Eight Ways To Pick A Gold Cup Winner

(NYRA Photo)

Most Virginia Gold Cup tailgates feature a friendly “game of skill” designed to exchange small monetary amounts between the participants.  The object of the exercise is to correctly pre-determine which horse will win a particular race and to pay an entry fee to enter the game of skill in the name of the chosen horse.

Some people might call this a pool, but since we don’t want to get sideways with the authorities, we will continue to call it a “game of skill.” 

Should such a game be conducted at your parking space, tailgate or tent, how would the non-equine aficionado know which horse might win a particular race?

The answer is you wouldn’t – horses are unpredictable.  Steeplechase races are long and conducted over many large obstacles at a fairly high rate of speed. Suffice to say, things sometimes go wrong, so picking a winner is tricky.

That said, here are some tried and true systems, you can utilize come Saturday.

1. Choose your lucky number. How easy was that?

2. Clamp onto your favorite color.  Jockeys wear brightly colored shirts, called silks, provided by the horses' owners or the race organizers if the owner forgot to bring his silks. (Don’t giggle, it happens.) So choose a hue and hang on.

3. Identify an individual interest. That means look at the program and try to remember something – anything – from this same exercise at past Gold Cups you have attended.

4. Jump for the jockey you like best.  If you don’t know anything about these people, and you probably don’t, just pick a name that sounds like somebody that can bring home a winner.  Jockeys with words like “champ” or “winner” or “best” in their names are good choices.  Jockeys that go by “dude,” “loser” or “crash” aren’t so good.

5. Pick a catchy name.  Obviously, Bubble Economy has rung a bell for everybody over the past three years, so just look for names you can relate to or that seem to be speaking directly to you.  If you have a funky Aunt Betty and you see a horse named Funky Aunt Betty, that’s a sign.

RECOGNIZE THESE TWO?

6. Pick the horses pedigree.  If either the mom (dam) or dad (sire) sounds at all familiar, go for it.

7. Go with your gut. It’s not an exact science.  A bunch of horses and riders run around as fast as they can, jumping a bunch of jumps, occasionally ricocheting off one another and trying to get home first, so anything can happen and usually does.

8. Place a bet on every horse in the field.  Your friends won’t like it as it is selfish and boring and does not generate beneficial economic returns, but at least you can say you won!

Have fun!

Here’s The Skinny On The Horses Running In The $75,000 Virginia Gold Cup

INCOMPLETE (Douglas Lees Photo)

INCOMPLETE, 2001 b. g., Press Card--Sioux Lady, by Poker. Owner: Robert A. Kinsley. Trainer: Ann D. Stewart. Jockey: Joey Elliott. 2012 record: 1-1-0-0, $18,000. 2011 record: 5-1-2-0, $45,450. 3-1 odds. Started 2012 with 1 3/4-length victory in the My Lady's Manor in Monkton, Md., on April 14. Won 2011 International Gold Cup and finished second in the New Jersey Hunt Cup. Ran a good second in the 2011 Grand National but fell in the Maryland Hunt Cup.

BUBBLE ECONOMY, 1999 b. g., Rakeen--Buggels, by Vaal Reef. Owner: Arcadia Stable. Trainer: Jack Fisher. Jockey: Willie Dowling. 2012 record: 1-0-1-0, $5,400. 7-2 odds. Three-time timber champion (2004, 2008, 2010) returned after 23 months on the sidelines and finished second in the My Lady's Manor, beaten 1 3/4 lengths on April 14. Wrapped up most recent title with two wins in a week, in the 2010 Virginia Gold Cup and the Mason Houghland Memorial at the Iroquois Steeplechase in Nashville.

YIN YANG, 2002 ch. g., Not for Love--Say It's Cold, by Oh Say. Owner: NoGo Stable. Trainer: William Meister. Jockey: Christopher Read. 2011 record: 2-1-0-0, $6,000. 20-1 odds. Won 2011 John Rush Streett maiden timber but was pulled up in the Mason Houghland Memorial at Iroquois in Nashville. Late scratch from Grand National on April 21.

BUBBLE ECONOMY (Left) (Douglas Lees Photo)

AERO, 2005 b. g., Northern Spur (Ire)--Best Victory (Fr), by Cadoudal. Owner: Alfred C. Griffin Jr. Trainer: Doug Fout. Jockey: Jeff Murphy. 2012 record: 1-0-1-0, $3,600. 2011 record: 3-2-0-1, $28,000. 5-1 odds. Started 2012 season with second in the Middleburg Hunt Cup on April 21, beaten 6 3/4 lengths. Ran sparkling race in the National Sporting Library Chronicle Cup to win by six lengths at the Virginia Fall Races in Middleburg on Oct. 1 before second in International Gold Cup. Scored his maiden timber victory at Willowbrook Steeplechase in May.

GUTS FOR GARTERS (IRE), 2003 br. g., Presenting—Askynn, by Beau Sher. Owner: FOXY Stable. Trainer: Sanna Hendriks. Jockey: Darren Nagle. 2012 record: 2-0-1-0, $3,200. 20-1 odds. Finished a close second in the Bejamin H. Murray Memorial amateur allowance timber race at the Grand National on April 21. Started season with a fourth in the John Rush Streett Memorial amateur maiden timber at My Lady’s Manor on April 14. In a tough spot against a seasoned field.

AER) (L) (Susan M. Carter Photo)

VOLER BAR NUIT, 2001 ch. g., Lord Concorde--Don't Ask, by Don's Choice. Owner: Mrs. William D. Class Jr. Trainer: William Meister. Jockey: James Slater. 2012 record: 1-0-0-1, $1,000. 2011 record: 2-0-1-0, $1,350. 15-1 odds. Started 2012 with a third-place finish in the John Rush Streett at My Lady's Manor. Finished second in 2011 John D. Schapiro Memorial at My Lady's Manor. Late scratch from the Maryland Hunt Cup.

G’DAY G’DAY, 2003 b. g., Eastern Echo--Say Farewell, by Second Bar. Owner: Magalen O. Bryant. Trainer: Doug Fout. Jockey: Carl Rafter. 2012 record: 1-1-0-0, $12,000. 2011 record: 5-1-1-1, $32,300. 4-1 odds. Strong start to the 2012 campaign with 6 3/4-length victory in the Middleburg Hunt Cup on April 21. Closed 2011 with a win in the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup. Made up ground to be third in the International Gold Cup on Oct. 15. Homebred finished second to Aero in National Sporting Museum Chronicle Cup at Virginia Fall Races on Oct. 1.

Pictures Of The Day - Kentucky Derby Favorites

Bodemeister takes a spin on Thursday morning in preparation for the 138th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Dullahan trains in preparation for the 138th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Exercise rider Hector Ramos takes Kentucky Derby entrant Gemologist for a workout at Churchill Downs Thursday, May 3, 2012, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Hansen trains on the track in preparation for the 138th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Union Rags trains on the track in preparation for the 138th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Local Horse Kentucky Derby Early Favorite

BODEMEISTER WINNING THE ARKANSAS DERBY (Danny Johnston/AP Photo)

Bodemeister, who was born in nearby Berryville, Virginia is the "morning line" favorite for Saturday's Kentucky Derby.  Set your DVR.

Breaking from the No.6 post position -- the same post as the last Virginia-bred Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero did in 1993 -- Virginia-bred Bodemeister is the 4-1 morning line for Saturday’s 138th Kentucky Derby.  Bodemeister was bred by Audley Farm in Berryville.

Veteran jockey Mike Smith will ride.  Smith won the Derby on 50-1 shot Giacomo in 2005.

Bodemeister earned the nod from Churchill downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia based on his post position and his impressive 9 1/2  length win in the Arkansas Derby.  Many felt Bedemiester’s win in Little Rock was the most dominating performance of the Derby prep races. 

Union Rags (No.4 post) was a close second choice at 9-2 in a full field of 20 horses. He is trained by Michael Matz, who won the Derby in 2006 with Barbaro.

Wood Memorial winner Gemologist was the third choice at 6-1 and drew the No. 15 post. 

Blue Grass winner Dullahan was the 8-1 fourth choice. He got the No. 5 post, drawing the loudest cheers from his connections.

Two California horses, Creative Cause and Santa Anita Derby winner I'll Have Another, were listed at 12-1.

Hansen, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, and Daddy Long Legs have the most graded stakes earnings in the field. Hansen leads the list with more than $1.5 million, while Daddy Long Legs has $1.2 million.

If all 20 horses start, the $2,219,600 purse would be the richest since 2005, when the Derby first became a guaranteed $2 million event. The winner earns $1,459,600. Post time is 6:24 p.m. EDT.

BODEMEISTER AT CHURCHILL DOWNS (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)

Bubble Economy Goes For Virginia Gold Cup Triple

From National Steeplechase.com:  Arcadia Stable’s Bubble Economy will be seeking his third victory in the $75,000 Virginia Gold Cup when he starts in the classic four-mile timber steeplechase race on Saturday, May 5. The 87th running of the Virginia Gold Cup will be the highlight of a gala six-race program at Great Meadows in The Plains. First post time is 1:30 p.m.

BUBBLE ECONOMY (Douglas Lees Photo)

The Virginia Gold Cup brings together the top two finishers in Maryland’s first timber classic, the My Lady’s Manor on April 14. Robert A. Kinsley’s Incomplete finished 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Bubble Economy, who was making his first start in 23 months.

Both are veterans of the Great Meadow course. Trained by Ann Stewart, Incomplete won the 2011 International Gold Cup by 2 3/4 lengths on Oct. 15 and finished second in the New Jersey Hunt Cup a week later. Joey Elliott will be aboard for the Virginia Gold Cup.

Bubble Economy has won three National Steeplechase Association timber championships, in 2004, 2008, and 2010. In the latter two years, his championship campaign included victories in the Virginia Gold Cup.

He went to the sidelines after winning the 2010 Mason Houghland Memorial at the Iroquois Steeplechase in Nashville one week after his Virginia Gold Cup triumph. He came back well in the My Lady’s Manor, and trainer Jack Fisher named Willie Dowling to ride.

INCOMPLETE (l) and BUBBLE ECONOMY (r) AT MY LADY'S MANOR (Douglas Lees Photo)

Also in the highly competitive Virginia Cup field is Magalen O. Bryant’s G’day G’day, who kicked off his 2012 season with a 6 3/4-length victory in the Middleburg Hunt Cup on April 21. Trained in Middleburg by Doug Fout, G’day G’day closed out the 2011 season with a score in the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup against top-quality competition. Carl Rafter has the mount.

Fout also will saddle Alfred C. Griffin Jr.’s Aero, who finished second in the Middleburg Hunt Cup. Last fall, Aero scored a sparkling victory in the National Sporting Museum Chronicle Cup at the Virginia Fall Races in Middleburg before finishing second to Incomplete in the International Gold Cup. Jeff Murphy will ride Aero.

AERO (left) (Douglas Lees Photo)

Veteran timber trainer William Meister entered NoGo Stable’s Yin Yang and Mrs. William D. Class Jr.’s Voler Bar Nuit. Yin Yang would be making his first start of the year, and Voler Bar Nuit has had one outing, a third in the John Rush Streett Memorial amateur maiden timber race at My Lady’s Manor in Monkton. Christopher Read was named aboard Yin Yang, and James Slater will ride Voler Bar Nuit.

Two-time champion trainer Sanna N. Hendriks entered FOXY Stable’s Guts for Garters. The Irish-bred gelding has had two starts this year, a fourth in the Streett followed by a close second in the Benjamin H. Murray Memorial amateur allowance timber race at the Grand National meet in Butler, Md. Darren Nagle was named to ride.

To see all the day's entries, click here.

What Not To Wear, Part 43 (Chartreuse)

At this point, we really shouldn’t need to tell you this, but…

(Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

That said, maybe the crazy lip gloss is sunscreen?  That makes some sense…

Here, models pose backstage ahead of the Magdalena Veleveska show on day two of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia Spring/Summer 2012/13 at the Australia National Maritime Museum on May 1, 2012 in Sydney, Australia.

Tommy Lee Jones Wins First Ian Milne Award

No, not the Men In Black version of Tommy Lee Jones, the famous horse guy.

Our Tommy Lee Jones, who has been misidentified for his movie star namesake more than once, tells some good stories about disappointed folks who thought he was that Tommy Lee Jones over the phone, but a different one when he appeared in person...

DORIS, TOMMY LEE and DIANE JONES (Randy Chappell/Facebook)

That said, the famous equine Tommy Lee Jones was recently awarded the first "Ian Milne Award,” a prestigious award honoring professional huntsmen who have been recognized by their peers as exceptional contributors to the sport of foxhunting.  

Way to go, Tommy Lee!

The award was presented by the Masters of Foxhounds Association on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at the Biennial Staff Seminar dinner. Jones has hunted the hounds of the Casanova Hunt with distinction since 1970.

Jones also breeds, owns and trains thoroughbreds from his family’s New Hope Farm. In the heyday of the yearling market, Jones showed yearlings for the likes of Spendthrift Farm and Clay Camp as well.

Along with his wife Diane, Jones also manages the Upperville Colt and Horse Show and the Warrenton Horse Show.  Diane is also the Executive Director of the Virginia Gold Cup.

The award is named for the late Ian Milne, who was the popular huntsman for the Fairfax Hunt (VA).

JONES AT WORK (Randy Chappell/Facebook)

Douglas Lees' Maryland Hunt Cup Photos

The third fence of the Maryland Hunt Cup left to right: Battle Op, Bon Caddo, And The Eagle Flys, Professor Maxwell (white blaze), Haddix (partially obscurred), Private Attack and Volle Nolle.

The thirteenth fence of theMaryland Hunt cup left to right:  And The Eagle Flys (Billy Meister, up), Battle Op (Connor Hankin, up) and Fort Henry(Jackson Roberts, up).

Private Atttack falls in front of the eventual winner Twill Do.

Twill Do and Battle Op battle down the stretch.

Twill Do edges out Battle Op for the win.  

All photos by Douglas Lees.

Pictures Of The Day

Kentucky Derby hopeful Bodemeister is washed down by his grooms after galloping on the track during early morning workouts at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky May 1, 2012. (Reuters) 

Exercise rider Luis Contreras takes Kentucky Derby entrant Prospective for a workout at Churchill Downs Tuesday, May 1, 2012, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

A picture is worth a thousand words...and, the bungee cord is a nice touch.  (G. Petty/VTA Photo)

Twill Do Wins Another Maryland Hunt Cup

TWILL DO (center) (The Baltimore Sun by Patrick Smith)

From the National Steeplechase Association:

Lucy Goelet’s Twill Do charged to the lead in the stretch of the $75,000 Maryland Hunt Cup and overtook a game Battle Op to score his second victory in the Maryland timber classic on Saturday, April 28. Northwoods Stable’s Battle Op finished seven lengths clear of Bon Caddo, the 2011 timber champion who came home third in the 116th edition of the Hunt Cup.

Twill Do, who had been winless since winning the Hunt Cup by five lengths in 2010, was reserved toward the back of the field early by jockey James Stierhoff, who also had ridden him in the 2010 race and was reunited with the 12-year-old Yarrow Brae gelding for a fourth-place finish in the Grand National a week earlier. As the field thinned out over the tall post-and-rail fences in Glyndon, Twill Do advanced to the front and had a clear lead heading toward the final fence. 


But Battle Op made a strong move under Connor Hankin and seized the lead over the final fence. But Twill Do refused to give up and fought back to take back the lead in the final sixteenth of a mile. The two leaders continued to battle to the finish line, with Battle Op closing the margin slightly in the final strides.

Merriefield Farm’s Bon Caddo, ridden by English jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, was followed to the finish line by Professor Maxwell, Fort Henry, and Prospectors Strike.

To read more from the Baltimore Sun, click here. 


Watch the HCP Sports video of the Hunt Cup here.

Tune in tomorrow for more photos by our favorite Eclipse Award winning photographer Douglas Lees.

Let The Countdown Begin!

It's Virginia Gold Cup Week...tickets, hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, picnic, tail gate, dry cleaners, designated driver, etc.

Let's get moving people.  The weather watch starts today and it looks like classic first Saturday in May weather. Don't forget the SUNSCREEN.

What Not To Wear

(Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

OK, it’s crunch time.  The countdown reads NINE days until the Virginia Gold Cup.  Most of you either know what you are going to where or you have narrowed it down.  That said, rookie’s are always perched on the edge of the fashion cliff just one short step from a Gold Cup fashion faux paux.

That’s why we occasionally remind you ‘what not to wear,’ that, and sometimes we come across crazy fashion photos we feel compelled to share.

(Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

These two ‘what not to wear’ photos come from the “Alternative Fashion Week” held in London at the Old Spitalfields Market.

No offense, Brits, but if it involves “spital,” we’re out. Just sayin’.

(Stefania D'Alessandro/Getty Images)

Soon we'll discuss further the "dos and don'ts" of tailgaiting.

And The Eagle Flys Wins Grand National

AND THE EAGLE FLYS (L)

From the National Steeplechase Association: Mrs. William D. Class Jr.’s And the Eagle Flys set all the pace in the $30,000 Grand National and easily held off 2011 winner Private Attack to win by three lengths at the Butler, Md., race course on Saturday, April 21.

Ridden by trainer William Meister, And the Eagle Flys went out to the lead at the start of the 3 1/4-mile race over timber fences and established a lead over Sportsmans Hall’s Private Attack, ridden by Patrick Worrall. Rosbrian Farm’s More Fascination finished third in a field of six. And the Eagle Flys ran the Grand National distance in 6:09 on ground rated as hard.

A 10-year-old Double Honor gelding, And the Eagle Flys was making his first sanctioned start since finishing a distant second behind Private Attack in the 2011 Maryland Hunt Cup.

 To read more from Steeplechase Times, click here. 

Look, Horses!

(Capital Club Gold Cup Photo)

We first ran this post in 2007, and it remains true to this day so take note people!

(Revised for 2012) LOOK, HORSES!

“Damn it, you’re gonna watch a race!” So says the Director of Racing, Don Yovanovich. He may have said more than “damn,” but this is, for the most part, a family blog.

Here’s how this goes. Everybody has said, “I went to the Gold Cup and I never saw a horse.”


Har-Har. It’s an old joke. Let it go.

There are wide cross sections of groups at the Gold Cup with various levels of interest. There is the "horsey" set that actually cares what happens. Usually because they know somebody involved with one of the horses or, better yet, they know one of the horses. Then there’s the “non-horsey” set who simply finds the racing action fascinating. 

Then there is the “interested to be polite” group. They pay attention to the races so as not to offend their host or hostess. After that you have the “modestly interested” set who will watch a race if they happen to be looking in the right direction when the race starts. And, finally, there is the “don’t care” group. 


Hey, you “don’t care” people, we’re talking to YOU!

(Isabel J. Kurek)

Fact is there are six races with total purses of $200,000. The Gold Cup is now run for a purse of $75,000. That’s real money.

People spend a large part of their lives looking for the “right horse” that can jump 23 big immovable obstacles while running four miles. The horses can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $500,000. Trainers spend years and years honing their skills to condition these horses properly, and the jockeys basically risk life and limb.

So could you just look out there for one race? Just one…C’mon, stop socializing and smell the roses…er, uh…we mean, the horses.

Pictures Of The Day

Rosbrian Farm’s Virginia-bred Mecklenburg with Mark Beecher up (right) clear the last fence alongside Guts For Garters and Brooks Durkee onb their way to winning the 47th Benjamin H. Murray Memorial Saturday at the Grand National Races in Butler, MD. (Douglas Lees Photo)

William Carson riding Jane Lachatte (R) win The Investec Investment Handicap Stakes at Epsom racecourse on April 25, 2012 in Epsom, England. (Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Runners sprint down the hills towards the finish in The Investec Specialist Bank Handicap Stakes at Epsom racecourse on April 25, 2012 in Epsom, England. (Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Local boy looks to do good...Bodemeister, who was born and raised in Berryville, VA, won the $1 million Arkansas Derby in his last start and is a likely favorite for the upcoming Kentucky Derby.  Here, Bodemeister and exercise rider Peter Hutton tune up on the track at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Tuesday, April 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Garry Jones)

Picture Of The Day

Two participants in the Itzehoe Dachshund Race in Itzehoe, Germany.  The dogs compete for the “Golden Sausage of Itzehoe” during the traditional annual event. (Carsten Rehder/EPA)

Happy Earth Day!

(NASA Photo)

Pictures Of The Day

Jockey Glen Boss riding Stratcombe wins race eight the Visvanathan Memorial Plate during 7-Eleven Pink Ribbon Day at Caulfield Racecourse on April 21, 2012 in Melbourne, Australia. (Hamish Blair/Getty Images AsiaPac)

Members of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery ride during an inspection in Hyde Park in preparation for 2012 State Ceremonial on April 19, 2012 in London, England. The King's Troop, based in Wellington Barracks in central London, will take part in several ceremonial roles in 2012 including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, Trooping the Colour and the London 2012 Olympics. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images Europe)

Tom Queally riding Noble Mission win The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Maiden Stakes (Div 1) at Newbury racecourse on April 21, 2012 in Newbury, England.

(Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Jim Crowley riding Moonstone Magic (L) win The Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury racecourse on April 21, 2012 in Newbury, England. (Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Queen Elizabeth II shelters from the rain with racing manager John Warren at Newbury racecourse on April 21, 2012 in Newbury, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Runners leave the stalls at Newbury racecourse on April 21, 2012 in Newbury, England. (Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Down under the rail, down under.  Jockey Damian Lane riding Rue Maple rides clear to win race three the Story Landscaping Handicap during 7-Eleven Pink Ribbon Day at Caulfield Racecourse on April 21, 2012 in Melbourne, Australia. (Hamish Blair/Getty Images)

Saddle bronc rider Ad Bugenig rides Against All Odds at the Red Bluff Round-Up in California.  (Matt Cohen/Zumapress.com)

Picture Of The Day

Runners pull up after finishing at Newmarket racecourse on April 18, 2012 in Newmarket, England. (Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)