Aiken Trials kicks off the Triple Crown
The 68th edition of the Aiken Trials will once again feature Thoroughbred racing’s stars of tomorrow as well as veteran campaigners looking to return to form at the racetrack this spring.
The first leg of the Aiken Triple Crown will be held Saturday, with gates opening at 10 a.m. The race card will be composed of six contests and will be conducted at the Aiken Training Track, a public training facility located on Two Notch Road. Post time for the first race is 2 p.m.
The safe, controlled and family-oriented environment attracts people of all ages, who have an opportunity to experience the excitement of Thoroughbred racing.
The day’s activities will feature a carriage parade at 1 p.m. The races will also feature a Polo Pony race sponsored by the Aiken Horse.
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Program fetes horse heroes
The yearlong Celebrate Aiken! campaign continues next Sunday with Aiken’s Horse Heroes.
The presentation will pay tribute to 10 of the 39 national champions that have been enshrined in the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum. It will be held at Rye Patch from 2 to 4 p.m. The program is open to the public.
The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum will also be open.
“Dogwood Stable wanted to lend its support, and with the first quarter of Celebrate Aiken! being history, horses and health and high society, it seemed perfect to highlight the horses in the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum,” said Mary Jane Howell, Aiken’s Horse Heroes co-chair.
Aiken’s Horse Heroes will give people a look at the careers of the 10 equine athletes who were conditioned at the Aiken Training Track.
The presentation will provide an in-depth look at the horses and their connections through video footage, photographs and guest speakers who were either directly involved with the horse or someone who was associated with one of the featured champions.
Those attending the presentation will be able to watch footage of the selected horses that, in some cases, has been seldom seen, said Janet Harkins, Aiken’s Horse Heroes co-chair. A tent will be set up at Rye Patch for the presentation.
There will be a question-and-answer forum, and a reception will follow the event inside Rye Patch. Full Story……
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Organizers prep for Aiken Trials
The thrill and excitement of Thoroughbred racing and the start of the Aiken Triple Crown is less than three weeks away. The 68th edition of the Aiken Trials will once again take center stage at the Aiken Training Track on March 13.
The trials are composed of six races, including contests for 2-year-olds, older horses and polo ponies.
The Aiken Trials is being sponsored by the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum, AllStar Rents, Aiken Land Conservancy, Atlantic Broadband, Boots, Bridles and Britches, Vista Bank, Aiken Horse, Meybohm Realtors and the AB Beverage Co. Inc.
“Our sponsors are in place, and we have a nice television advertisement that we’re getting ready to run on Comcast and Atlantic Broadband,” said Bernadette Clayton, Aiken Trials committee. “WKSX-FM will be doing a ticket giveaway.”
There are still a few opportunities available to advertise in the Aiken Trials program, Clayton said.
A few patron spots for the Aiken Trials are still available, she said.
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Motorists advised to obey horse district rules
It’s as simple as common courtesy and respect.
Motorists, for the most part, are more than willing to drive carefully through Aiken’s horse district, yielding to horses and abiding by the signs and signals placed throughout the area.
But others are less than observant or willing to comply, compromising the safety of horses and people.
There are stop signs, posted speed limit signs, equestrian signals and speed bumps to deter potential speeders.
Thoroughbred trainer Suzy Haslup has been working at the Aiken Training Track for the past 16 years and has noticed a difference in the etiquette people observe, or the lack thereof, when they enter the horse district with their vehicles. The change in their behavior has been markedly noticeable during the past few years, she said.
“People would often stop a block away, and I wondered why they were stopping, and then I realized how courteous they were and that they were waiting for us to get to them before moving on,” said Haslup. “Over the years, especially during the past few years, the motorists haven’t shown the same type of respect.”
Motorists need to stop and wait for the horses to pass before proceeding and should do so with caution, Haslup said. Drivers should also comply with the speed limit signs.
A recent incident had one motorist compromising the safety of people and horses. The driver was eventually pulled over and be issued a warning by the Aiken Department of Public Safety.
“I would encourage the motorists to slow down and honor the horses, honor the speed limit and obey all traffic laws,” said Cpl. Sonny Ford, Aiken Department of Public Safety. “These are young horses in training, and you can’t predict what a horse is going to do. People should be courteous and respect the horses when they are in the horse district.”
Many of the horses training at the Aiken Training Track are yearlings, and because they are so young, they’re inexperienced and have had minimal exposure to certain situations.
“These are baby racehorses, and from 7 to 11 a.m. the babies are out there, and it’s the first time they’ve seen trucks and it’s the first time they’ve been out on the roads,” said Heidi White, Advanced level eventer and U.S. Olympian. “It’s for the motorists’ safety, not just for our safety. This is a horse community. The horses need to come out of Aiken having had a positive experience.”
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Aiken Trials are just 12 weeks away
The 68th edition of the Aiken Trials is less than 12 weeks away and already the anticipation is building for the first leg of Aiken’s Triple Crown, a staple and must-see for Thoroughbred racing enthusiasts throughout the Southeast.
The Aiken Trials will be held March 13 at the Aiken Training Track.
The trials will once again feature six competitive races with the preponderance of the entries composing the fields having trained over the Aiken Training Track, said Bernadette Clayton, Aiken Training Track treasurer.
“It’s going to be the same format,” she said.
Sponsors will have private cabanas as opposed to a big tent near the finish line, said Clayton.
Atlantic Broadband, AllStar Rents, Vista Bank, Boots, Bridles and Britches, AB Beverage and Aiken Horse are among the primary sponsors for the 2010 Aiken Trials.
A portion of the proceeds from the Aiken Trials will go to benefit the Aiken Land Conservancy and the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum.
The 2010 edition of the Aiken Trials will not feature the Starting Gate Party, the event held the Thursday night prior to Saturday’s races.
Renewals for regular and patron spots will be sent out during the first week of January.
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Events of the Triple Crown.
The festivities begin Thursday with the Breakfast at the Gallops, a fund-raiser for the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum, held at the Aiken Training Track’s clockers stand. Learn more about the sport of Thoroughbred racing as trainers based at the training facility discuss the sport and answer questions. The cost is $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The event will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. For more information call 642-7650.
The Starting Gate Party is Thursday on the infield of the Aiken Training Track and will feature music by Anybody’s Guess. The dinner will be catered by Papa Russ’s Catering by Jennifer, and the meal will have a barbecue theme with a varied menu. Tickets to the Starting Gate Party are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. More Info.
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