Culture

To much of the world, Maryland’s signature creations stop shortly thereafter. Nowadays, though, the ellipses extend to world-class steeplechase participants. The leaders in American steeplechase racing live, work, and play in Maryland, the same way computer designers call Cupertino home.

The Free State includes: the National Steeplechase Association headquarters (Fair Hill in Cecil County), the oldest official race (Maryland Hunt Cup in Glyndon), a five-time champion trainer (Jack Fisher), a four-time champion trainer (Tom Voss), a two-time champion horse (Good Night Shirt), and more.

American steeplechasing—which is, simply, Thoroughbred racing over jumps—occurs in 12 states, but pulses with life in Maryland, thanks to a collection of race meets and horsemen in Baltimore, Harford, Cecil, and other counties.

At the root level, the sport counts on its horsemen and horses to thrive. Based on farms, trainers condition Thoroughbreds—most of them former flat racers—to jump and to extend their speed over the two to four miles of steeplechase races.

Fisher and Voss may as well be Federer and Nadal. The two friends (Fisher used to work for Voss) have combined to win nine of the last 13 NSA trainer championships (Voss in 1997 and 2000-02, Fisher in 2003, 2004, and 2007-09). The Monkton neighbors finished 1-2 in 2008 and 2009, with the championship race coming down to the season’s final day.

Beyond the top two, the state’s horse country boasts steeplechase operations of all sizes, including the Green Spring Valley base of owner Irv Naylor. The York, Pennsylvania, resident placed second in the NSA owner standings in 2009, with the bulk of the success coming via private trainer Desmond Fogarty. New Jersey resident Betty Merck, whose horses are based with Voss, edged Naylor for the owner title, giving Maryland another 1-2 sweep.

Fisher hit home runs in 2007 and 2008 with Good Night Shirt, who took the prestigious Eclipse Award as champion steeplechaser. Born in Maryland (naturally), the chestnut reached the No. 2 spot on the career-earnings list in 2009. Voss unveiled newcomers Left Unsaid (the novice champion) and Your Sum Man (who won the year’s richest race) during 2009. Overall, six of the year’s top 10 horses called Maryland home.

The horses compete in Maryland, too. The season starts with point-to-points (non-NSA races) at Howard County, Green Spring Valley, Elkridge-Harford, and Marlborough in March and April. The Big Three NSA races include My Lady’s Manor (celebrating its 100th running this year in Monkton), the Grand National (celebrating its 108th running in Butler), and the Maryland Hunt Cup (now in its 114th year in Glyndon) on the final three Saturdays in April.

The timber classics have been around for generations and are rites of spring for both horses and people. May brings the Potomac Hunt Races on Preakness Sunday, just in case you didn’t get enough of horses, and the Fair Hill Races on Memorial Day Weekend.

Like all good things, Maryland’s steeplechase success occurs for a reason. Good luck putting a finger on it, though. Other states have as much farmland. Some certainly have better climates. A few (like Virginia) might even have more steeplechase races.

History holds part of the key, for sure, but no area brings it all together like Maryland.

“Our race meets and people such as Jack and Tom are successful because they stem from a long and beloved tradition of horses and horse sports,” says steeplechase author/historian (and Marylander) Margaret Worrall.

“Marylanders are involved because they love what they do, but they also understand that horses are a lot of hard work, that winning horses are a science as well as an art, and that the harder they work, the luckier they get.”

2010 Maryland Steeplechase Governor's Cup Series

Saturday, March 27: Green Spring Valley Point-to-Point Races

Saturday, April 3: Elkridge-Harford Point-to-Point Races

Saturday, April 10: My Lady's Manor

Sunday, April 11: Marlborough Hunt Races

Saturday, April 17: Grand National Steeplechase

Saturday, April 24: Maryland Hunt Cup

Sunday, April 25: Maryland Junior Hunt Cup

Saturday, May 1: Howard County-Iron Bridge Race Meet

Sunday, May 16: Potomac Hunt Races

Friday, June 4: 2010 Awards Reception

*Foxhall Farm Trophy Team Chase [Postponed until 2011]