Counting down the days. Include It aims at the Louis Neilson III apprentice timber at the Cheshire Races Sunday. Trained by Todd and Blair Wyatt and ridden by Elizabeth Scully, the 10-year-old will be our first NSA runner of the season when he takes on four rivals in the $15,000 race. The Maryland-bred won the race named after one of my first mentors in 2024.
Riverdee knocked off the rust on a few at Warrenton and will do the same at Green Spring Valley Point to Point Sunday. Queens Empire, Penicillin Success and Potus will start over timber with eyes on My Lady’s Manor and the Grand National. Cool Jet, Palio and Zabeel Champion will spin around the flat course in preparation for hurdle starts in the next few weeks.
We skipped Aiken and we’ll pass on the Carolina Cup as well. We had a few pointing for those early southern stops but plans went awry. We’ve been there before – changing course – and will regroup. Scanning the entries and checking the results can be challenging when you’re not involved. FOMO or something.
An off-season is pleasant, it gives everyone a chance to recalibrate and recharge. Most importantly, the horses get a chance to be horses, getting turned out. No year-round grind in steeplechasing. A couple of months to freshen up. But, alas, as those months tick past, you get that urge for action. I know it’s spring when I start checking websites, the National Steeplechase Association and Central Entry Office, at about 1:00 Monday afternoon. Refresh. Refresh. Refresh. There, there, entries…
Time to get to back to work.
Queens Empire springing toward spring.
