There were no hurt feelings in the open timber race at the Warrenton Hunt Point-To-Point Hunt Races, March 18, after both horses were declared the
winner in an exciting dead heat finish.

The eight-horse race scratched down to three–EMO Stable’s Fast Steppin Man (Carl Rafter), Nina Strawbridge’s Navesink View (James Slater) and Jack Griswold’s Prince Manila (Pete Brown-Whale).

Fast Steppin Man took a commanding lead for most of the three miles, leaving a great deal of daylight between horses but pulled up sharp two fences from home with a bowed tendon.

At this point Prince Manila and Navesink View paired up. Prince Manila seemed to have a slight advantage over the last fence, but Slater urged his horse again, and when the two horses roared across the wire it was a definite photo finish. After much reviewing of the tapes, officials called it a dead heat and scrambled to find an extra trophy.

This was Brown-Whale’s fourth race. The 21-year-old, from big timber country in Glyndon, Md., is hoping to ride Prince Manila at My Lady’s Manor (Md.), the Grand National (Md.), and, if all works out, the Maryland Hunt Cup. But he knows that even if he makes it to those races, it won’t be a smooth ride.

“I have only schooled him a couple times,” Brown-Whale said. “He is real tough to ride. He takes a lot out of you, and he throws his head around. I am just happy to stay on him.”

Slater was pleased with his win for trainer Sanna Hendriks. The 27-year-old Slater works for Pennsylvania trainer Jonathan Sheppard but picks up rides where he can.

Slater rode Navesink View in the Foxhall Trophy Team Chase (Pa.) the weekend before Warrenton. But at Warrenton, Slater wanted a few extra brakes and put an elevator bit on the 8-year-old son of Holy Bull.

“He likes to chug around a little,” Slater said. “When we galloped around Foxhall we had a loose ring snaffle on him, and he was just being a little too wooden for me so we thought a change of bit might be in order and it really helped.”

Slater said their plan for Warrenton was to give the horse some confidence after a spell of bad luck. “He has had a couple of spills and is bit nervous,” he said. “That is what today was all about, get him out there, school around and get him happy before the big meets.”

Slater started the day off well, winning the maiden hurdle with Flying Horse Farm’s Analyze for trainer Jazz Napravnik. The 7-year-old mare beat Aleef (Loring Heard) by 3 lengths, but Slater probably won’t get the ride in any of the filly and mare races.

“I am basically riding her for Danielle [Hodsdon],” Slater said. “She is a real classy filly and smart too. I was under strict orders just to drop her head and leave her alone and let her do what she wants to do, and she did it all in hand.”

Back For Another Win
While many men would be happy to be a svelte 6’3″, the 2003 Maryland Hunt Cup winner, Chris Gracie, is wishing he was just a wee bit shorter. Nevertheless, the 18-year-old freshman at the University of Kentucky proved he still has it, winning the novice timber on Turkish Corner for owner-trainer F. Bruce Miller, albeit a little over the minimum weight of 165 and with a sprained ankle to boot.

The 13-horse race scratched down to six with Cat Walkin (Rafter), Flying Contraption (Slater) and Rosina Boy (Zach Miller) taking the lead. Gracie kept Turkish Corner in striking distance of the leaders. At the last fence of the three miles, Gracie caught all of them napping in the stretch as he and Turkish Corner sped by to win by 31