June/July 2023 Issue

EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN June/July 2023 Page 27 Real Estate Don't Miss theAugust Issue of East Coast Equestrian! To advertise please contact Phyllis or Debbie at (717) 509-9800. www.eastcoastequestrian.net With a special feature: Fall Fix-up Deadline: July 11 By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Dreary skies and light rain did not disrupt the May 13 Wil- lowdale Steeplechases in Kennett Square, PA. The featured race of six was the Buttonwood/Sycamore Farm Willowdale Steeplechase Timber Stakes for amateur riders at 3 1/2 miles with a purse of $35,000. Pre-race handicappers speculated that the race would be a replay of the April 22 Grand National in Butler, MD, where Tuscany Racing’s Monbeg Stream and Kiplin Hall’s Renegade River had finished first and second re- spectively, with a 2 ¾ length win- ning margin for Monbeg Stream. True to predictions, most of the race looked like a two-horse contest with Monbeg Stream, trained by Leslie Young and rid- den by Freddie Proctor, taking the lead and holding it for two miles. Renegade River under George Daly, trained by William Dowling, kept pace early, and moved to the lead as the race progressed. The Renegade River Wins the 2023 Willowdale Steeplechase two were never more than a few lengths apart through the change of direction and going out of spec- tator sight behind the woods. Two other horses went to the start. Kinross Farm’s Great Road slipped and fell on his side turning at a corner marker and lost jockey Eric Poretz. Fat Chance Farm’s Flaming Sword, under jockey Zach Miller was left well behind, trailing by about 35 lengths at the halfway mark of the race and appeared to be out of contention. As the horses came into view from behind the woods for the final time, Flaming Sword was on the move, closing ground and passing Renegade River at the three mile mark, while Monberg Stream tired and left the course. Flaming Sword, trained by Richard Valentine, jumped the final fence side by side with Renegade River, but as they went through the final stretch Renegade River found his speed and moved out again to win by 8 ½ lengths in a time of 7:14 3/5. This was the second Willowdale Timber Stake victory for Renegade River, who was also the winner in 2021. Rose Tree Cup The biggest race on the card by the number of entries was the Rose Tree Cup, a ratings handicap hurdle race at 2 ½ miles for a $20,000 purse that drew twelve entries. Durragh, owned byAshwell Stable LLC and trained by Leslie Young, rallied from well off the pace to win by a ¾ length margin in a time of 4:46 3/5 under jockey Conor Tierney. The earlier leader, Kinross Farm’s Junonia, ducked out and lost rider Sarah Cundith. Maranto Man- or’s Rhebus Road, with Freddie Tett, finished strongly for second. This was a big day for Tierney, who had never raced over hurdles, only timber, before Willowdale. In addition to his win in the Rose Tree (Left photo) Conor Tierny, who won three races at Willowdale, nears the finish on Liam Magee apprentice hurdle winner Booby Trap, trained by Leslie Young. (Right photo) Willowdale Timber Stakes winner Rene- gade River, right, ridden by George Daly is challenged at the finish by second place finisher Flaming Sword. Photos by Marcella Peyre-Ferry Suzanne Lucine, 67, of Riv- erview Park, PA passed away at her residence on Friday, May 5, 2023. She was the wife of Jeffrey A. Koller. They were married on September 23, 2006, and cele- brated sixteen years of marriage. Born in Philadelphia, she was the daughter of Mary Jane (Lawson) Lucine, Kennett Square; and the late Albert A. Lucine, Jr. Suzanne graduated from Kutztown University with a degree in special education. Suzy had more than 35 years of experience as a writer, photog- rapher, editor and video producer in the equine industry. Former editor of The Morgan Horse mag- azine, Suzy Lucine was also a contributor to East Coast Eques- trian. She was the former editor of the Horsemen’s Yankee Pedlar and co-producer of The Morgan Horse Video Review. In 2017 she was the first recip- ient of the Favorite Writer/Show Reporter award, as voted by her peers in the Morgan horse industry. In 2013 she was the first re- cipient of the Mabel Owen Media Award, sponsored by the Amer- ican Morgan Horse Association (AMHA). In 2016, she was inducted into theAMHAHall of Fame, be- coming the first inductee following in the footsteps of both her parents. A former member of several AMHA committees, Lucine also volunteered as the Youth Direc- tor of the Mid-Atlantic Morgan Horse Club and was a long-time member of the Mid-AMorgan Horse Show Committee. Along with her parents and sister, she bred, raised and showed Morgans with their Sugarstone pre- fix. Throughout her junior exhibitor and amateur years, she worked for and showed with several different trainers in the East. In addition to showing her Morgans in the main ring, Lucine also competed in the Large Pony Hunter division and open carriage driving competitions, and fox hunted with her Morgan. Surviving in addition to her husband and mother is one sister: Betty Trostle, West Chester. Suzy Lucine Passes (Continued on page 29)