened, … Read More

Goodbyes

Tom Albertrani retired from the American training ranks. As quietly as he went about it. A multiple Grade 1 stakes winning trainer, Albertrani did his job, unassuming, consistent. Over 600 wins, over $50 million in purses. Bernardini, Sadler’s Joy, Twilight Eclipse…they combined for $7.8 million. The latter two, the hard … Read More

Monday Meeting

If we were a football team, we’d have a big, long meeting Monday afternoon. Watch film. Analyze the game plan. Look at missed assignments. Talk it over. Process and decompress. Make changes for next week. No video room in this sport. We are a far-flung racing stable with horses, trainers … Read More

Good Day

Four starters. One win. Two seconds. One third.

Full Saturday

Include it on a four-race win streak makes his stakes debut in the My Lady’s Manor. Elizabeth Scully rides for Todd Wyatt. Post time is 1:30. Jimmy Dan makes his NSA hurdle debut for Graham Watters and Jack Fisher in the opener at Tryon. Post time is 1:30. Queens Empire … Read More

Throwback Thursday: Mod Man

With Include It taking aim at the My Lady’s Manor Saturday, we delve into the only other time a Clancy won the Monkton feature. Dad with Mod Man. • Courtesy of American Steeplechasing 1979 Several stories unfolded at Maryland’s annual springtime triple run in successive weeks (April 14, 21, and … Read More