Inaugural running of the Jonathan Sheppard Stakes

Let’s stand aside from the act of prediction and gambling for one recollection of a happy summer outing after (or during) a long enforced respite due to the Black Swan for the Ages known as COVID-19. Last month my brother and I took a short vacation and got up to Saratoga to see the ponies run. It was nice of course to be out and about. The track has the feel of an old county fair - and people-watching was as fun as horse-playing. The first race was a steeplechase, in fact it was the first running of the Jonathan Sheppard Stakes. Sheppard has just semi-retired to England and Ireland, but for many years he was THE MAN as far as US steeplechases go, so he deserves to have a Stakes named in his honor. It was something to watch. The crowd in the stands had a tangible anxiousness as the horses thundered toward the hurdles near the grandstands twice in the 2 3/8th miler. A great roar – and applause – when the horses successfully vaulted the artificial hedging. Baltimore Bucko led from the start until ... he tired and came under pressure and just made the final fence at which point favored Mean Queen on the outside shook clear of the field to win. [A very sad addenda: Baltimore Bucko failed a jump and was destroyed in the next out.] We passed on this event (what do we know about hurdling?) but succeed coupling Mean Queen in the Daily Double. Won enough to call it good fun. Included is the clubhouse view. And a beautiful young horse that I think goes by the name of Miss Domina that ran successfully later in the day. She was being schooled with no markings at time picture taken in paddock.