Tod Marks/National Steeplechase Association

We haven’t seen many Arrogates over jumps, but an NSA newcomer with the late stallion’s bloodlines put in a late move under Graham Watters to take Friday’s maiden special weights hurdle for 4-year-olds, the first of three steeplechase races on the Colonial Card. A field of eight faced starter Harrison Young, and it was Leipers […]

The third start was definitely a charm for Irv Naylor’s Gold Charm. After coming over from England earlier this year, the four-year-old Irish-bred daughter of the magnificent international classic winner Golden Horn made two starts in the spring, finishing a strong second in her NSA debut at Radnor in May and breaking her maiden at […]

The National Steeplechase Association’s summer season continues this week with four hurdle races, three from Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., and the $75,000 Jonathan Kiser novice stakes at Saratoga. At Saratoga on Wednesday, a highly competitive field of eight is expected to face NYRA starter Hector Soler in the Kiser, at 2 1/16th miles. […]

L’Imperator, a 7-year-old French-bred son of Holy Roman Empire, went from maiden hurdle winner in May to a graduate of a $70,000 non-winners of two allowance in Wednesday’s featured Saratoga steeplechase. Owned by Ed Swyer’s Hudson River Farms and trained by Arch Kingsley, whose relationship with Swyer goes back to his NSA riding days, L’Imperator […]

The 2023 Saratoga steeplechase season begins with a bang on Wednesday with the Grade 1, $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial handicap at 2 1/16 miles, a race that’s drawn a competitive field of nine as well as an international array of visiting riders. Leading the list of contenders for the Smithwick, one of two Grade 1s […]

The first of 25 races spread over 16 dates during the next two months at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., and Saratoga Race Course in Upstate New York is only days away. The summer season, which runs from July 14 through Sept. 8, offers steeplechasing the opportunity to broaden its appeal to a wider […]

The two-month National Steeplechase Association spring season came to an end on Saturday with a card of mostly close finishes in the 92nd Radnor Hunt Races in Malvern, Pa. In the featured $30,000 National Hunt Cup, contested at 2 3/8 miles as an allowance race this year, Riverdee Stable’s Awakened and Jamie Bargary took charge […]

Saturday’s steeplechasing doubleheader at the Iroquois in Nashville, and Willowdale Races some 800 miles away in Kennett Square, Pa., offered a feast for jumpers at every level of the sport. With 13 races and $545,000 in purses, the two meets drew 85 hurdle and timber entries from maidens, claimers, and ratings handicappers, to novices, allowance, […]

The third time wasn’t a charm for Vintage Vinnie. Coming off of two straight record-setting performances in the historic Maryland Hunt Cup, Armata Stable’s 14-year-old star took his usual lead but gave way at the 18th of 22 fences, allowing Irv Naylor’s Withoutmoreado, who shadowed him from the flag drop, to surge to the front […]

The stars came out for last Saturday’s Middleburg and Grand National races and they didn’t disappoint. At Middleburg, Va., it rained, and it rained, then it rained some more. There was the wind, thunder, and lightning, too, which delayed the eight-race card. And then it all stopped. Just in time to watch two magnificent races […]