Grade I winner Mandy's Gold was euthanized July 20 because of complications from laminitis.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
The National Steeplechase Association opens the 2009 season Saturday with the Aiken Steeplechase at Ford Conger Field in Aiken, S.C.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Great Britain's Aintree Racecourse announced Dec. 29 that for the second consecutive year, the purse for the John Smith's Grand National has increased by £100,000 to total £900,000 when the 4 1/2 mile steeplechase is contested April 4, 2009.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Thrice Worthy, who holds the modern day steeplechase record by number of consecutive wins, has been euthanized at owner Sally Nims' Dogwood Springs Farm near Versailles, Ky.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
MAHUBAH'S CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter
Champion steeplechaser Good Night Shirt is doing his part to reenforce the value of the Domino male line, which has survived over the past 50 years by the slimmest of margins. Thursday, October 30, 2008
The National Steeplechase Association kicks off an autumn racing season worth $2.3 million Saturday, Sept. 13, at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Highland Bud, a two-time Breeders' Cup Steeplechase winner and 1989 Eclipse Award winner, was euthanized May 20 because of a debilitating sinus condition.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Irv Naylor's Askim took the lead between the last two fences, and then withstood a final rally from Coal Dust to win the 112th running of the Maryland Hunt Cup timber stakes April 26.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Hudson River Farms' Sovereign Duty ambled around the Keeneland turf course before closing with a powerful late kick to take the $150,000 Royal Chase Sport of Kings Hurdle (NSA-I) in Lexington April 17.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Defending steeplechase champion Good Night Shirt served notice that he won't give up his title easily with a convincing victory in his 2008 debut April 12 in the $100,000 W Hotel/Irongate Capital Georgia Cup (NSA-I) at the Atlanta Steeplechase.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Veteran steeplechase trainer Bruce Haynes died Jan. 24 while caring for horses at his family's farm near Bristol, Tenn.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Good Night Shirt wins the Eclipse and ushers in a new era in American steeplechasing.
Monday, January 21, 2008
By - Joe Clancy - I never saw anything in racing like McDynamo winning a fifth consecutive Breeders' Cup Grand National Steeplechase (NSA-I) at Far Hills, N.J., Oct. 20.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Champion steeplechaser McDynamo attempts to extend his history-making streak of success in the Breeders' Cup Grand National (NSA-I) Oct. 20 at the Far Hills Races in Far Hills, N.J.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Belmont Park's Fall Championship Meet has long been a popular stepping stone for flat horses aiming at the Breeders Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Jumpers adopt that strategy Sept. 22 with the inaugural running of the $150,000 Lonesome Glory Steeplechase Stakes (gr. I).
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Sublimity overtook former winners Hardy Eustace and Brave Inca at the last fence and raced clear to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, England, on Tuesday.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The purse for the Breeders' Cup Grand National Steeplechase at Far Hills, N.J., to be run Oct. 28, has been increased to $250,000, according to a release from Breeders' Cup/National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the National Steeplechase Association.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Hirapour, the 10-year-old gelding with designs on a second Eclipse Award as the country's top steeplechase horse, displayed his versatility in winning the A.P. Smithwick Handicap (NSA-II) earlier this meet.
Friday, September 01, 2006
The steeplechase set has a different look than the flat racing crowd. The men wear Gucci loafers with d-bits and seersucker suits with striped ties, and the women have Pucci dresses with retro patterns and hairdos that look like the hats that Bonaparte wore.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Hirapour, champion steeplechase horse of 2004, made his long-awaited jump return a winning one Thursday at Saratoga with a victory in the $79,500 A.P. Smithwick Memorial Stakes (NSA-II).
Thursday, August 10, 2006
American steeplechase fans will have the opportunity to wager on a full card of jump racing May 27 with the annual spring running of the Fair Hill Races near Elkton, Md.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Jody Petty, the 2005 National Steeplechase Association champion jockey, emerged from a fall at the March 5 Little Everglades Steeplechase in Dade City, Fla. with four broken ribs and a ruptured spleen.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
The first foal from millionaire and grade I winner Mandy's Gold is a colt from the first crop by Smarty Jones born Jan. 18.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Jody Petty rides McDynamo in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Steeplechase (NSA-I), but the jockey isn't feeling the pressure. He's ridden McDynamo before, lots of times.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Eldon Farm Racing Stable's Hirapour tries to solidify claims on his second consecutive Eclipse Award as champion steeplechaser in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Steeplechase (NSA-I) at Far Hills, N.J.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
There are two winners of every race at the Far Hills Races steeplechase meet, a horse and a hospital.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Two steeplechase races scheduled for Wednesday's card at Saratoga Race Course, including the 64th running of the $150,000-added New York Turf Writers Cup, were scratched as the remnants of Hurricane Katrina unloaded 1.3 inches of rain overnight.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Led by A. P. Smithwick winner Paradise's Boss, nine jumpers are entered for Wednesday's $150,000 New York Turf Writers Cup Steeplechase at Saratoga. The race has grade I designation from the National Steeplechase Association.
Monday, August 29, 2005
Mrs. Henry F. Stern's Paradise's Boss left no doubt about who was in charge Monday as the 5-year-old gelding stormed to the front after jumping the eighth fence and rolled to victory in the A. P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase (NSA-II) at Saratoga Racecourse.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Afleet Alex, Giacomo and the others don't have a monopoly on Triple Crown action at Belmont Park this weekend, as 14 Thoroughbreds will line up for the third leg of the Steeplechase Triple Crown Sunday.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
The April 22 Royal Chase at Keeneland (NSA-I) drew nominations from previous Eclipse Award winners Hirapour and McDynamo. Both horses are also prior winners of the $150,000 Royal Chase, the second-richest race on the National Steeplechase Association calendar.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
A showdown is expected at Springdale Race Course when two of steeplechasing's top runners ride into Camden, S.C., Saturday for the Carolina First Carolina Cup (NSA-III), with 2004 champion Hirapour ready to take on last year's Cup winner Preemptive Strike.
Friday, April 01, 2005
The Cheltenham Festival, Britain's most popular jump meeting, broke attendance records this year, the first time the racing was staged over four (March 15-18) rather than three days.
Monday, March 21, 2005
The National Steeplechase Association's 2005 calendar begins March 6 with the fourth annual Little Everglades Steeplechase in Dade City, Fla. The tour's southern-most stop kicks off a 24-stop spring circuit that offers total purses of $2.6 million.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Five horses bring Eclipse Award hopes into the final Grade I steeplechase of 2004 in the $100,000 Marion du Pont Scott Colonial Cup (NSA-I) at Springdale Race Course in Camden, S.C., Nov. 21.
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Hall of Fame steeplechase jockey Frank D. "Dooley" Adams died Nov. 12 in his hometown of Southern Pines, N.C. He was 77.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Michael Moran's McDynamo, bidding for a second consecutive Eclipse Award, leads a list of eight Thoroughbreds nominated to the $100,000 Marion du Pont Scott Colonial Cup (NSA-I).
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Breeders' Cup Steeplechase contenders Tres Touche, Sur La Tete and Pelagos are part of the eight-horse field entered for Sunday's $75,000 Metcalf Memorial (NSA-II) at Monmouth Park. The 2 1/2-mile hurdle stakes, Monmouth's first steeplechase since 1992, is the last jump prep for the Oct. 23 $175,000 Breeders' Cup (NSA- I) at Far Hills.
Friday, September 24, 2004
Augustin Stable's Praise the Prince will be back on Thursday afternoon to defend his title in the New York Turf Writers Cup Steeplechase (NSA-I) for older horses at 2 3/8 miles over National Fences.
Monday, August 30, 2004
Smarty Jones isn't the only Thoroughbred trying to win the second leg of a Triple Crown Saturday, as steeplechase horse Sur La Tete tries to keep his streak alive in the $100,000 Mellon National Hunt Cup (NSA-I) at the Radnor Hunt Races in Malvern, Pa.
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Seven hurdle stakes horses will square off in Saturday's $100,000 Iroquois Steeplechase (NSA-I), at three miles the longest hurdle race on the National Steeplechase Association calendar, in Nashville, Tenn.
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Preemptive Strike and veteran Lord Zada headline the list of nominations for Keeneland's $150,000 Royal Chase (NSA-I), the richest race on the National Steeplechase Association's spring schedule, to be run Friday, April 16.
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
The National Steeplechase Association has adopted a new whip rule beginning with its April 3 racing at Southern Pines, N.C. The new rule requires the use of a cushioned, shock-absorbent whip by all jockeys. The change in the rule follows that of the English Jockey Club and was created to improve the racing conditions for Thoroughbred horses competing in NSA events.
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Aiken hosts the Regions Bank Imperial Cup on Saturday. Al Skywalker heads a group slated to compete March 27 at Camden. McDynamo is sidelined.
Thursday, March 18, 2004
Jonathan Sheppard has taken over for George Strawbridge as president of the National Steeplechase Association. Sheppard, who lives in Pennsylvania, was elected Jan. 16 to head a 15-member board of directors.
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
A piano player touches the keys to make music. Elton John makes the keys sing. A quarterback throws the football. Peyton Manning makes the football go places. A steeplechase winner's runs and jumps. McDynamo floats. He's better than other horses. A master.
Monday, January 26, 2004
Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard was elected president of the National Steeplechase Association. He succeeds George Strawbridge, who ends a five-year stint in the unpaid position.
Thursday, January 22, 2004
John Gorham of Steeplechase Farm announced that grade I-winning millionaire Mandy's Gold has been retired to Robert N. Clay's Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, Ky.
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
Heavy favorite for the steeplechase Eclipse Award, Michael Moran's McDynamo will try to extend his winning streak to five in Sunday's season-ending Colonial Cup (Gr. I) at Springdale Race Course in Camden, S.C.
Thursday, November 13, 2003
Michael Moran's McDynamo was installed as the heavy favorite over seven other entrants in Saturday's $175,000 Breeders' Cup Steeplechase (NSA-I) to be run at the Far Hills Races in Far Hills, N.J.
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
