(The first race takes the jump in front of the Big Ten Tent at University Row. Photo Socotra)
I was sitting next to K2 on the bus going out to Great Meadow for the Virginia Gold Cup. He has just returned from five weeks in Ukraine on behalf of the US Government, and he took the opportunity to give me a slide show presentation on the journey on his smart phone. The narrative was a little disjointed based on the decibels being pumped out of the sound system, which to the degree I could understand it, was current rap.
Our bus driver was slightly challenged, and directed her vehicle and charges toward the on-ramp to the District, which to my understanding is the diametric opposite to the proper way to get to The Plains on the other side of the Thoroughfare Gap.
We navigated around Arlington for a while, but Stacy, as we were informed her name was, eventually got us onto the interstate and headed west. The representative from University Row read us the obligatory administrative notes- that the buses would be gone by six-thirty and if you were not on one, you would have to find your own way to get home.
Then Stacy took the mike, to tell us sternly not to defecate in the rest room at the back of the bus. Or urinate.
“I didn’t drive this event last year, but two years ago the pee ran down the aisle and got all the way to me. That should mean something to the ladies in sandals.” The passengers gave off a collective “eye-ough” and then the music came up and K2 and I went back to talking about crystal production in the once and former Russian republic.
I won’t bother you with an account of the rest of the bus trip- there were another couple hiccoughs on the two-lane road to the event center, but nothing that was not solved admirably with a cold beverage upon arrival. The food was pedestrian but satisfying, and there was plenty of it to soak up the products dispensed by the open bars scattered around the University Row compound on the rail.
The First Race went off after the Jack Russell terrier steeplechase, which was conducted over on the Hill near the owner’s boxes. That is the perennial favorite, since the crowd is still relatively sober- there are about a hundred thousand fashionistas and much smaller cadre of horse racing fans in attendance around the rails to the emerald-sodded course.
The Rutherford Chase had a purse $25,000. The crowd was engaged in the action. It was 2 1/8 miles over National Fences. Jon-without got a round of drinks from the open bar and we moseyed over to the rail to watch. The knot of horses and riders approaching was exciting, and the crowd stood amazed at the power of the animals and grace of the riders as they cleared the jump and thundered off toward the turn to the home stretch.
The turf was soft, and Share Out with Ross Geraghty aboard ran off the pace in a tightly grouped field. He was still last as they thundered to the jump immediately in front of the t the stretch, but made a winning move and jumped the last with Mr. Starr’s Report. Share Out’s winning time was clocked at 5:20 3/5.
Second Race was the $25,000 Infinitive Steeplethon- 3 miles over the course’s dozen jumps and water. Saluda Sam with rider Willie McCarthy made won easily. This was his second win in the steeplethon, and the start of an excellent day for him.
Saluda ran the course in 6:18 and opened a four-length lead at the finish.
Saluda Sam with Paddy Young riding won the Third, the Hogan Lovells Cup, and then the crowd tensed for the fourth race, the Virginia Cup.
Actually, I am not sure anyone noticed. The first people who needed to take a little nap on the soft green grass were starting to go down, and I was thinking that an early bus back to Arlington might be a splendid idea. Jon suggested another drink might be the better answer, and I agreed to explore the idea with him.
The Fourth Race was the granddaddy of the series: the Virginia Cup. The purse was $75,000, and Willie McCarthy aboard Hot Rize took it. He had a great day, and so did the crowd. Willie kept Hot Rize near the rear of the field until the backside on the final time around the course. At this point, he launched a rally that propelled him close to leader Organisateur. Willie guided Hot Rize to catch the leader at the last fence and won in a thrilling stretch duel, winning by less than a length at the finish.
We took a break from the Row compound and wandered out to look at the other tents. We found my law firm’s enclosure and I took advantage of seeing my attorney to ask a non-billable legal question that probably would have cost me more than the ticket to the races, so it basically paid for itself.
Satisfied, we strolled back to the compound and got a traveler for the bus ride back to town. We wanted to make it back in time to catch the Kentucky Derby at Willow, and called ahead to let Old Jim and Chanteuse Mary know when the pack would be arriving.
We made it before the post, to universal relief. Sammy got a selfie of us as we hit the door, and Brett took good care of us once we were seated at the bar with a good view of the flat-screen. We had just enough to drink to cheer American Pharaoh on to victory in the 141st running of the Derby with jockey Victor Espinoza in the saddle. He won it in 2:03.02.
It was the fourth Derby win for American Pharaoh’s trainer, Bob Baffert, and the third Derby win for Espinoza, who won it for the second year in a row.
Race over, we recounted the events of the day. Mary and Jim were up for more, but I decided against one for the road, since there had been plenty of road already, and made my farewells. I stepped out into the lovely evening, straightened my straw hat and marched off toward home.
A great day, and a marvelous time was had by all. I think we may rent a party bus to attend the Fall International Cup that completes the racing season. We may want to use the restroom on the bus.
Copyright 2015 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: @jayare303
Race results courtesy Will and Kathleen O’Keefe, who were actually watching the ponies run.
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