I missed the last two editions (87th and 88th) of the Virginia Gold Cup, the celebrated steeplechase held at Great Meadow near the village of The Plains in the piedmont horse country.

I had my reasons. Two years ago I was up in Michigan, trying to clear out my parent’s house in preparation for its sale, and deferring surgery on a damaged leg. Last year I was doing something else, and still limping. This year, with so many changes imminent, might be the last time the convenience of the University Row bus-and-buffet-and-bar tent is handy. So the Willow Crew went to Great Meadow for the 89th edition of the Virginia Gold Cup.

There was some apprehension over the state of the track (and more importantly the turf around the tents on the north side of the rail) due to the penetrating rain of the last week, and Saturday dawned gray and cloudy.

As the morning wore on, the skies cleared and generally blue skies, pleasant temperatures, and dry conditions that mitigated the mud of last week. We rallied in the corridor outside of the Rock Bottom Brewery at the Ballston Mall, the hub of the University Row operation that provides bus transportation and peace of mind for revelers of the Races.

The crowd tends to run young at University Row- the bulk of the crowd being recent grads of the fourteen “Anchor” Schools and the forty-nine “Partner” schools that sponsor the buses and tents and food and booze. It is pretty slick- the Martz buses pull up outside the white picket fence that surrounds the tents, and the rail provides a marvelous view of the fence on the northwest rail.

But of course, it is about much more than fashion. University Row sold out it’s allocation of tickets, and three waves of buses carried the crowd from Arlington to bucolic Hunt Country. I had my press pass jammed in the band of my straw hat, and had the opportunity of interviewing one of the founders of the Row on “deep background.”

He asked who I wrote for, and I told him. He nodded as if my explanation made sense, and described the early days of the Row. This is all a Great Meadow phenomenon. I did not get to Washington until 1986, two years after the urban encroachment at Broadmoor Farm up in Warrenton forced the relocation of the Gold Cup to Great Meadow.

It had been a near thing- the property was slated to become a new tract development for 500 homes. Now, the land is in conservancy and features the steeplechase course dotted with ponds, water jumps and fences. Now, the complex features steeplechase races starting the first Saturday in May, as well as the International Gold Cup Races to close the season in late October. During the summer there is Saturday night Twilight Polo and the Twilight Jumper series on select Friday evenings.

It is a grand place, and a continuation of a regional tradition that goes back to Jefferson and Washington bringing their ponies to compete for a cup. The Row tradition is much more modest. The First weekend in May usually brings out the pent-up energy deferred by the dog-end of winter, and the Gold Cup meet is as much about fashion and seeing and being seen as it is about the races. In fact, you could call it the Festival of Women’s Hats as well as you can call it a steeplechase- and a celebration of the Uber Preppie look for the guys.

We embrace the fashion: TLB, Joy and Jamie were dolled up in floral spring dresses, Kevin Uno, K2 and Five Hour Energy Mike went prep casual. Jon-without and I went in a different direction. I normally wear my seersucker suit, white bucks, straw hat, bow tie and braces. Jon-without took a similar approach with a J-Press straw boater atop a pattern jacket and go-to-hell slacks. We were working the bar line when the impromptu history of the Row spilled out.

The College of William and Mary had arranged for a tent on the rail back in the late 1990s. They happened to be located near a similar tent rented by Virginia Tech Alums, and were separated by one from the venerable University of Virginia. For whatever reason, the Cavaliers didn’t show, and the lines between the tents blurred. W&M had a keg and Subway sandwiches, the Hokies had an open bar and catered food, and one thing led to another.

The current spectacular spread is the result of more than a decade of refinement, and the addition of dozens of additional alumni associations, including mine. The waggish current leadership- who were not interviewed for this article- placed the University of Michigan adjacent to The Ohio State University. Despite and open bar all afternoon, there were no casualties.

Plenty of food to go along with the open bar moderates the more extreme behavior- at least most of it. Some folks did have to take little naps by mid-afternoon, but the Willow Gang was on our almost best behavior. We even took a stroll out of the Row compound to see the rest of the capacity crowd of nearly 60,000 fans and fashionistas.

The flower of Washington was on display- consulting firms, legal practices and the States were all represented along the rail, and the ponies thundered by on the first race- post time at 1330 sharp- as we walked along gawking at the people. Periodically, people asked to use Jon-without and myself as props for photos and we were happy to oblige.

Here is how strange the whole thing is- I was able to talk to my attorney and the Ex completely by chance within a span of fifteen minutes. It was so breathtaking a combination that I went back to the bar immediately.

K2 won some money on wagers- this is the second time Pari-mutuel betting is permitted at Great Meadow- and amid the best-dressed and Millinery competitions, the anticipation of for the Gold Cup rose along the rail and the contents of the plastic cups diminished.

The Gold Cup- purse $75,000- was the fourth race. Holston Hall’s Hot Rize (10-1 odds) with hot jockey Willie Mccarthy up took the lead before the final fence and fought off a determined challenge by Organisateur to win by three-quarters of a length. The gelding ran the four mile course in 9:20.80, paying $23.40 to win. It was a triumph for the Hall stables, since Hot Rize was winless since his sixth-place finish behind Grinding Speed last year.

There were two more races on the card, but the first buses were going to head back to town at 1630. We got fresh drinks and wandered down to embark for the return to the city. I have to say, it was not because we did not want to stay and watch- it was that there was another race to watch: post time for the Kentucky Derby was at 1824 at Churchill Downs, and we were all dressed up and why not watch it at Willow?

We trooped over from Ballston Mall to take up the lower end of the bar under one of the old TVs on top of the towering fixtures. We were just in time. California Chrome (5-2 favorite) with Victor Espinoza up cruised along in third place behind leaders Uncle Sigh and Chitu before taking control on the turn for home and opened up space to win by more than a length.

I have to say it was a marvelous day at the races, and with two legs of the Triple Crown to go and the International Gold Cup in the Fall, it could be a memorable season indeed.

Copyright 2014 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: @jayare303