Jump rider Archie Macauley and partner Jessica Berry knew that American steeplechase racing needed a shot in the arm. Their grand plan has taken shape to build up to a fabulous race card on March 5, carving a racecourse out of a Florida field where none existed before and piecing together entertainment to carry what might be the most exciting opportunity on the circuit.
They're bringing steeplechase to the Horse Capital of the World, a natural hook-up between one of the world's most popular horse sports with what's trademarked as the center of the equine sporting universe.
The surprising thing, say organizers of the Florida Steeplechase, is that jump racing hadn't stopped in at Ocala before.
The March 5 meet, running this year as a point-to-point with “preliminary sanction” and advisory support from the National Steeplechase Association, is a hopeful sign of expansion to kick off the 2022 season.
“Ocala is such a horse-friendly town,” says race co-founder and co-chair Macauley. “There's absolutely no reason steeplechasing can't take hold here.”
The amateur steeplechase jockey, bloodstock agent and lifelong horseman conceived the Florida Steeplechase with the help of Berry, his partner in Clarity Thoroughbreds sales agency and an international Thoroughbred horsewoman in her own right. The pair ran with a general notion to expand jump racing opportunities they had a couple years ago, marrying it with a hard-to-refuse offer from the well-regarded Florida Horse Park to host the fledgling meet.
The Florida Steeplechase came together rather abruptly starting in November, “after two years of thinking about it,” Macauley says. Covid had put the project on hold, but as sporting events began to open back up to spectators last summer, they saw an opportunity.
Saturday, the dream becomes reality.
The last steeplechase run in Florida was Little Everglades, which started as an NSA-assisted point-to-point in 2000 and ran with, and without, sanctioning until 2009. There was the short-lived Palm Beach Steeplechase and jump races at Tampa Bay Downs, but never in Ocala.
“We stand behind the meet and will support it in any way we can to create an exciting new event opportunity,” NSA president Al Griffin said in a release. “The goal is to make it part of the calendar in 2023 as a properly sanctioned meet. For now, it's a nice opportunity for trainers and owners to school younger horses and for us to check out the facility.”
Macauley says they've gotten encouragement and support from the association and the entire industry from the start. Shipper Brian Hogan agreed to transport a set of the NSA's national fences down, and Hogan horse vans will ship most of the horses from Camden the six hours south to Ocala.
Brown Advisory's Mike Hankin and steeplechase owner Tom Collins jumped in as early sponsors.
“Everybody's been very supportive,” Berry says.
The partners believe the time is right. “The Horse Park had the first weekend in March available,” Berry adds. “We knew it was ambitious to put this together in essentially three months, but it's a great date at the start of the (NSA) season.
“Plus, it's still in the winter season of other equestrian disciplines in Ocala, plus, it's right before the 2-year-old training sale.”
They're both excited for Saturday, a little relieved the planning process is almost over – for now, anyway. When asked about their duties on race day, Berry and Macauley answer almost simultaneously. “Putting out fires.”
The Course, Of Course
The Florida Steeplechase course – fully-irrigated, 1 1/16th-mile, left-handed – counts for “slightly rolling” by Florida standards, Macauley says, with a slight incline on the final turn. It's otherwise level, across forgiving, well-drained sandy soil. The course was overseeded with annual rye, refreshing the mature turf on what's the Horse Park's main cross-country field.
The Florida Horse Park maintenance crew and a flotilla of professional-level maintenance equipment were critical to putting the track in order quickly. Cross-country jumps are “portables,” so that didn't affect how they sited the racecourse.
Active horsemen and NSA reps Doug Fout and Jack Fisher inspected the facility a few weeks ago, Macauley says, and offered their expertise. He and Berry had borrowed horses and cantered and galloped around and around the big field for weeks before their visit, carefully considering all the angles to design the course.
Turns are marked with cones, the homestretch with snow fence. There's a long straightaway, making for lots of room for tailgate parking on the infield and on the outer rail. The permanent Horse Park stabling is a short walk from the saddling area in the homestretch.
NSA's Bill Gallo and Rug Howard will be there Saturday as advisors. Experienced stewards, including a Florida state steward, will be in the stand.
Post time is 1:15 p.m. for the first of six races – three over hurdles, three on the flat. Pony races run before the main program; the South Creek Foxhounds will parade between races.
In addition to action on the track, there will be lots going on outside the rail. The Gentle Carousel miniature horses will be there for petting and a parade, along with a Clydesdale exhibition. Fashions On The Field, an infield fashion show, is sponsored by Odette.
The original painting created for the Florida Steeplechase by Janice Tindall of the Ocala Art Group will be signed by winning jockeys throughout race day and auctioned to the highest bidder after the last race.
All proceeds benefit the Florida Horse Park, a 501(c)3 charity.
A concert will be held at the end of the day, featuring BigTime Jukebox.
Based on early ticket sales, Macauley expects about 1,000 spectators, maybe more, at the inaugural event. “I can imagine this place could, eventually, easily hold a (Virginia) Gold Cup-sized crowd” – 40 to 50,000.
“That's the point – the Horse Park already hosts hundreds of horses and thousands of spectators (at other competitions,) and it runs totally smoothly.”
“We'll be exposing ourselves to new eyes. The 2-year-old trainers have been very supportive, too,” Berry adds. The Florida Steeplechase runs 10 days before the Ocala Breeders Sales' Company's 2-year-olds in training sale, slated March 15-16. OBS is sponsoring one of the races.
This year there are no purses, but NSA and the other race meets are helping with shipping subsidies, Macauley says. Sponsorship money goes towards course development and race-day expenses. He believes next year will be different, with top prize money attracting top horses. “We want to put on great racing.”
How It Happened
Macauley and Berry dreamed up the idea for a new jump meet a couple years ago on holiday in Kentucky with Berry's family. They linked it to the Florida Horse Park after mentioning their plan to elite event rider Buck Davidson, who serves on the Florida Horse Park board.
Davidson put them in touch with Horse Park director Jason Reynolds. Reynolds invited the couple to visit, and the team began putting the pieces together early in 2020 with the aim of scheduling a meet the next year after the Steeplechase of Charleston in mid-November.
Covid put the plan on hold. But once they nailed down the March date with the Horse Park, Berry says support of the steeplechase community and Ocala community has been their motivating factor.
“The Horse Park has gone above and beyond to make this happen,” she says. “Jason and his team have used their machinery and expertise to help us design, create and maintain the course.
“The Ocala Chamber of Commerce was one of our first points of contact, and the local businesses and horsemen we've spoken to are all looking forward to the event.”
Equine Initiative director for the Ocala Chamber and Economic Partnership, Louisa Barton has been on board from the start, talking up the meet to local businesses and helping drive a vendor fair for race day. Berry and Macauley appeared on Barton's Horse Talk television program to promote the event.
NSA horsemen, especially those based in Camden, South Carolina – winter or year-round, have pledged their support, too. Some former steeplechase horsemen who live in Florida have said they're keen to get involved and participate or help out, Berry adds.
Eventer Buck Davidson, son of legendary eventer and occasional steeplechase rider Bruce Davidson, calls steeplechasing “a perfect fit” for the multi-purpose facility, which since 2005 has hosted everything from western reining to FEI level dressage to combined driving and high-goal polo.
“I've always thought steeplechase racing and eventing (attract) the same kind of people,” fans of the Thoroughbred breed that are, he says, somewhat addicted to running and jumping across the country, fast. “I think steeplechase owners would like to own event horses, and event owners might enjoy owning a steeplechase horse.
“Ocala is a place steeplechase racing needs to be because of (Florida's) rich racing history. Every other equine sport is already here.”
Davidson understands jump racing from the inside: Buck Davidson won one of 19 jump races in the late 1980s and early '90s. His father, Olympian Bruce Davidson, won 14 of 53 starts from 1971-1993, riding some of the nation's top timber horses – Cancottage, Morning Mac, Appolinax, Our Steeplejack and others.
Once they had the location nailed down, Macauley and Berry realized the timeline was tight. “We had a location and a logo in November, not much else though,” Macauley admits. “We had quite a bit of work to do to pull this together.”
They met with steeplechase owner, one-time race rider and Races at Callaway Gardens chair Mason Lampton for insight into the minutia of running a race meet.
Lampton was almost as excited about the project as Macauley and Berry were.
They traveled to Lampton's Columbus, Georgia home near the Callaway Gardens racecourse his father helped carve out of the golf resort more than 30 years ago.
“We talked about everything under the sun,” Lampton says, “medical, ticket sales, fundraising, course design.
“I tried to emphasize – this is a demo, a proof of concept. Next year it'll be better, the next year better yet. It's rare to talk to anybody – especially their age, wanting to start a race meet. Archie and Jessica are very dynamic, very positive.
“You can't get hung up on 'well, it doesn't look like Springdale, or whatever. No. This is a point-to-point this year. It'll change, it'll grow. Like I say to everybody, let's set some cones around the cow field (so to speak) and build it out from from there.
“We need more folks like this in our sport. Take a chance, people. Keep everybody enthused.”
“We couldn't have done this without Mason's help,” Macauley says, plus backing from NSA, Temple Gwathmey Foundation and Steeplechase Owners and Trainers Association. “Mason has been with us every step of the way. He's like our guardian angel.”
“It's come together pretty well,” Macauley adds, “though we wake up a lot, in the middle of the night, worrying we've forgot something.”
This story has been republished with permission from the Temple Gwathmey Steeplechase Foundation.
The post In A Time Of Contraction, Saturday’s Brand-New Florida Steeplechase Offers Hope For Expansion appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
