Sean's Blog

The reception. That’s what it is about, always been about. In all places, at all times during the sport’s biggest week. The first, for me, was when Istabraq pulled up early in his final Champion Hurdle. Standing at the top of the hill, favorite out, money gone, as the new … Read More

And here we are. Yet again. The day of days. The week of weeks. The show of shows. Cheltenham. A place that began to seer into my racing soul way back in 2002. Sharing two bunk beds in the Hunter’s Lodge, breakfast, lunch and dinner in the stable canteen, a … Read More

Long trip. Big win. Washington to Heathrow to Kempton to Exeter to Sussex. Smooth. Certainly, the last bit as I slept, and my driver drove. Nothing like a driver. Sherminator made the trip worthwhile, for the second straight Cheltenham spree, as he continues his ascent with a facile score in … Read More

The world tour has started. Or at least the British World Tour. One track down, a morning jaunt to Epsom to watch two unraced 3-year-olds of George Baker’s go through the paces. Smooth. Job done. Now on the way to Exeter Racecourse to watch Sherminator make his handicap debut in … Read More

Big night for Riverdee Friday. We won seven awards at the Virginia Steeplechase Awards dinner. Cool Jet (3), Potus, Penicillin Success, Jhirsch and several individual accolades for the stable. Silver-plated plates for the walls. Trying to spread the love, Miles, Annie, Margaret Littleton, Lee McGettigan, Laird George and I accepted … Read More

Raining at 35538. Better than snow. We are trying to appreciate and celebrate small victories. That’s how the winter is gone. A long, slow slog and still slogging. February is about to flip to March and not a day too soon. Dreaming of Warrenton, Piedmont, Old Dominion, Keeneland, Saratoga and … Read More

Next goal wins. Said on every frozen pond on every dying day. From gloved hands, under woolen hats, over rippling ice, through a pair of shoes, into the snow bank. And dreaming of bigger games, bigger days. Jack Hughes. Missing teeth, bloody mouth, digging out the puck, shuffling, skating, looping, … Read More

Wow. That’s the one word text I sent to a couple of friends moments after the 7:30 at Southwell. It’s the first time the 7:30 at Southwell ever elicited a wow from these keys. First time from any keys. Constitution Hill made his flat debut in the 7:30 at Southwell … Read More

Devastating news. John Shirreffs, a horseman’s horseman, died in his sleep Thursday night. A kind, curious, imaginative horse trainer who made the sport, the world, a better place. I wrote “Zen Ten” in The Saratoga Special Aug. 13, 2016. It took John Shirreffs 10 minutes.  Ten minutes to get over the worst defeat … Read More

I love the Winter Olympics. For all its whacky events, high-drama moments and side-gig athletes. USA and Latvia are tied at 1-1 in the first period of the first round of Olympic hockey. Two American goals disallowed, two pucks off posts, a goal saved by an American player who wasn’t … Read More