(photo of Road To Oz at the 2025 Maryland Hunt Cup by Tammie J. Monaco)
by Katherine O. Rizzo
In a thrilling finish, Maryland-bred Road to Oz, ridden by Conor Tierney, won the 128th running of the Maryland Hunt Cup today (April 26) in Glyndon for owner Daniel R. Baker and trainer Mark Beecher. The 2015 grey gelding was bred by R. Larry Johnson and got his start on the flat track right here in Maryland at Laurel Park. By Quality Road and out of the Mizzen Mast mare, Miz Magician, Road to Oz switched to jump racing in 2020 finishing second at the Warrenton Hunt Point to Point in the Maiden Hurdle his first time over fences. The following year, he won the Maiden Timber at the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup.
This year, Road to Oz finished third in the Open Timber at the Green Spring Valley Point to Point and third in the Apprentice Rider Timber at My Lady’s Manor leading up to his first run at the Maryland Hunt Cup.
Tuscany Racing’s Monbeg Stream took to the lead at the start of today’s Maryland Hunt Cup and very quickly pulled ahead. Through most of the race, he was at least 10 lengths in front of the rest of the field. The 2023 Maryland Hunt Cup winner Withoutmoreado, owned by Irvin S. Naylor, was in second with Road to Oz moving into third by the fifth fence. The order of horses behind Monbeg Stream changed a bit at the halfway point with Road to Oz dropping to fourth and Kinross Farm’s Blackhall moving into second at the 15th fence. Then, by the 3-mile mark, it was Monbeg Stream still way out in front with Blackhall and Withoutmoreado running side by side in second.
The field chased Monbeg Stream down closing the gap as they neared the second to last jump where Withoutmoreado took the lead on landing. Road to Oz then also passed Monbeg Stream on his way to the last jump with Withoutmoreado keeping the lead over the last and down the stretch. However, Road to Oz kept on surging forward and won at the wire by 3/4 of a length.
Watch the full race here: https://www.facebook.com/nationalsteeplechaseassociation/videos/1697944497476816 and stay tuned for photos from our Equiery photographers who were covering the race!
