The first Saturday in May. The Kentucky Derby for most. The Virginia Gold Cup for some. We celebrated 100 years of the Virginia Gold Cup last night – and now you know why this post is slow from the gate this morning – and will head back to the course for a stellar seven-race card this afternoon.
Last night, we stood on the hillside overlooking the great meadow that is Great Meadow as the sun faded and the course waited. Turf as green as Augusta. Jumps positioned like place cards on a dining room table. Flags whipping like a morning at the shore. Running rails snaking and sliding and hopefully guiding.
After a turbulent patch last fall when the races moved to Glenwood Park because of the course condition, it’s good to be back at Great Meadow. In an era when we lose far more race meets than we gain, this one is a treasure. Last night, looking out across the course, yeah, you could almost hear Saluter’s hoofbeats in the distance.
Palio makes his 2025 NSA debut in the third, a $45,000 allowance hurdle. The 5-year-old joined Riverdee last spring and enjoyed a stellar summer, finishing third in his U.S. debut and coming right back to win a maiden hurdle. A fall while contending at the last hurdle at Shawan Downs in September derailed our momentum but hopefully the Irish-bred is back to his summer form.
Palio returned with a flat run at Green Spring and a hurdle spin at Loudoun Hunt Point-to-Point two weeks ago. Stephen Mulqueen partnered him at Loudoun and rides again today.
“A tiny bit cold, like he was the last day I rode him, over the first one or two and then he came out of my hands at the third or fourth and I said, ‘you’re warming to it now.’ He was really good,” Mulqueen said. “Went down to the last on the forward stride, good and positive, I’d say he’s enjoyed himself. Took an awful lot from it. His confidence will be high. He’ll be spot on. He thought he won, pulled up happy with himself. Ideal scenario.”
Post time is 2:30.
Riverdee goes double handed in the Grade 1 Commonwealth Cup. The $150,000 stakes attracted a competitive group of nine, including three Grade 1 stakes winners.
Awakened returns to the races for the first time since finishing fifth in the Beverly R. Steinman at Aqueduct last summer. The Grade 1 stakes winner enjoyed a prep on the flat at Middleburg two weeks ago. Three-time champion jockey Graham Watters rides for the first time.
“Hard to believe I’ve never ridden him in a jump race,” Watters said. “I was happy with his flat run; he got a little outpaced going up the hill, but he finished strong and got what he needed. Ground should be good for him. I’m looking forward to it.”
Cool Jet wheels back in a week after finishing second in the Good Night Shirt Stakes at Foxfield. The timing is not ideal, but there aren’t many opportunities for our two-time stakes winner. The Irish-bred graduated out of the novice division, soared in the handicap weights and missed most of last season because of firm ground. Bernie Dalton rides for the first time.
“Ran an absolute cracker, just very, very unlucky to bump into a really nice horse,” jockey James O’Sullivan said after Foxfield. “Done everything brilliant, I loved my position, jumped from fence to fence, and I had the run of the race. Down to the last I still thought I had the race won. He’s a great ride. You would ride him into battle.”
Post time is 3:00 p.m.
Pietrelcina makes his NSA hurdle debut in the finale. Trained by Danielle Hodsdon and ridden by Dan Nevin, the Maryland-bred takes on nine rivals for a $25,000 purse. Stephen Mulqueen guided the son of Noble Mission to educational runs at Old Dominion and Loudoun.
“Turning off the bend, I pulled him out to have a good look at the last, I straightened up and thought, ‘If I wing this, I’ll probably catch them.’ Then I said, ‘Stephen, it’s a point-to-point. Just go safe. Just go safe. There are no heroes at the point-to-point.’ He popped it and I picked him up again and he went looking for the line,” Mulqueen said after Loudoun. “Night and day from the last time I rode him. Jumped brilliantly. No complaints at all. Lobs along, jumps great. Delighted with him. He’s very good.”
Unfortunately, Mulqueen rides favorite Fouroneohsmokeshow for his main client today. Dan Nevin should be a capable replacement.
Post time is 5:00 p.m.
As always, you can watch all the action.
• As always, the TIHR Handicappers are back on the grindstone picking winners for today and tomorrow. Check it out and go to the bank.
• Who wins the Kentucky Derby? Hint, hint, Sovereignty. The TIHR Handicappers go through the whole card at Churchill Downs.
• Next week, Penicillin Success and Zabeel Champion head to the Iroquois Steeplechase in Nashville, Tennessee. Roja Redemption, Include It and King Tsunami point for Willowdale in Unionville, Pennsylvania.
• Good luck to Clancy Bloodstock recruits Derby Street, Welshman and Proven Innocent today.
