NSA gets wager host for Far Hills Jump Championships 10/17
 

WOODBINE TO HOST POOLS ON U.S. STEEPLECHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS (FAR HILLS)

FAIR HILL, MD., 10-08-09---Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) has entered into an agreement with the National Steeplechase Association (NSA) to host the pari-mutuel pools on the six hurdle races from the Far Hills Race Meeting that will comprise the inaugural U.S. Steeplechase Championships on October 17. The six events being conducted in Far Hills, New Jersey, will be combined with five races from the International Gold Cup in The Plains, Virginia, to form the first- ever Championship Day and will be featured on a live five-hour broadcast by NBC Universal Sports and on www.universalsports.com.

Races on the Far Hills card will be broadcast internationally in the United Kingdom and Ireland on the dedicated horseracing channel “At The Races”. Simulcast coverage will also extend the European audience with Satellite Information Services distribution into off-track betting outlets in Germany, as well as the UK and Ireland.

America’s top jumpers will compete in an all-stakes, six-race card for $550,000 in prize money. Highlight of the U.S. Steeplechase Championships will be the Grade I American Grand National, the nation’s premier race, for a $250,000 purse over 14 fences. Far Hills Racecourse, which hosts the USA’s most prestigious steeplechase races and annually draws over 50,000 spectators, is the perfect autumn setting for Championship Day. The race program will attract the very best jumping horses in training and includes prospective champions in several National Steeplechase Association divisions, from Three-Year-Olds to Novices to Open horses.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Woodbine Entertainment Group, one of the premier racing organizations in the world,” said Lou Raffetto, NSA chief executive officer. “We are excited to have the opportunity to not only showcase steeplechase racing on national television, but also to offer wagering at many locations around the globe where steeplechasing is extremely popular.”

The following is the schedule for U.S. Championship Day (all times EDT):

12:50 pm Peapack (Filly & Mare Hurdle Stakes) 2m1f (turf) $ 50,000
1:30 pm Harry E. Harris (Maiden Hurdle Stakes) 2m1f (turf) $ 50,000
2:15 pm Appleton (Restricted Hurdle Stakes) 2m1f (turf) $ 50,000
3:00 pm Foxbrook (Novice Hurdle Stakes) 2m4f (turf) $100,000
3:55 pm Grand National (Gr. I Hurdle Stakes) 2m5f (turf) $250,000
4:40 pm Gladstone (Three-Year-Old Hurdle Stakes) 2m1f (turf) $ 50,000

ADW's?

Sounds dandy, but my cable system doesn't carry that channel.

I'm pumped!

It is kinda amusing that the jumpers can work out a deal to get tv coverage, however obscure, yet most of the great races from the last month have had no coverage outside of TVG and/or HRTV

This will be a great day for 'chasing in America and racing in general. Always good to give the racing enthusiast an alternative and while 'chasing may be obscure, hopefully more racing fans will get "bit by the bug" and will be drawn into the jumping game.

My biggest hope is that the NSA will take this opportunity to build and continue to promote the game at established tracks and to provide viewing/betting via TV or web-streaming at the weekend fair-type meetings.

I'm particularly excited because my avatar/half-owned, Dictina's Boy, is entered in the Appleton and the Foxwood. It'll be Mr. Voss' decision which race it will be, but I'm hoping for the Foxwood. Either way, I'm thrilled just to be a part of the inaugural U.S. Steeplechase Championships.

good luck to you!

Thanks. Fingers crossed, as always.

Its an awesome party.. Seriously if the weather is good it doesnt get better

I had a swell time at the Montpelier Hunt Races last year outside of Charlottesville, VA - I was really bummed they are scheduled the same day as BC this year. http://www.montpelierraces.com/

Good luck!

Been in a bit of a internet void for a few days. Thanks for your best wishes. We're in the Appleton (3rd race). It'll be a tough race for us, fingers crossed as always.

The Montpelier meet is great fun and is one of the few NSA racecourses that have a natural brush fence course.

Unfortunately, the weather for Saturday is going to be cold and rainy - typical steeplechasing day if you're in the UK or Ireland. If any other DTer will attend, give me a shout and I'll try to meet up.

Good luck and a safe trip

Steppenwolfer is a lock!

Well, I'll be darned. How many times does a horse finish in the money in the Derby and then go out and try steeplechasing? Pretty cool.

As of now it looks to be a slopfest weatherwise.

As someone advising me on whether they'd be holding the races at Glenwood once told me: "the horses don't melt, and neither do we."

Many thanks, I think we'll be competive, but will be thrilled with a clear round.

It's great to see a horse of this calibur make the switch to the jumping game. I'm surprised it isn't done more often. Looks like 'chasing has converted one upper level flat trainer, as Ken McPeek has a horse in this race and will campaigning a small string on the circuit.

Hoping the weather has kind of blow through/missed most of Far Hills. AccuWeather.com shows only .29in of rain in the last 24 hrs. I know the forcast is for more, but I'm hoping for no worse than good ground for race day.

You can blame it on the Breeders Cup

Well, we had a great day on Saturday. Fortunately, the rain stopped about 45 minutes before the first race, which made things a little more manageable, but the place was still a muddy mess.

Dictina's Boy came home an easy 7 1/4 length winner. It came as a bit of a surprise, since he has never really gone well on soft ground. Despite what the chart says, it was definately on the softish-side of good. His jumping was excellent and Xavier Aixpuru gave him a fantastic ride.

Otherwise, attendence was a little off (35,000), but the worst part of the day was the NJ Racing Commission putting the kibosh on wagering via simulcast/AWDs. It is something that the NSA is going to have to workout for the future. This was an excellent card to bet with a lot of non-preferred horses winning, including ours. I'm sure we would have been in double-digits, which would have made our day a little more profitable.

Congrats!! :tro:

Congrats!