Photos by Joanne Maisano
Maiden Hurdle (r-l): Number 1, Keoni (Woods Winants up) wins on a DQ; Number 3, Scrappy Warrior (Mike Woodson up) loses rider at the last fence.
Blue Ridge’s warm spring race day on Saturday, April 21, 2019 was a welcome change for those who hark back to those cold, blustery days on the Woodley hillside in early March when the races were formerly held.
In the first race of the day, Maiden Hurdle, trainer Michael Pearson saddled two strong horses, Keoni and Scrappy Warrior. With seasoned amateur jockey Woods Winants on Keoni and Mike Woodson on Scrappy Warrior, the Pearson team shared the pacesetting until the last fence when Scrappy Warrior stumbled and lost its rider. Racing to the stretch, Shannon Hill Farm’s All Out of Aces with 2018 leading jockey Barry Foley aboard grabbed the lead. Keoni battled back but All Out of Aces was first at the wire, then disqualified for cutting a pole and being off course. Keoni was declared the winner. Big E, ridden by Kieran Norris and trained by Julie Gomena placed second.
Virginia Envy and Teresa Croce in the winner’s circle after the Amateur/Novice Rider Hurdle.
In the Amateur/Novice Rider Hurdle race, trainer Carl Rafter entered both horses in the two-horse race—Ridgeview Farm’s Virginia Envy with Teresa Croce up and Jennifer Taylor’s Tiz Tasty Too. The latter’s jockey was unable to ride, so Rafter (a graded stakes-winning jockey himself not so long ago) put on the silks and boots and rode Tiz Tasty Too. Virginia Envy had won the Maiden Hurdle at Old Dominion in 2018, and with a smooth ride by Croce, her home-bred set the pace and pulled away in the final quarter-mile for the easy win.
Virginia Bred/Sired Flat (r-l): Number 2, Talk Less (Barry Foley up) wins over second placed Scented Up (Mike Woodson up) for the third time this season.
The third race was part of the Virginia Bred/Sired Flat series run at Virginia point-to-points each season. At Blue Ridge this year it was a match race for the Woodley Cup, pitting Talk Less, Barry Foley up, trained by Neil Morris (Virginia’s leading trainer last season) against Scented Up, ridden by Mike Woodson and trained by Virginia Aylor. The two horses had already met in this same race earlier this season both at Piedmont and at Old Dominion. In both races, it was Talk Less first, and Scented Up second, and the results at Blue Ridge were the same.
Click for complete results of all races.
With a late calendar change for the Fair Hills point-to-point and sanctioned races held elsewhere, entries at Blue Ridge were light this year. However, a full day of family entertainment was enjoyed by the community on this fine spring day.
Between each of the five races, organizers entertained and involved spectators and children with a parade of the Nantucket-Treweryn Beagles, parade of the Blue Ridge foxhounds, pony stick races on the stretch for the kids, and an Easter Egg hunt for the smaller tots. And the beagles and foxhounds enjoyed their playtime with the children and the moms and dads. It was a tossup during playtime as to who was having more fun, the parents or the kids.
Blue Ridge huntsman Graham Buston has a popular act up his sleeve during the parade of foxhounds that brings spectators to their feet cheering in appreciation. After entering with the pack, Buston parks hounds by one of the timber fences. Then he leaves the pack and walks perhaps a hundred fifty yards down the stretch. Hounds are alone and watching him, as he stands and chats with staff. In his own good time, Buston raises the horn to his lips and blows an urgent double, upon which hounds fly to him as a pack.
It’s a most impressive example of the partnership between huntsman and hounds, and is greatly appreciated by all. At this point the play period begins, with tots hardly taller than hounds, kids of all ages, and adults as well sharing the fun. A family day to be enjoyed by the community, courtesy of Woodley farm.
Posted April 26, 2019