Irv Naylor’s venerable Tax Ruling, a two-time Grade 1 winner over hurdles and a solid performer over timber fences, is among 11 nominees to the $30,000 Genesee Valley Hunt Cup in Geneseo, N.Y., on Saturday, Oct. 10.
The 12-year-old has shown a decided preference for the Iroquois Steeplechase course in Nashville and won the Iroquois (Gr. 1) in 2010 and 2011. Over timber, he has finished second in three consecutive runnings of the Mason Houghland Memorial at Nashville’s Percy Warner Park Course, most recently on May 9.
Tax Ruling is among four Naylor nominees to the 3 1/2-mile Genesee Hunt Cup. Billy Meister trains Tax Ruling and Personal Brew, who won a maiden timber race at Foxfield Spring and lost his rider in the Willowdale Steeplechase on May 10.
Cyril Murphy trains Naylor’s Ebanour, who finished second in the John D. Schapiro Memorial amateur apprentice timber at My Lady’s Manor on April 11.
Kathy Neilson handles Naylor’s Almarmooq, who finished sixth in the Willowdale Steeplechase after a fall in the Maryland Hunt Cup. Neilson also trains two other Genesee Hunt Cup nominees, Armata Stables’ Embarrassed and Jason Cole’s Joshua G.
Kinross Farm nominated Schoolhouse Woods, emphatic winner of the Willowdale Steeplechase, and Old Timer, third in last year’s Virginia Gold Cup. Both are now trained by Christopher Read.
Here are the nominations for the $25,000 Genesee Valley Hunt Cup.
Almarmooq. 2007 dk. b. or br. g., Dynaformer–Tuscoga, by Theatrical (Ire). Owner: Irvin S. Naylor. Trainer: Kathy Neilson. Breeder: Stone Farm (Ky.). 2015 record: 3-0-0-0, $2,250. 2014 record: 6-1-3-0, $23,400. Finished sixth in Willowdale Steeplechase on May 10 after late fall in Maryland Hunt Cup. Finished distant fourth in Grand National. Capped busy 2014 fall season with victory in Pennsylvania Hunt Cup’s Arthur O. Choate Jr. timber allowance after second in timber allowance at International Gold Cup.
Be Great. 2007 b. g., Gulch—Classic Ingrid, by Regal Classic. Owner: Welcome Here Farm. Trainer: Todd McKenna. Breeder: Equivine Farm (Pa.) 2015 record: 3-0-0-1, $4,000. 2014 record: 2-1-0-0, $9,000. Finished fourth in 2015 Radnor Hunt Cup after third in Winterthur Bowl. Won maiden victory at Winterthur in 2014.
Ebanour (Ire). 2007 ch. g., Indian Ridge—Ebadilya, by Sadler’s Wells. Owner: Irvin S. Naylor. Trainer: Cyril Murphy. Breeders: Aga Khan’s Studs (Ire). 2015 record: 1-0-1-0, $1,800. 2014 record: No starts. After missing the 2014 season, returned with a good second in John D. Schapiro Memorial amateur apprentice timber at My Lady’s Manor.
Embarrassed. 2005 b. g., Flatter—Stormy Blast, by Kayrawan. Owner: Armata Stables. Trainer: Kathy Neilson. Breeder: James S. Karp (Ky.) 2015 record: 2-1-0-0, $6,000. 2014 record: 2-0-0-0, $1,500. Won Winterthur timber allowance after being pulled up in My Lady’s Manor timber allowance. Finished fourth in the 2014 Grand National, then fell early in the Maryland Hunt Cup. Won 2013 Willowdale Steeplechase.
Joshua G. 2006 ch. g., Run Softly—Search for Reality, by Regal Search. Owner: Jason L. Cole. Trainer: Kathy Neilson. Breeder: Jason L. Cole (Pa.) 2015 record: 2-0-0-0, $3,750. 2014 record: 3-1-0-0, $10,400. Finished fifth in Maryland Hunt Cup after eighth in My Lady’s Manor. Homebred won 2014 Martha S. Wadsworth Memorial maiden timber race at the Genesee Valley Hunt Races in New York, then was fifth in the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup.
Old Timer. 2006 b. g., Orientate—Chatham Hall, by Green Dancer. Owner: Kinross Farm. Trainer: Christopher Read. Breeder: Gainesway Thoroughbreds (Ky.) 2015 record: No starts. 2014 record: 2-0-1-1, $12,900. Finished second in 2014 My Lady’s Manor before third in Virginia Gold Cup. Finished second in 2013 National Sporting Library Chronicle Cup.
Personal Brew. 2006 dk. b. or br. g., Milwaukee Brew—Sergeant Mimi, by Personal Flag. Owner: Irvin S. Naylor. Trainer: William Meister. Breeders: Tammy Barnes and John Ubelhor, D.V.M. 2015 record: 3-1-0-0, $9,000. 2014 record: No starts. Won Foxfield Spring maiden timber after unplaced finish in John Rush Streett division at My Lady’s Manor. Lost rider in Winterthur timber allowance.
Schoolhouse Woods. 2007 b. g., Sky Classic—Mabelino, by Trempolino. Owner: Kinross Farm. Trainer: Christopher Read. Breeder: Kinross Corp. (Ky.). 2015 record: 3-2-1-0, $41,700. 2014 record: 4-2-0-0, $21,000. Won Willowdale Steeplechase by 14 lengths on May 10, eight days after victory in Virginia Gold Cup’s Steeplethon. Also second in Middleburg Spring’s Alfred M. Hunt steeplechase. Finished fourth in 2014 International Gold Cup.
Sky Count. 2006 ch. g., Sky Classic—Dreams Count, by Unaccounted For. Owner: Holwood Stable. Trainer: Mark Beecher. Breeder: Ruth Fitzgerald (Ky.) 2015 NSA record: No starts. 2014 record: No starts. Returned with run in Shawan Downs training flat race for trainer-jockey. Fell in previous jump start at 2013 Grand National.
Tax Ruling. 2003 dk. b. or br. g., Dynaformer–Fantastic Find, by Mr. Prospector. Owner: Irvin S. Naylor. Trainer: William Meister. Breeder: Phipps Stable (Ky.) 2015 record: 3-0-1-1, $12,000. 2014 record: 2-0-1-0, $9,900. Eighth in Shawan’s Legacy Chase after third straight second-place finish in Iroquois’ Mason Houghland Memorial. Opened 2015 season with third in My Lady’s Manor. Two-time Iroquois (Gr. 1) winner.
Touchdowntony. 2009 b. g., Bluegrass Cat—Broad Queen, by Broad Brush. Owner: Irvin L. Crawford II. Trainer: Blythe Miller Davies. Breeder: Carliwoods Farm (Ky.). 2015 record: No starts. 2014 record: 4-0-0-0, $0. Attempting a timber career after being pulled up in his four starts over hurdles in 2014.