Horses, hounds and happiness at the Hunt

Great racing, a variety of doggie doings, kids vying for honors in the stick horse races, pony rides, wagon rides, food and libations for all tastes and pocketbooks, vendors with all sorts of wonderful goods, perfect weather. It doesn’t get much better.

And yet, the Genesee Valley Hunt Race Meet organizers are always seeking to broaden the day’s entertainment offerings, adding three new features this year. Champion steeplechase jockey Jody Petty from Maryland led a well-attended course walk around the 1 1/2 mile track, sharing his observations, strategies and expertise with all comers.

In the canine category, a new lure coursing chase drew several entries to run a zig-zag course for dogs of all sizes and flavors that hunt by sight rather than scent.

In the 1/4 mile Small Pony race Bob Lynch’s Chesapeake and Logan Ellis were off to a good start, but were quickly overtaken by Becky Bidlack and her Cindy who held the lead until being overtaken at the wire by Gibson Donnan on her Jasmine.

The 1/2 mile Large Pony race was cancelled because apparently no one was willing to take on perennial winner Spicey and her current owner/rider Gibson Donnan.

The 1 mile Leif Heen Memorial race for riders under 16 years old was a two way race with Leah Kelso and Margaret Kreton’s Regally Blonde leading throughout for the win over Lauralea Glaser and her It’s Duke To You.

The 1 3/4 mile Adult Pace Chase was the first race over fences for the day. Designed as a schooling race for young or inexperienced horses or riders, a pace horse leads the way and must not be passed without being disqualified, as a way to teach horses and riders to maintain a modicum of control rather than just blasting off and running away in the thrill of the moment.

After staying tightly bunched around the 1 1/2 mile course of nine fences, the pace horse moved aside as the three contenders pulled out all the stops for the stretch run. In a reversal of their Schoolhouse Races finish two weeks earlier, this time Gail McGuire’s Wee Highland Star found enough foot under the urging of jockey Janey Barrett to beat out Wendy Sisson on her More Hot Chocolate in a stirring drive to the wire.

An interesting “rest of the story” is that the jockey on the third place finisher Swallow Creek, owned by GVH Master Marion Thorne, is a British soldier who, while serving in Iraq, found a diversion from his stressful circumstances when he discovered the GVH web site with all its wonderful photos, many provided by Bill Gamble, of each hunt outing and local events. Terry Warburton made the effort to find his way here for a bit of hunting and subsequently landed a ride in the race meet.

The 1/3 mile Stock Horse Sprint saw Cara Peters lead all the way to capture her fourth win in as many years on her 13 year old Quarter Horse Ace in a field of twelve contenders. An interesting sidelight here is that Cara, now a junior at Cornell, was wearing the trophy buckle for this race won by Bill Clark of Groveland in 1957, on loan from Bill, who is a family friend of Cara’s boyfriend.
Justin Peck rode his father David’s Jasmine Leo Jet to second with Dan and Nancy Mulvaney’s Dance With Dolly coming home third with Steve French in the irons.

The $10,000.00 Martha S. Wadsworth Memorial race of 16 fences over 3 miles for non-winners over timber gave the big boys from afar their first chance to take our money. The winner, Long Ball Stable’s Propectors Strike and Justin Batoff took the lead after Big Bad Joe jumped his rider off at the third fence. Keystone Thoroughbreds’ Martinicus Rock was brought home in second by Todd McKenna, and Sara Collette’s Genghis finished third in the field of five with Nick Carter aboard.

The 2 1/4 mile Cross Country Plate turf race (no jumps) was a real study in contrast as William Meister’s Archer’s Bow cruised home with pilot Jake Chalsin a veritable country mile ahead of casually attired Ed Schatzel on his Road Race, the only other entry.
In the 1/2 mile Heavy Horse race, John Barrett and Star overtook Lauren Berner and Cornerstone Farm’s Diamond in the stretch, with Jeanne Young and her Lincoln’s Matchless lumbering home for third.

In the $25,000 feature race of the day, Augustin Stables’ Irish Prince lead throughout over the 3 mile course over 19 fences in the capable hands of Jody Petty. Lucy Goelet’s Twill Do with Jake Chalfin and Irvin Naylor’s Hot Springs with William Dowling were nip and tuck for two circuits of the course before Dowling came unstuck at fence #14 and Chalfin was left to find his way home unopposed for second place.

The new Polo Pony race saw nine entries travel a 3/8 mile zig-zag course with a stretch run where the winner was the first to hit a polo ball over the finish line. First place went to Hayden Walsh on Treacle, followed by Kasandra Wohschlegal on Rob Donnan’s Sam and Jimmy Perry on Rob Donnan’s Sluggo.

Twelve horses made their way to the start of the $1,000 one mile turf race. Indian Run Farm’s Lear Heights with Nick Carter lead from the start to win by eight lengths, with Chris Progno’s Rollicking Vista, ridden by Lisa Reed, beating out Bill Bartlett’s Gumpson, ridden by Jen Bartlett ,for second.

The final race of the day provided a win for the Keystone Thoroughbred syndicate’s Meet At Eleven, of which Geneseo’s Sally Wood is a shareholder, with Todd McKenna holding the reins. Nick Carter brought Donna Rogers’ Big Breeze safely home in second, with Mt. Morris’s Jim Watrous and Cavanobles holding on for third.

More horse news in our Oct. 15 print edition. Click on a thumbnail below to launch a slideshow of images by Larry Tetamore. If you recognize everyone in the photo and want to write a caption, please do so using the comment field at the bottom of the page.