2022 Maryland Hunt Cup

[Flatterer]

The Maryland Hunt Cup will run Saturday near Glyndon, MD at 4:00pm over 22 post and rail fences ranging in height from 2 feet 11 inches to 4 feet 10 inches for 4 miles.

In 2021, Vintage Vinnie won by 112 lengths (the race chart has 96 lengths) in track record time of 8:22:3/5, lowering the course record by 3 seconds. In addition, 8 of the 9 starters finished the race, the most since 1999. In his win Vintage Vinnie kicked off the top rail on 3 fences and took out the top 2 rails on the 4 foot 10 inch 16th fence.

Here is a link to the 2021 Vintage Vinnie Hunt Cup win.

2021 Maryland Hunt Cup - Maryland Hunt Cup on Vimeo (vimeopro.com)
https://vimeopro.com/nsafilms/2021-maryland-hunt-cup

The race committee was embarrassed by this result and in their opinion, The Maryland Hunt Cup was no longer the most challenging race over post and rail fences in North America. The top rail of the fences and the supporting posts were soft, allowing runners to kick the post and rails out of the way instead of clearly jumping over the fence.

For 2022, all the fences were inspected, weak posts replaced and the top rail was “buttoned down” so the top rail is solid new timber, secure so it cannot be easily kicked out of the way. The runner that jumps well at every fence will win the race.

Experience is the key to success in The Maryland Hunt Cup. Past winners have run in The Maryland Hunt Cup before and finished at least 1st 2nd or 3rd in a prep race at My Lady’s Manor or Grand National. 5 of 8 runners have competed in the past, #2 Sideling Hill, #3 Vintage Vinnie, #4 Le Chevalier, #5 Rocket Red Star, #8 Preseli Rock. All the runners competed at My Lady’s Manor or Grand National with only 3 of the runners finishing in the top 3, #1 Goodoldtimes, #3 Vintage Vinnie, #5 Rocket Star Red, all in separate races.

Trainer Joe Davies is the most successful trainer over the last 10 years in this race and he sends out #3 Vintage Vinnie, #6 Pocket Talk, #7 Blackhall. Joe’s son Ted rides #3 Vintage Vinnie for the 2nd time after winning an allowance at My Lady’s Manor by ½ a length. #3 Vintage Vinnie was out of gas at the end of 3 miles and barely held off 2 strong closers, giving up a 5 length lead 100 yards from the wire. #6 Pocket Talk likes to run on the front end and will attend the early pace with #3 Vintage Vinnie but #6 Pocket Talk will fade after 3 miles. #7 Blackhall is a maiden over timber but still ran a respectable 4th at Grand National losing by 3 ½ lengths and gets 3 time Maryland Hunt Cup winning jockey Eric Poretz of Senior Senator fame.

#4 Le Chevalier has jockey McLane Hendriks in the irons in his 3rd Maryland Hunt Cup attempt. McLane fell in his previous 2 attempts. He was in front and fell at the 2nd to last fence 5 years ago and fell leading the group tracking #3 Vintage Vinnie last year 4 fences from home. McLane is a successful stakes winning trainer and says he will retire as a timber jockey after he wins The Maryland Hunt Cup. Best of luck McLane!

#3 Vintage Vinnie is the horse to beat but the “buttoned down” fences will pose a serious challenge for #3 Vintage Vinnie to repeat.

The “buttoned down” fences will result in at least 2 and maybe 3 fallers.

Here is my projected order of finish:

3-8-1-4-5-7-6-2

Good Luck at the races!

[Flatterer]

#3 Vintage Vinnie did it again winning by 62 ½ lengths in course record time of 8:15, lowering his time by over 7 seconds compared to last year. #3 Vintage Vinnie went to the front and never looked back, easily clearing every fence. Jockey Teddy Davies earned his 1st Maryland Hunt Cup win in his 1st Maryland Hunt Cup race.

#5 Rocket Star Red was 2nd with #1 Goodoldtimes 3rd and #4 Le Chevalier 4th. There were 3 fallers, #6 Pocket Talk, #2 Sideling Hill and #8 Preseli Rock. Jockey McLane Hendriks on #4 Le Chevalier said something didn’t feel right after the 19th fence and just nursed #4 Le Chevalier to the wire in what was Le Chevalier’s last career race.