3 minute read

A Discount Champion at Gold Cup

A Discount Champion at Gold Cup

Graham Watters rode Keys Discount to victory in the $100,000 Virginia Gold Cup
Photo by Doug Gehlsen of Middleburg Photo

Somewhere, somehow, some way, the late, great Gordie Keys had to be smiling on the most recent first Saturday of May.

On the afternoon of the 100th running of the Virginia Gold Cup, a game Thoroughbred named Keys Discount made his move halfway through the four-mile, $100,000 event and won the nation’s richest timber race in front of a crowd of 40,000 on hand at Great Meadow in The Plains.

Five years ago, Gordie Keys, a long-time Middleburg area cattle farmer and owner of Thoroughbred race horses who passed away in July, 2023, purchased Keys Discount for $1,200 at a Maryland yearling auction. He then watched his grandson, trainer-rider Sam Cockburn, race the horse on the flat, over hurdles and then timber. Cockburn also hunted him to improve his stamina and jumping ability.

Last spring, Maryland Hall of Fame trainer Jack Fisher purchased Keys Discount for his mother Dolly. She was there to see their horse win at the Middleburg spring races two weeks before the Gold Cup, then again at Great Meadow on a thrilling day of racing cut short by a late afternoon storm that forced cancellation of the seventh race.

Earlier on the card, one of Gordie Keys good friends also had a big win. Sean Clancy, a regular columnist for Country ZEST and founder of Riverdee Stables in Middleburg, celebrated when his Cool Jet, also trained by Fisher, posted a wireto-wire victory in the Grade 1 $150,000 Commonwealth Cup handicap hurdle. Clearly, it was smiles all around.

Gold Cup Board Member Margaret Littleton presented the trophy for the $150,000 Common-wealth Cup to MGM Resorts sponsor representative in the middle with Sean Clancy represent-ing Riverdee Stables for Cool Jet, ridden by Bernard Dalton, trainer Jack Fisher on far right. The perpetual trophy was donated in memory of Melville Church III by his family.
Maureen Griffin
Photo by Leonard Shapiro
Photo by Leonard Shapiro
Julia Baumgardner sports a high hat
Sue and George Boras in matching fabrics.
Photo by Leonard Shapiro
Laura Gaiser-Wright at her tailgate.
Photo by Leonard Shapiro
Jeb and Emily Hannum
Photo by Leonard Shapiro
Charles Carroll and his wife, Bean.
Photo by Leonard Shapiro
This article is from: