Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Pictures Of The Day
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Gold Cup Board Member Dies
He was born June 22, 1931, in White Plains, NY, but moved to Virginia as a young boy. He quickly adopted his new state and became a true “Virginia Gentleman.” Hoovler served in the United States Navy as an aviation ordinance man and a tail gunner on the USS Roosevelt, USS Coral Sea and USS Midway from 1948 to 1952.
Hoovler attended the College of William & Mary, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1956. Following graduation, he joined Communications Inc. with his two brothers and eventually created Ancom Inc. and BCH Inc. of Arlington.
In 1985, after the sale of Communications Inc., Hoovler embarked on his second
career, bringing his business skills, humor and energy to numerous
organizations and foundations. They included: the Virginia Gold Cup
Association, which he served as an executive board member and as director of
traffic/security for both The Virginia Gold Cup and The International Gold Cup
Races and The Meadows Outdoor Foundation (now Great Meadow Foundation) in The
Plains, VA. Great Meadow hosts both Gold
Cup races.
He was also involved with The Fauquier Club of Warrenton,
the Kiwanis Club of Arlington, the Fauquier County Economic Development
Commission and the Lord Fairfax Community College.
For many years, one of Hoovler’s most beloved pastimes was serving as Ringmaster for the Warrenton Pony Show, the Warrenton Horse Show and the Upperville Colt and Horse Show. As a landowner and longtime supporter of the Orange County Hunt, he volunteered at its annual events and was a strong supporter of the Middleburg Orange County Pony Club and the MOC Beagles.
However, his greatest passion was serving as a trustee of Glenwood Park in Middleburg which is home to the Middleburg Races in both the Spring and Fall of each year. Under his guidance, multiple improvements have been made to the race course, including new buildings, turf management and historic tree preservation.
 |
| HOOVLER WITH MELVIN POE |
Hoovler received numerous awards and commendations, including the 2002 Warrenton Horse Show Gilman Volunteer Award, the 2005 Piedmont Environmental Council Conservation Volunteer Award, a Meritorious Recognition Award from the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office for Outstanding Contributions to Public Safety, the 1985 Medallion of Recognition from Lord Fairfax Community College and the 1989 Great Meadow Volunteer of the Year.
(Photos courtesy of George and Shelley Payne)
We Don't Know How This Got Started...
 |
| (Photo by Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images) |
France's Julien Lemme taking a tumble off of the English horse Tomis during the 121st Velka Pardubicka Steeple-Chase in Pardubice, East Bohemia in the Czech Republic on October 9, 2011.
Closer to home, Promising juvenile colt Here Comes Frazier fell in the stretch during Sunday’s Grade III Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky.
Here Comes Frazier was leading in the stretch of the
11⁄16-mile turf race under jockey Julien Leparoux when he shied and fell into
the rail, sending Leparoux tumbling several yards over the rail.
Although Here Comes Frazier was initially thought to have
only suffered cuts and scrapes, he has since had surgery for a fractured
hock. By all accounts, he’s resting
comfortably.
Leparoux was unhurt save for a few aches and pains.
 |
| (Photo by Amy Wallot/Photos by Z) |
Friday, October 7, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
What Not To Wear...
...Just sayin'...
It's always a topic of conversation -- what to wear to the Gold Cup. The first trick is to check the weather and plan accordingly. That said, don't wear what this guy is wearing...
Meet, Poland's "King of Fans" Andrzej Bobowski (Bobo for short, note name on crown) at Warsaw's national stadium as he campaigns for the October 9 general elections. Bobowski is running for a seat in parliament, as football fans feel the heat of a broad government crackdown aiming to stem hooliganism before the 2012 European Championships which Poland will host.
 |
| (Photo by Wojtek Radwanski/AFP) |
Meet, Poland's "King of Fans" Andrzej Bobowski (Bobo for short, note name on crown) at Warsaw's national stadium as he campaigns for the October 9 general elections. Bobowski is running for a seat in parliament, as football fans feel the heat of a broad government crackdown aiming to stem hooliganism before the 2012 European Championships which Poland will host.
All of that is just fine, but don't wear this outfit to the Gold Cup.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
In A Word: BEAUTIFUL
Here’s what is says:
International Gold Cup – Course Inspection: The course was inspected on October 3, 2011
by Don Yovanovich.
Turf: Thick, lush
and very green, about 10 inches in height with a very thick mat.
Smoothness: Course
is very smooth.
Compaction: 90-105
(Good). There has been an abundance of
rain in Northern Virginia through September.
Moisture: 10
(Wet)
Notes: A word to
describe the race course: “Beautiful."
 |
| 2010 INT. GOLD CUP WINNER HE'S A CONNIVER |
AERO (165 – Fout), BON CADDO (165 – Williams), EXPEL (150
– Mulligan), G’DAY G’DAY (160 – Fout), GATHER NO MOSS (150 – Berryman), GORGEOUS
CHARGER (160 – Meister), HE’S A CONNIVER (165
– Jackson), I’M TELLING (160 – Cockburn), MUSIC TO MY
EARS (165 – Valentine) and WON WILD BIRD (159 – Welsh).
Apple To Unveil iPhone 5 At International Gold Cup
Look, you can’t believe everything you see on the internet,
so put all your devices away and come
enjoy a nice day in the country…especially, if you are one of the many folks
who got all worked up over the non-unveiling of the now nefarious i5.
Now imagine all those tech bloggers who (as it now turns
out) wasted time typing bold proclamations about new features, designs on the
newest piece of electronic gadgetry that didn’t arrive…
If the internet was ever obsessed over a non-celebrity
carbon based life form, this non-new product non-unveiling had to be it…Instead
of a “roll out,” let’s call it a roll back in!
That said, you can get an iPhone 4S (“rolled out” today), and
you can bring it to Great Meadow next Saturday…
PICTURES OF THE DAY
Paul Hanagan riding Changing The Guard (C, blue) win the
Keoghs Irish Bar Nottingham Handicap Stakes at Nottingham racecourse on October
05, 2011 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Hank Williams, Jr. Suddenly Available To Sing Anthem For IGC?
 |
| OOPS |
It appears that Hank Williams, Jr.’s mouth, which heretofore
he had used to sing the iconic Monday Night Football theme song, has landed him
in a bit of trouble -- something to do with using the President of the U.S.A.’s
name in the same sentence as one of the most evil creatures to ever walk the
planet (Adolph Hitler).
So while Hank was sticking his foot in his mouth, officials
at the International Gold Cup were not reaching out to his people to secure his
singing skills for the Fall Gold Cup.
Why, you ask?
Because the International Gold Cup already has a local guy
coming who can flat sing. Prepare to be
wowed.
Meet one Davone Tines, a bass baritone from Orlean, Va., who
will be singing the national anthem the Saturday after next.
Did we mention that aside from having major pipes he’s also
a Harvard grad?
 |
| TINES |
Tines is currently under the guidance of Cynthia Hoffmann at
The Juilliard School. He has a degree in Sociology and Music from Harvard,
and has studied under Patricia Miller, the director of vocal studies at George
Mason University, and D’Anna Fortunato, an accomplished mezzo-soprano with the
New England Conservatory.
Tines has worked as an arts administrator for various arts
institutions near the District of Columbia, and as production manager for the
George Mason University Opera. He has recently soloed with the Harvard
Holden Choirs, the Boston Longy Chamber Chorus, the Piedmont Symphony
Orchestra, the Reston Chorale and the National Philharmonic Chorale.
That means, singing Oh Say Can You See is a breeze.
Look, we aren’t ones to show up early, but even we are gonna
get all our ducks in linear mode and show up on time for this year’s
anthem. We gotta hear this dude sing.
Pictures Of The Day
Sunday, October 2, 2011
CHRONICLE CUP PREVIEWS INTERNATIONAL GOLD CUP?
 |
| THE WINNER AERO and HE'S A CONNIVER (THIRD) |
Aero, by Northern Spur out of Best Victory (Fr) by Cardoudal
(Fr), settled in the middle of the pack and started to move on the leaders on the
backside of the racecourse. He took over
second place with two fences to go and jumped the last with a share of the lead
with fellow Warrentonian He’s A Conniver.
He and jockey Jeff Murphy steadily pulled away from there.
In his previous start, the Virginia-bred Aero had won the
timber race at Blue Ridge. Aero is trained by Virginian Doug Fout.
Griffin, a popular Warrenton-based orthodontist, has long been involved in the Virginia Gold Cup Associaton and has played a lead role in putting on both the Virginia Gold Cup in May and the International Gold Cup in October. He currently serves on the Board of Directors and as the Director of Racing. It would seem likely that winning either Gold Cup race is on his "bucket list."
PICTURES OF THE DAY
Saturday, October 1, 2011
PICTURES OF THE DAY
Thursday, September 29, 2011
TWO WEEKS AND COUNTING TO INTERNATIONAL GOLD CUP
 |
| STEPHEN STRASBURG |
The surest sign that the second jewel in the Gold Cup crown
is imminent is the simple fact that the Washington Nationals (80-81) season
ended last night (again) and (again) we don’t have to get bogged down in
playoff baseball. The Orioles, who were
worse at 69-93, also obliged us by not being a post season distraction.
The Redskins are off to a 2-1 start, and since they don’t
play on Saturday’s they never interfere with the International Gold Cup. The Skins are better than last year but far
from great. Unfortunately, the offensive
coordinator (Kyle Shanahan) thinks the quarterback (Rex Grossman) is better
than he is (Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning). The only problem with Rex Grossman is that he’s…well,
Rex Grossman. The Skins play the Eagles
the Sunday after the Gold Cup. Hopefully by then, Michael Vick will have injured his throwing hand as well...
There is, of course, college football on International Gold
Cup Saturday, but quite frankly, nobody within a two hour drive looks worthy of
a trip. Virginia will be hosting Georgia
Tech. The Yellow Jackets are undefeated and averaging something like 1,000 yards of offense per game…that’s
gonna be ugly. Speaking of ugly,
Maryland and their crazy unis will host Clemson and that doesn’t look good for
the Terps. The Hokies, while generally
more than two hours away, will be down in Winston-Salem, NC playing Wake
Forest.
 |
| MD QB DANNY O'BRIEN |
James Madison will be hosting Villanova. That will probably be a fun game, but not as
much fun at the International Gold Cup. Georgetown
is at D.C. rival Howard. Go ahead and yawn, it’s OK. George Mason is unlikely to field a football
team between now and then.
So, get your tickets and your tailgate organized and come
out and enjoy the International Gold Cup.
It’s the Virginia Gold Cup’s hot little sister. You’re gonna love it!
R.I.P. DONALD “GINGER” McCAIN FOUR TIME GRAND NATIONAL WINNER
 |
| McCAIN AND RED RUM |
Donald McCain was a cab driver and a car salesman. He trained a few horses behind the car lot in
Southport, England and it turns out he was pretty good at it.
The man that came to be known as “Mr. Aintree” won Europe’s
most famous race – the English Grand National at Aintree – four times with two
different horses. He also played a major role in reviving the famous race when
there was much talk of the old racecourse closing back in the 1970s.
The story goes that one of his “drive for hire” customers,
Noel Le Mare, was a wealthy business man and McCain was a good enough salesman to
convince Le Mare to buy a racehorse that he would train on the beaches near his
garage and stable.
From the Doncaster Sales, the new battery of owner and
trainer purchased Red Rum who would eventually (and quite famously) win the
Grand National three times and finish second twice more.
 |
| THE BOYS ON THE BEACH |
Like the Kentucky Derby or the Virginia Gold Cup, winning the
prestigious but dangerous and overcrowded Grand National one time is a major
accomplishment, but winning it multiple times is spectacular feat.
To put it in perspective, Red Rum was in the same
class as Saluter (who won six Gold Cups), but as taxing as the Gold Cup may be,
the English Grand National run over four miles and 30 very scary fences
including the imfamous Becher's
Brook, The Chair, and the Canal Turn,
is considered the toughest test in horse racing. (Words we would have never
written were Nick Arundel still alive to argue the point!)
Red Rum was retired after being injured on the eve of the
big race in 1978, but McCain continued to pursue another win.
"Rummy", as he was known to millions, didn’t
retire quietly, he appeared at supermarket openings and guest starred on
TV. He died in 1995 at age 30 and is
buried at Aintree quite near the finish line.
 |
| McCAIN AND AMBERLEIGH HOUSE |
It took McCain 27 years to return to the Grand National’s winner’s
enclosure, but he found his way there with a record-equaling fourth victory in
2004 with Amberleigh House.
After his son took up training and also won this year’s Grand
National with Ballabriggs, the senior McCain opined, "He can train this
boy, but he doesn't drink and he doesn't party - can he really be my son?"
Contemporary press reports suggest Mrs. McCain was not
amused.
McCain died of cancer September 19 at the age of 80.
To read his obit skillfully written (as usual) by T. Rees
Shapiro of the Washington Post, click
here.
PICTURES OF THE DAY
Dale K. Thiel's Sir Dynamite (Paddy Young - right) won the
maiden claiming hurdle race at Foxfield last Sunday in Charlottesville. (Susan M. Carter Photo)
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
PICTURE OF THE DAY
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
VGC CONNECTIONS WIN TIMBER RACE AT BLUE RIDGE
 |
| (Richard Clay Photo) |
The good doctor won with a six-year-old Virginia-bred named
Aero. Trained by Virginian Doug Fout
(The Plains, VA) and ridden by Jeff Murphy (Millwood, VA), Aero was close to
the pace early on and then gained control before the last fence winning off by
3 ½ lengths.
Aero enjoys international connections being by Northern Spur
(IRE), out of Best Victory (FR) by Cadoudal (FR). "IRE" as in Ireland and
"FR" as in France, but you probably figured that out already.
Aero was bred by the Eldon Farm Racing Stable LLC which is
located in Charlottesville, VA not far from what students and alums call “The
University.”
We are looking forward to seeing a large delegation of Wahoos on Saturday, October 15 at the International Gold Cup.
To get your tickets, click here.
We are looking forward to seeing a large delegation of Wahoos on Saturday, October 15 at the International Gold Cup.
To get your tickets, click here.
PICTURES OF THE DAY
Felix de Giles riding Grandads Horse (L) clear the last to
win The Stone Group Anniversary Novices' Hurdle Race at Uttoxeter racecourse on
September 07, 2011 in Uttoxeter, England. (Getty Images)
Friday, September 16, 2011
PICTURE OF THE DAY
Richard Hughes riding Chilworth Lad win the Dubai Duty Free Cup at Newbury racecourse on September 16, 2011 in Newbury, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)
Thursday, September 15, 2011
GOLD CUP WINNER TO RACE ON SATURDAY AT COLONIAL DOWNS
 |
| HE'S A CONNIVER (r) (Douglas Lees Photo) |
EMO Stables He’s A Conniver, the winner
of the 2010 International Gold Cup, will be running this Saturday in a flat
race going 1 ½ miles on the turf at Colonial Downs in New Kent, VA.
Starting as one of the favorites, He’s A Conniver caused a
major pile up at the second fence of this spring’s Virginia Gold Cup when he
crashed and took out two other horses. No major injuries were suffered.
His main competition will come from Virginia-bred
Researcher. Researcher’s connections are
well known to those who follow jump racing closely as he is owned by Zohar and
Lisa Ben-Dov’s Kinross Farm and trained by Neil Morris.
The seven-year-old gelding was bred by the Virginia Tech
Foundation at the M.A.R.E. Center in Middleburg, Virginia. Researcher has won over $1.3 million during
his six year racing career. He won the
$100,000 Queens County Handicap Gr.III at Aqueduct in 2008 and won the $500,000
Charles Town Classic in 2009 and the $1 million renewal of the same race in
2010. He has not raced since finishing
fourth in a stakes on the Preakness undercard last May.
 |
| RESEARCHER |
He’s A Conniver has won $125,480, winning the majority of it
in 2009 and 2010 while racing over jumps.
After his big crash in this spring’s Virginia Gold Cup, he ran one more
time a week later but tired badly. This
will be his first outing since then.
The card at Colonial on Saturday will also feature a
steeplechase race and ten harness races.
To see the overnight, click
here.
PICTURE OF THE DAY
Monday, September 12, 2011
START THINKING GOLD CUP
 |
| Fed Ex Field 9/11/2011 |
The International Gold Cup is coming!
Saturday, October 15, 2011.
Don't miss it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)