The Iroquois Steeplechase
All eyes are on Nashville, Tennessee this Saturday as the 82nd running of the Iroquois Steeplechase will take place at Percy Warner Park.
Steeplechasing is an equestrian sport that originated in Ireland in the 18th century. It is now popular in many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. The race is typically run on a turf course that includes obstacles, such as hedges, ditches, and water jumps.
Steeplechase races can vary in length, but they are typically run over a distance of 2 to 4 miles. The course includes several jumps, or fences, that the horses and riders must clear. The jumps are usually made of natural materials, such as brush or timber, and are designed to test the horse's speed, agility, and jumping ability.
Steeplechase races are typically run at a faster pace than other types of horse races, and the jumps can be quite challenging, requiring the horse and rider to work together in order to clear them successfully. The riders must also be skilled in maintaining their balance and position over the jumps, as well as in controlling the speed and direction of their horses.
In addition to traditional steeplechase races, there are also other types of jump races, such as hurdle races, which are similar to steeplechases but have smaller jumps, and timber races, which are steeplechases run over a course that includes jumps made of tim
Snap Decision could make history as the only horse to ever win the three mile, sixteen fence race in three consecutive years. He won in 2021, and 2023. Another horse, Uncle Edwin won three times in 1982, 1985 and 1986.
The Iroquois Steeplechase is usually on the second Saturday in May. One of the oldest and most prestigious steeplechase races in the United States it has been continuously run since 1941, with the exception of 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The history of the Iroquois Steeplechase dates back to the early 1900s, when the first horse race was held at the Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville. The Belle Meade Plantation was once one of the finest and most well known horse breeding farms in the nation. It was started in 1807 by John Harding and sadly closed in 1904. It is now open for tours.
The Iroquois steeplechase was organized by a group of local sportsmen and was known as the “Belle Meade Cup.” In 1941, the race was renamed the Iroquois Steeplechase in honor of the Iroquois, famous horse owned by the Harding family. Iroquois is the first American thoroughbred to ever win the famed Epson Derby at Epson Downs in England.
When word came that Iroquois had become the first American bred horse to win the English Derby, trading on Wall Street was suspended and celebrations ensued!
Over the years, the Iroquois Steeplechase has grown in popularity and has become a major social and sporting event in Nashville. The race attracts top horses and jockeys from around the country and has been won by many of the sport's greatest champions.
Today, the Iroquois Steeplechase is not only a world-class horse race but also a major fundraising event for Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University. Since 1981, the race has raised more than $11 million for the hospital and its programs.
