June 2021 Issue

The News East Coast Horse Owners Need To Know OUR TH YEAR 993 - PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 280 LANC., PA 17604 Vol. 28 No. 5 June 2021 (Continued on page 14) Inside... By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Held Sat., May 8, steeple- chase racing at Willowdale, in Kennett Square, PA had a differ- ent look this year, as Covid-19 restrictions limited crowd sizes and tempered the usual party atmosphere. There were no addi- tional attractions such as terrier races, car show and shopping tents. Spectators were asked to remain with their groups as much as possible, wear masks, and not crowd along the racecourse sideline fence. Fans were able to follow along with an online only program, and streaming video of the races was available. The featured race of the day was the Buttonwood/Sycamore Farm Willowdale Steeplechase Timber Stakes for a $35,000 purse. The 3-1/2 mile timber was won by Renegade River, owned by Kiplin Hall and trained by William Dowling. Jockey Eddie Keating took Renegade River to the front on the start where he set a leisurely pace that went unchallenged for the bulk of the race. The pace picked up somewhat halfway through, after the course changed direction, but Renegade River was not pressured until the final turn into the last jump. Schood- ic and Awesome Adrian closed the gap after the last jump, but they did not have time to make up enough ground before going under the wire. Renegade River held on to win by a neck in a time of 7:16.94 with Schoodic, owned by Mrs. John R. S. Fisher in second and Awesome Adrian, owned by Nancy Reed, placing third. The Willowdale Steeple- chase Races are traditionally held on Mother’s Day weekend. This year’s results followed that theme with a number of winning mother-trainer/child-jockey com- binations. Renegade River Wins 28 th Annual Willowdale Steeplechase The first race on the card was the $10,000 Liam MaGee hurdle for apprentice riders. Taking the win was Mighty Mark, owned and trained by Kathrine Neilson and ridden by her daughter Skyler McKenna. All six starters stayed in a tight group behind Boss Man under Eddie Keating for owners Carrington Holdings LLC. and trainer Todd Wyatt. Boss Man held the lead from the start until the final turn. As they took the last jump and began a long run to the finish, horses that had been following the pacesetter took over. Mighty Mark finished in a time of 4:50 4/5 followed by Adlestrop Hill’s entry Paddy’s Crown under Chloe Hannum in second and Hepcat, owned by Steve Poorman and owner/trainer Sanna Neilson with Parker Hen- driks aboard. “He’s a cool horse. We thought coming in that you have to stay off the pace,” McKenna said after the win. Another mother daughter combination went to the winner’s circle in the second race, The Folly, a $10,000 Maiden Claim- ing Hurdle. Lemon Again, owned by Fearnought Farm LLC, led the first two laps around the course, at times by eight lengths or more, but when the horses came back into view for the second time to begin the downhill run Renegade River and jockey Eddie Keating led the featured Buttonwood/Sycamore Farm Willowdale Steeplechase Timber Stakes for most of the race. They went on to win for trainer William Dowling and owner Kiplin Hall by a neck. Photo by Marcella Peyre-Ferry The Farm Show Complex is full of PPE. What does that mean for equine events?…pg. 15 Endangered mounted patrol now living large in state of the art facility…pg. 23 More gorgeous horse farms for sale ...pgs. 10-13 …and much more!