Foxfield is my absolute favorite day of the year, even more so than Christmas. Like the holidays my entire family and our friends all congregate to eat, drink and make merry. But unlike Christmas no one holds it against you if you have a little to much to drink, heck it‘s expected! So long as you can still shake hands and say “how do you do” with out falling off your kitten heels nobody really minds. And if they do, it’s forgotten by the time you get to the after party and someone else is drunk enough to go skinny dipping in the Koi pond.
Foxfield has always been a family affair and I guess you could even say Steeplechasing is in my blood. My dad was friends with the course designer and helped build the original hurdle course. My Grandmother owned a rather lack luster Steeplechaser that won it’s only race at Foxfield. My late Grandfather used to be the Timer for the races and my father has since stepped up to fill the post.
But the best part about going to the races was when Grandma “Posy” would pull out her wallet and hand it to me with the condition that I was the bookie for the day. I’d set up shop in the back of her old red “Woody” Jeep Grand Wagoner and take bets from our neighboring tailgates. For a dollar you could have your pick of a horse. It’s amazing how heady it is winning eleven dollars when you’re eight years old. Of course being 21 and hitting a trifecta (where you pick the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place horses to cross the finish in a single race), and winning $1,154.78 off a six dollar bet at the Saratoga Summer meet in New York sealed my fate and I have been an avid handicapper ever since.
So fellow Cvillians, as your resident “horse expert” I am here to share my knowledge and give you the edge for your own Foxfield tailgate this weekend. Whether it’s dollar bets on each horse or something else entirely (go ahead, be creative…), I’m here to decode the Foxfield program and shed some light who’s hot and who’s not.
First Race-
CUSE, MAGIC MAKER, NEVER FEAR
CUSE is the horse to beat in this race. He has been in the top three finishers every time out this year. MAGIC MAKER should be up close as well. NEVER FEAR could make a bid His regular jockey Matt McCarron is on another horse but Danielle Hodsdon is up for the ride and is Matt’s girlfriend so she should have gotten a tip or two on how to ride this horse. If it rains take a look at SOCIETY MILLINER. This offspring of Irish stallion Sadler’s Wells will like the soft ground.
Second Race-
KILBRIDE RD, CLASS BOP, SKY BLASTER
If KILBRIDE RD can handle the long up hill run to the finish he should hands down be the winner for this race. Look for CLASS BOP to be a threat. This horse has only managed a 4th place finish so far this year but trainer Lilith Boucher does a great job of picking the right race for her horses. I hit quite a few 20-1 bets at Colonial Downs last summer off her horses. This could prove to be just such an occasion. SKY BLASTER finishes my trifecta. He has never raced but is out of Clever Turk who has produced some nice Steeplechasers.
Third Race-
BARZULU, ROCHESTER, HIGH WATERMARK
If you want to know what Steeplechasing is all about be sure to watch this race. The Field is made up of half really nice horses and half that have no business running over Timber( These are the big jumps folks. Four feet high and made out of telephone poles nailed together). Foxfield is known for it’s big timber jumps so I would not be surprised if there is some major carnage in this race.
With that said, BARZULU should be the winner. Though they don’t have timber racing in Ireland jockey Paddy Young took to it like a fish to water. This is the pair to beat. ROCHESTER has won his only race of the year and should be a threat if he can handle the bigger jumps. HIGH WATERMARK makes a jump up in class but is a good bet for third. UDEMAN, SOUTH MONARCH, and BENIFICIAL MAN are all worth a look in the paddock if it rains.
Fourth Race-
INCA COLONY, SOUND BLASTER, HUMDINGER
INCA COLONY may not have the speed for the hurdles as she has been running over timber which is usually a longer slower race. However, most hurdle races are not usually 3 miles long. For that reason look for INCA COLONY to hold a steady pace at the back of the race and make a run last time down the stretch and overtake the others as they tire. SOUND BLASTER is making a big drop down in class of race but has never done the distance. HUMDINGER should hold on for third.
Fifth Race-
CLASS SHADOW, JELLYBERRY, WORLD AWAY
This should be a close race. CLASS SHADOW and JELLYBERRY should be evenly matched with CLASS SHADOW the eventual winner. WORLD AWAY should be up as well. If it rains make sure to take a look at ANALYZE in the paddock as this horse has done well on soft tracks.
Sixth Race-
REIGING COUNT, GLIDE KING, BACK IN THE DAY
REIGING COUNT has been 2nd the last three times out and is still looking for his first win. Saturday should finally be his day as he doesn’t mind the soft ground. GLIDE KING should be second if we don’t get to much rain with BACK IN THE DAY up for third.
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Tagged as: bets, betting, foxfield, odds, races, secret, win
UNDERAGE DRINKER!!!!
Oh, now Thor. I’m sure her mummy and daddy would just like to be sure that little Madison has a good nap, at some point in the afternoon. They really should cut back on the limes in her G&T, though. She’s rockin’ the sourpuss face.
Ahhh… I love old photos… everyone looks so young!!!
/too much?
Whaa? Are those the real horse names or are you just making shit up?
My favorite racing horse name? Hoove Hearted.
/say it out loud…
Thank you for your picks. If I win any money using your advice, I will donate it to the “get Parlie out of jail” fund.
Rock Hard Ten ran in the 2004 Kentucky Derby
speaking of horses names
@6 I thought parlie was in the basement? I keep telling you people to not loosen his restraints! See what happens? Sigh. Collection for parlie. Usual donation sites.
/should really apply for nonprofit status.
@7 “Rock Hard Ten” ain’t just a name.
Where in the hell have you been W8? We had a whole penis thread and you never showed up!
@5 Hoof Hearted?
Hoof Hearted? Is the joke that it sounds like “Half Hearted”? Or “Hoo Farted”?
@6: buttah– buttahdoowannagoothajjaayhl
parlie, does your drinking platform have a “honk and we’ll drink” sign up
~curious in the black scion
Not even kidding I once saw a horse run named Sponge Bob Horse Pants. Another named Warm Cookie would have to be my second favorite.
Oh, and how could I forget…there was another called dothebucket
@14: no, but we probably will anyway. plus i live by myself so it’s really easy to convince all the roommates to do something.
what is this thread about?
Drove past a house with a buncha folks out drinkin beers on the porch. They had a sign up that said “honk and we’ll drink”, so of course we honked. They drank. So the youngest yo said we should loop around the block, park across the street and honk every minute or so and get them slathered, as it was his opinion that they had not thought their cunning plan all the way through. So of course we did. Took them a good five minutes to catch on to us, and when they did, everyone on the porch stood, saluted the car full of yo’s and finished their entire drinks. We yo’s, we do what we can.
/this thread is about either love, or pandas… I always get them mixed up.
Is that why you are banned from Richmond Zoo?
Side note on Richmond! I went there last night and I had tater tots in a bucket and sushi…in one place…plus I watched the Avs game. It was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! And here I just thought Richmond was scary.
Sorry I got side tracked.
@ 18 - was this house on fontaine avenue, by any chance?
@ 20 just came up with the most disgusting culture-synthesis-meal to date: tater tot sushi bucket.
it comes in a bucket.
Parlie and Tuesday… have you never been hooked up with White-Trash Japanese Fusion before? Good Lord if you haven’t tried Dinty Moore Beef Stew California Rolls or Food Lion Fried Chicken Sashimi you have missed so much. The best place for it is The Karate Kid Corral… I believe the signature dish is Beef Jerky Tempura with steamed corn dogs on a bed of Edamame and Uncle Ben’s 90 second Microwave Rice, served with a warm shot of Minute Maid Fruit Punch (97.9ºFº of course)
Molecular gastronomy?… who needs it.
@22-Only the tater tots were in a bucket! The place was eclectic and amazing. I fell for it hard. Your visual combination though is beyond unpleasant— yet, does not even begin to compare to Floozy’s.
@23 Those combinations hurt my insides. I am just not sure I am that daring—or careless, whichever way it could be viewed.
Reminds me of that time I had an idea for a new website. I would post photos and people would decide what they thought: tot or not dot com.
Sticky Rice (I am assuming is where you are talking about) in the RIC is alot of fun!
gossip girl, i took your advice and lost $5. harrumph.
does rule number 34 apply @25?
this internet is confusing.
“Foxfield has always been a family affair…”
I guess this thread is probably already dead, but I couldn’t pass this up — I thought Foxfield was always a alcoholic mess, strewn with litter and abnoxious frat/sorority kids. It’s pretty much the last place in C’ville I’d want to take my kids. I rode my bike past there today, it looked like a bomb had gone off, followed by a riot. How does that much trash get thrown around?