By Janeé Williams
Spring is here, so race horse season is underway. The 94th Running of the Middleburg Spring Races is set for tomorrow at Glenwood Park. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the first race will begin at 1 p.m. There will be seven races running every half hour as well as food and retail vendors with an Easter egg hunt for kids beginning at noon.
The Middleburg Spring Races are more than just a race, it’s history. The races are held right outside the town of Middleburg and the course is the only course that holds land in that area. The races attract so many people from the surrounding areas, many of them new to horse racing.
“What makes this event unique is that many of the people attending have never been to a horse race before. They get to come here and experience it for the first time,” says Michelle Hobson of Middleburg Spring Races. These races are also prep for the The Gold Cup Race, one of the largest races in the area. The meet runs a variety of races including hurdle, timber and flat races. The race will also feature The Temple Gwathemy Stakes Race, a race inspired by James Temple Gwathemy, a New York resident who was a constant supporter and amateur rider of steeplechasing.
Some contenders of the race are Michel Smith’s Arrows Conquest; Ms. S.K. Johnston’s Polarity; Virginia Lazenby’s Pleasant Woodman; Magalen Bryant’s Lea Von; Beverly Steinman’s Master of Markets; Ann Pape’s Fog Island; and Magalen Bryant’s Dakota Slew.
Proceeds will go to benefit INOVA/Loudoun hospital, Glenwood Park Trust and local charities. / 94th Running of the Middleburg Spring Races; April 19th, Glenwood Park Racecourse in Middleburg; 1:00 p.m.
