Genghis rules at Old Dominion
By Betsy Parker
BEN VENUE – Call him a chip of the old block. Literally.In a legitimate case of specialized steeplechase bloodlines, Genghis captured Saturday's featured open timber at Old Dominion, winning the very same race his mother Melantha won 15 years previous.
"That is very unusual. Definitely," exclaimed owner-breeder Sara Collette in the Ben Venue Farm winner's circle. "I don't actually know of another case" of a mare winning a big jump race and her progeny winning the same.
Genghis, ridden by Nick Carter, was reserved off the strong early pace set by Floor Play (Diana Gillam up.) Last time down the backstretch with a half-mile to go, Genghis jumped to the lead, Crypto Cousin (Pat Cooney) closest in tow. At the last, Genghis held a narrow lead but the Virginia-bred drew off for a nearly five-length victory.
Like her son, Virginia-bred by Sara and Bruce Collette of Pageland Farm in Casanova, Melantha has proved to be quite the blue hen. Following her winning career over hurdles and timber, the daughter of Vast Empire turned to a winning as a broodmare: her 1996 foal by Northern Baby, Salmo won the 2007 International Gold Cup. Her 2001 foal, Genghis broke his maiden over timber at Bull Run in '05, and won the foxhunters' at Thornton Hill last fall.
Actually, Genghis' Old Dominion win sets up a case of dueling headlines: in addition to the unusual mother-son storyline, the gelding's victory came at the expense of heavy favorite, 2006 race winner Miles Ahead. The two-time Virginia Gold Cup victor and national champ is sitting on an eight-race win streak (in National Steeplechase Association-sanctioned races.) Miles Ahead, second to Genghis, used the Old Dominion race as a prep for the April 19 Middleburg Hunt Cup and May 3 Virginia Gold Cup, his trainer said.
Winner of more than $700,000 over hurdles, Kinross Farm's stakes star Sur La Tete stretched his muscles in a winning romp Saturday, making easy work of the two-mile open hurdle. Jockey Chris Read kept the 10-year-old veteran in touch with early leader Rosemont Runner (Carter), joining him landing from the last and drawing off for length-and-a-half victory.
Like Miles Ahead, conditioned by Neil Morris, the Middleburg trainer said Sur La Tete would be nominated for the rich Royal Chase at Keeneland April 17. But given that the grade I race is a handicap, Morris said he may opt instead for the three-mile, weight-for-age Iroquois May 10 in Tennessee. "But he got what he needed today," Morris said of the public workout. "He knows what he's here for."
In the day's other races, trainer Richard Valentine of The Plains saddled three winners on the day. Jacqueline Ohrstrom's High Watermark, Diana Gillam, won the ladies timber, with stablemate Tikraar, Calvin McCormack, winning the maiden hurdle. George Hundt rode his Professor Maxwell to win the owner-rider timber, beating a competitive bunch that included foxhunters' timber division leader Royal We (who recently defected to the owner-riders') and Seven Corners series leader Jim Whitner.
Results
Junior field masters chase. Large ponies. 1. Talbotstown, o/Karen Eyles, r/Amelia Eyles; 2. Minuet, o/r Madeleine Lohr.
Horses. 1. My Pal Harold, o/r Marlowe Daly; 2. Willy, o/r Scarlett Lovett.
Novice rider flat. 1 1/2 miles. Time: 2:45 1/5. 1. Delacroix, o/Irv Naylor, r/Darren Nagle; 2. Smart Account, o/Randy Rouse, r/Jake Dunning; 3. Irish Embassy, o/L'Escargot, r/Forest Boyce. 9 started.
Virginia-bred flat. Purse: $2,000. 1 1/4 miles. Time: 2:12 1/5. 1. Run The Light, o/Kinross Farm, r/Chris Read; 2. Slavic's Gold, o/Andrea Russell, r/Forest Boyce; 3. Mighty Valdiar, o/Gary Plant, r/Jason Clayton. 11 started.
Amateur hurdle. 2 miles. Time: 3:44 3/5. 1. Saitensohn, o/Mrs. John O'Keeffe, r/A.P. Smithwick Jr.; 2. Belknap County, o/r Gregg Ryan; 3. Easy Escapade, o/David Benson, r/Jacob Roberts. 7 started.
Ladies timber. 3 miles. Time: 7:17 1/5. 1. High Watermark, o/Jackie Ohrstrom, r/Diana Gillam; 2. Inca Colony, o/Don Yovanovich, r/Molly Forlano.
Maiden hurdle. 2 miles. Time: 3:53 2/5. 1. Tikraar, o/Whitewood Stable, r/Calvin McCormack; 2. Dr. Kinsolving, o/Kinross Farm, r/Chris Read; 3. Liverpool Gloves, o/Kinross Farm, r/Willie Dowling. 7 started.
Owner-rider timber. 3 miles. Time: 7:09 3/5. 1. Professor Maxwell, o/Lucy Stable, r/George Hundt Jr.; 2. Royal We, o/Tad Zimmerman, r/Teddy Zimmerman; 3. Chinese Whisper, o/r Jim Whitner. 4 started.
Foxhunters timber. Walkover. 1. Barter Island, o/r Bryan McDonald.
Open hurdle. 2 miles. Time: 4:01 3/5. 1. Sur La Tete, o/Kinross Farm, r/Chris Read; 2. Rosemont Runner, r/Gary Baker, r/Nick Carter; 3. Bullet Dancer, o/Bruce Smart Jr., r/Liam McVicar. 5 started.
Leeds Don open timber. 3 miles. Time: 7:15 2/5. 1. Genghis, o/Sara Collette, r/Nick Carter; 2. Miles Ahead, o/Kinross Farm, r/Chris Read; 3. Crypto Cousin, o/Prospect Partners, r/Pat Cooney. 6 started.