Fall steeplechase schedule unveiled

Fall steeplechase schedule

unveiled

The National Steeplechase Association kicks off an autumn racing season worth

$2.3 million on September 13 at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Kentucky. The season

includes 18 stops and runs through November 29 with the season finale at Palm

Beach, Florida. Kentucky Downs and Palm Beach both represent new stops on the

circuit, along with Monmouth Park.

As usual, the Far Hills Races top the list with $550,000 in total purses

spread over six races including the country's richest jump race, the $250,000

Grand National (NSA-G1), on October 18. The Grand National program also features

the $100,000 Foxbrook Novice S. (NSA-G1).

"We are excited about the fall racing opportunities including the return of

Kentucky Downs, Monmouth Park and Palm Beach to the NSA calendar," said Bill

Gallo, the NSA director of racing. "The additions are a sign of growth and help

improve steeplechasing's position within Thoroughbred racing."

In 1990, Kentucky Downs (then called Dueling Grounds) hosted the richest

steeplechase run in North America with the $750,000 Dueling Grounds

International Hurdle. The track last hosted jump racing in 2000 and comes back

this year with two races -- the $50,000 Belle Meade Plantation S. and a $25,000

maiden. The European-style turf course is ideally suited to steeplechase racing,

which will share the September 13 card with the Kentucky Cup Turf Festival.

The Belle Meade Plantation, a restricted stakes honoring Nashville's

legendary stud farm of the 1800s, lured 13 nominations including FOUR SCHOOLS

(Ire) (Raise a Grand [Ire]), QUEM SE ATREVE (Brz) (Foguete Rodolfo), MARK THE

SHARK (Summer Squall) and top young horses CLASS SHADOW (Rock Point), CLASSY

BRUTE (Classy Prospector) and RED LETTER DAY (Red Ransom). Entries close

Tuesday.

The season's opening weekend also includes a stop at Colonial Downs for two

races September 14. In a rarity, the jump races share the day with Standardbred

racing.

On September 20, steeplechasing returns to Monmouth Park for the first time

since 2004, and offers a key prep for Far Hills with the $75,000 Monmouth County

Hunt Novice S. Named after the Monmouth County Hunt Races, an NSA fixture for 65

years in nearby Red Bank, New Jersey, before closing after the 1995 running, the

stakes could be the start of an annual fall visit to Monmouth.

Monmouth Park hosted jump racing for decades including the Midsummer Hurdle

H., which counts among its winners such standouts as Zaccio, Life's Illusion, *Gran

Kan, Tuscalee and King Commander.

A day after Monmouth, steeplechasing goes north to Belmont Park for the

second running of the Lonesome Glory S. (NSA-G1) on September 21, the final prep

for the Grand National at Far Hills four weeks later. In 2007, Good Night Shirt

(Concern) won the Lonesome Glory en route to the Eclipse Award as champion

steeplechaser.

The NSA's traditional schedule of one-day race meets begins September 27 with

the Shawan Downs Races in Hunt Valley, Maryland. The racing continues over the

next five weekends. The marquee event on November 1 is the $100,000 U.S.

Championship Novice S. (NSA-G1) at Callaway Gardens, Georgia.

After a one-weekend break November 8-9, the Colonial Cup Races offer a key

stop for championship-level horses November 16 in Camden, South Carolina. That

day includes the $150,000 Colonial Cup (NSA-G1), which was won by Good Night

Shirt in 2007.

The season gets a new ending with Palm Beach on November 29. Part of the NSA

circuit in 1980 and 1981, the meet returns to the Palm Beach Polo Club for a

five-race program worth $200,000 in total purses, highlighted by the $100,000

Palm Beach S. (NSA-G1).