The 122nd running of the Maryland Hunt Cup is set to take place this Saturday, April 28 in Glyndon with 11 entries looking to capture a portion of the $100,000 purse. The field is made up of a mix of Hunt Cup newbies and several horses that have been around the 4-mile timber course before.
Previous winners looking to take home another victory are Gerry Brewster’s Derwins Prospector (2017) and Skip Crawford’s Senior Senator (2016). Both horses will be ridden by their Hunt Cup winning jockeys with Frenchman Gonzague back in the country for Derwins Prospector and Eric Poretz up on Senior Senator. Both horses are also trained by Hunt Cup winning trainer and rider Joe Davies.
After some previous bad Hunt Cup luck, finishing second in a photo finish in 2014 and then being disqualified after loosing a weight pad in 2015, Bethany Baumgardner and Imperial Way are entered for Merriefield Farm and trainer Elizabeth Voss and have their eyes set on a win.
Armata Stable’s Joshua G, who showed a commanding lead in 2015 to finish fourth behind the winner Raven’s Choice, has a new jockey this year with Eddie Keating. The twelve-year-old gelding is trained by Katherine Neilson. Armata Stable’s second entry on the card is Wildcatter, also trained by Elizabeth Voss and set to be ridden by Major Harry Wallace. This is both Keating and Wallace’s first attempt at the Hunt Cup.
Hadden Frost is back in the States from Ireland and has the ride aboard Bruton Street-US’s Drift Society again this year. Trained by Jack Fisher, this pair finished in a close second in 2017. Also back from 2017 is McLane Hendriks aboard Old Timer for Kinross Farm and trainer Richard Valentine. The pair made it nearly to the finish last year.
Sovereign Fund is coming back to the Hunt Cup after skipping the last two years. The 12-year-old gelding is owned by Upland Partners, trained by Stephanie Dowling and is being ridden this year by Hunt Cup winner Chris Gracie. Gracie previously won aboard Bug River in 2006.
Jeffery G is making his Hunt Cup debut with Forrest Kelly taking his second shot at the famed course. Jeffery G is trained and owned by Jason Cole. Interestingly, Cole bred both Joshua G and Jeffery G with both geldings being out of his mare Search for Reality. Also new to the Hunt Cup course this year is Gas Can Eddie, owned by Mrs. William D. Class, Jr. and trained by Hunt Cup winning trainer Billy Meister. Meister won in 2010 and 2012 with Twill Do. Gas Can Eddie is being ridden by Bryan Cullinane in his first Hunt Cup appearance.
Wrapping up the field is Prime Prospector, owned by Sarah and Peter Jay and trained by 2015 winning Hunt Cup trainer Todd Wyatt. Both Prime Prospector and his jockey Brett Owings are making their first attempt on the course, though one wonders if being born at Worthington Farms, where the Hunt Cup is held, gives Owings an advantage!
It is too late to order tickets online, however you can pick up a parking pass at one of these locations this week. Passes are not available the day of the race.
