By Nancy Brannon
Jockey Darren Nagle once again rode Irvin Naylor’s Tax Ruling to a second consecutive victory in the Iroquois Steeplechase, seventh race of the day on May 14 at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, TN. Tax Ruling faced a tough challenge from Slip Away, as Paddy Young ran neck and neck with him toward the last hurdle. Both approached the last fence together, but Slip Away left early and had an awkward landing, requiring recovery strides, while Tax Ruling’s landing was well-balanced and on stride, giving him an edge to victory.
The Iroquois was a repeat of last year’s racing rivalry between the two horses. Last year Slip Away led for most of the race, but fell behind at the next to last hurdle, when Tax Ruling edged ahead to win the three mile race. This year’s race was closer, but it was the last hurdle that may have taken away those few precious seconds Slip Away needed to win. Tax Ruling won by 5 lengths, winning it by 4 ¾ lengths in 2010.
“I felt pressure from Paddy's horse late in the race,” Nagle said, “But my horse just kept going. (Trainer) Brianne Slater has done a great job getting Mr. Naylor’s horses ready. When I called on him, he had plenty left.” Jack Ramsey the Nicholasville, KY-based owner of Slip Away said, “It was all the last fence. He made a little bit of mistake,” WSMV-TV of Nashville reported.
Slater took over the training of Tax Ruling in April of this year. She started her training career in 2007 and is wife of jockey James Slater.
At the winner’s circle, a comment heard was, “Three time’s the charm, Darren.” Indeed, Darren Nagle had two other wins for the day on Naylor’s horses. In the second race, the Bright Hour Amateur Hurdle, he took first aboard Chess Board. In the third race, the Marcellus Frost, he piloted Decoy Daddy first under the finish wire.
A native of Ireland, Nagel was champion amateur jockey in 2010. He began riding in the U.S. in 2005 and scored his first win in 2006 aboard Run Up the Flag at the Middleburg Spring Races. He rides primarily for Irvin S. Naylor at present.
The only female jockey at the race, Danielle Hodsdon, had a sweet victory in the fifth race, the Margaret Currey Henley Sport of Kings Stakes aboard Sweet Shani. With trainer Jonathan Sheppard, it was a repeat of last year’s victory, when Sweet Shani also won the Margaret Currey Henley by 3 ¼ lengths.
Hodsdon is one of only two female jockeys to win NSA jockey championships. She was NSA champion in 2006 and earnings leader in 2009. Riding for the powerful Jonathan Sheppard stable, she finished second by wins and third by purses in 2010.
Sweet Shani is a 2000 grey mare, Kashani-Sterling Princess, by One Pound Sterling owned by Mrs. Calvin (Mary Ann) Houghland, widow of the longtime Iroquois Steeplechase chairman Calvin Houghland. Mrs. Houghland continues her family’s heritage of racing high quality steeplechase horses. Her stable includes Nationbuilder, a 2005 bay gelding who won the Queen’s Cup MPC Chase in NC and is also trained by Jonathan Sheppard. Calvin Houghland was the owner of the 2009 Iroquois winner, Pierrot Lunaire, and he died at his Bright Hour Farm in Brentwood, TN in October 2009.
Total purses, bonuses, and awards of $425,000 at the Iroquois Steeplechase make it the richest event on the National Steeplechase Association (NSA) spring circuit. Since 1981, the Iroquois Steeplechase has raised more than $9 million to support the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Jockey Darren Nagle once again rode Irvin Naylor’s Tax Ruling to a second consecutive victory in the Iroquois Steeplechase, seventh race of the day on May 14 at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, TN. Tax Ruling faced a tough challenge from Slip Away, as Paddy Young ran neck and neck with him toward the last hurdle. Both approached the last fence together, but Slip Away left early and had an awkward landing, requiring recovery strides, while Tax Ruling’s landing was well-balanced and on stride, giving him an edge to victory.
The Iroquois was a repeat of last year’s racing rivalry between the two horses. Last year Slip Away led for most of the race, but fell behind at the next to last hurdle, when Tax Ruling edged ahead to win the three mile race. This year’s race was closer, but it was the last hurdle that may have taken away those few precious seconds Slip Away needed to win. Tax Ruling won by 5 lengths, winning it by 4 ¾ lengths in 2010.
“I felt pressure from Paddy's horse late in the race,” Nagle said, “But my horse just kept going. (Trainer) Brianne Slater has done a great job getting Mr. Naylor’s horses ready. When I called on him, he had plenty left.” Jack Ramsey the Nicholasville, KY-based owner of Slip Away said, “It was all the last fence. He made a little bit of mistake,” WSMV-TV of Nashville reported.
Slater took over the training of Tax Ruling in April of this year. She started her training career in 2007 and is wife of jockey James Slater.
At the winner’s circle, a comment heard was, “Three time’s the charm, Darren.” Indeed, Darren Nagle had two other wins for the day on Naylor’s horses. In the second race, the Bright Hour Amateur Hurdle, he took first aboard Chess Board. In the third race, the Marcellus Frost, he piloted Decoy Daddy first under the finish wire.
A native of Ireland, Nagel was champion amateur jockey in 2010. He began riding in the U.S. in 2005 and scored his first win in 2006 aboard Run Up the Flag at the Middleburg Spring Races. He rides primarily for Irvin S. Naylor at present.
The only female jockey at the race, Danielle Hodsdon, had a sweet victory in the fifth race, the Margaret Currey Henley Sport of Kings Stakes aboard Sweet Shani. With trainer Jonathan Sheppard, it was a repeat of last year’s victory, when Sweet Shani also won the Margaret Currey Henley by 3 ¼ lengths.
Hodsdon is one of only two female jockeys to win NSA jockey championships. She was NSA champion in 2006 and earnings leader in 2009. Riding for the powerful Jonathan Sheppard stable, she finished second by wins and third by purses in 2010.
Sweet Shani is a 2000 grey mare, Kashani-Sterling Princess, by One Pound Sterling owned by Mrs. Calvin (Mary Ann) Houghland, widow of the longtime Iroquois Steeplechase chairman Calvin Houghland. Mrs. Houghland continues her family’s heritage of racing high quality steeplechase horses. Her stable includes Nationbuilder, a 2005 bay gelding who won the Queen’s Cup MPC Chase in NC and is also trained by Jonathan Sheppard. Calvin Houghland was the owner of the 2009 Iroquois winner, Pierrot Lunaire, and he died at his Bright Hour Farm in Brentwood, TN in October 2009.
Total purses, bonuses, and awards of $425,000 at the Iroquois Steeplechase make it the richest event on the National Steeplechase Association (NSA) spring circuit. Since 1981, the Iroquois Steeplechase has raised more than $9 million to support the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
