Beecher Rides Three to Wins at the Green Spring Valley Hounds Pt-to-Pt
Story reprinted from The Equiery
The Green Spring Valley Point-to-Point on March 28 took place on a very cold (and snowy!) Saturday afternoon at Shawan Downs in Cockeysville. Despite the cold temperatures and wind, the race card was full throughout the day. Mark Beecher rode three to wins starting with Terko Service in the Worthington Bowl Heavyweight Timber for owner Frank Bonsal, Jr. and trainer Ann Stewart. Major Malibu and Justin Batoff lead through much of the race with Beecher pushing Terko Service to the lead in the final stretch, winning by a head.
(Photo to the right: Terko Service and Mark Beecher winning the Amateur Heavyweight Timber for owner Frank Bonsal, Jr. and trainer Ann Stewart © Bob Keller)
In the very next race, the Green Spring Valley Hunt Cup Frank A. Bonsal Memorial Open Timber, Beecher teamed up with trainer William Dowling to ride Mrs. Jack Griswold’s Durer to win in a photo finish in front of Connor Hankin riding Merriefield Farm’s Foyle, trained by H. Bruce Fenwick.
Beecher’s last win of the day was for owner Irvin Naylor and trainer Kevin Tobin. Beecher rode Tubal in the first division of the Stoneworth Farm Training Flat to win by a half a length. Naylor also owns Top Man Michael, who won the second division of the Training Flat with Carol-Ann Sloan in the irons for trainer Cyril Murphy.
The Daniel Baugh Brewster Memorial Novice Timber was won by De Chera, owned and trained by H. Bruce Fenwick. Christopher Read rode the gelding to an early lead and won by 3/16 of a mile.
McLane Hendriks rode Wantan to win the Amateur Flat for trainer Ricky Hendriks and owner Rosbrian Farm. He beat out a field of 12 to win by 4 1/2 lengths.
In the Grace Miller Whedbee Memorial Senior Field Masters Chase, Brett Owings urged Church Music to the lead right at the wire to beat out Aaron Davis on Ray de Light by 3/4 of a length. Church Music is owned by J.W.Y. Martin, Jr. and trained by Suzie Owings. Catherine Frederick rode her own Arin’s Myst to fourth place overall but first among non-Thoroughbreds in the race.
In the pony races, it was Teddy Davies and Hickory who impressively won the Small Pony Flat race by 25 lengths, taking the lead at the start and crossing the finish first. Davies is the pony’s owner and is trained by Ashton Williams. Colin Smith rode his own Bailey to win the second Small Pony Flat race for trainer Mimi Schmitz. He and Bailey also lead from start to finish. Elizabeth Norris has taken over the irons for EHM Stables aboard Count Chocula and won the Medium Pony Flat race for trainer Betty McCue. Heidi Herzog rode Erin Swope’s Jordan to win the Large Pony Flat Race for trainer Brenda Herzog.
All the ponies rode together in the Stuart S. Janney, Jr. Memorial Jr. Field Masters Chase with Taylor Leatherman and Splash (owned by Taylor and trained by Faith Leatherman) winning both the Medium Pony division and the race overall. Alma Nicholson rode Buddy (owned by Nicholson, trained by Kerry Morton) to finish second overall and win the Large Pony group. Non of the Small Ponies finished the race.
Mint Meadows Farm and the Suzanne Stettinius trained teams dominated the Horse division of the Jr. Field Masters Chase with Charlie Mourier taking the win riding Extreme Warrior.
For full results from the GSVH Pt-to-Pt, click here. Next up on the Maryland Spring Steeplechase circuit is Elkridge Harford this Saturday in Monkton. For more information, click here.