A Day at the Potomac Hunt Races By Sarah L. Greenhalgh (exert from the Gazette)

Getting There Before you pack up the kids to go 'chasing, get the weather report. If it has been raining, or rain is predicted, you may not want to drive that fancy import car into the open field called "parking." The course has field parking regardless if you are in general or the more expensive, rail or hillside parking. The race committee members are very

nice about having large farm tractors available to haul you out of the mud if you get stuck, but you might not want to test those chains and hooks near the soft underbelly and expensive paint of your prized vehicle. Better to go with the four-wheel-drive sports utility or something in the front-wheel drive category. Besides you can haul more goodies in a big vehicle.

Arrive in Style

Hats, whether practical or fashionable, are a definite must for a day at the steeplechase races.

Practical, but with stylish country elegance, is the sort of clothing you want to appear in. For those in "the know, tweed is always stylish for the cooler weather. Many of the men will be sporting Irish tweed caps; khaki pants arid a pair of muck boots, Timberlands ax Wellington boots (Wellies for short) when the footing is questionable. The younger generation switches to khaki shorts, pale blue or white oxfords with horse sports ties or a polo shirt accompanied sometimes by a blazer in the warmer weather.

The women tend to stick to the, longer calf and ankle-length skirts, nice slacks, woolly sweaters (many with a sporting or fox hunting motif) and tweed jackets. The ladies love the big hats and silk scarves to accompany their well-coifed manes.

In warmer weather long sun dresses, flower print skirts or khaki slacks is the preferred look. Hot pants and micro-minis are definitely frowned upon.

Like the men, the women always wear practical shoes like "Wellies", L.L. Bean gumshoes or real paddock boots with their outfits. The true women of the horsy-set never ever show up in anything with heels or fancy shoes that might be destroyed by a little mud or the occasional meadow muffin.

Both sexes favor the long and short versions of the English/Australian waxed coat, dark green and brown being the favorite colors. They are good windbreakers and are fairly waterproof. The coats can be found in higher end saddlery stores or can be purchased, along with oiled headgear, from vendors at some of the races.

The races are rarely canceled because of the weather. Snow; tremendous rain and lightning are some of the few acts of nature that might stop a meet for a while, but don't count on it. The steeplechasing crowd is a tough lot.

Before heading far rural Montgomery County, remember you are going to be standing outside in the elements for about six hours. Dress accordingly. If you want to hang with the serious race-goers you must be prepared for anything. Pack a gym bag full of different layers. Expect if it is sunny in the morning, it might be raining in the afternoon and vice-versa.

Tile Tailgate

Sometimes there are food vendors at the races, but it is not to take the chance missing out on nourishment unless, of course, you are adept at mooching off other people's tailgates. Even if you don't have the back of a Range Rover to party in you can still pack a ground picnic or tailgate in the back of a station wagon or a roomy pickup truck.

There is an art to tailgating, but it is very easy to master. For the inexperienced tailgater you should start by bringing a few of the basic staples: deviled eggs, brownies, chips and salsa, fried/roasted chicken, biscuits, honey baked/smoked ham, deli fixings and definitely something hot and steamy from a large stainless steel thermos.

The more seasoned tailgate will begin with the above items and then add shrimp cocktail, egg rolls, Vienna sausages or Swedish meatballs, perhaps a creamy soup or finger sandwiches. And their presentation is enhanced by good sterling silver, china and a candelabra to accompany their dishes.

Leave the Hibachi grill at home and stick to Sterno. One year someone put their grill, after they were finished cooking, under a car for either safekeeping. The end result was that their car ignited as did a few more down the railside line. Needless to say there was much excitement and very little race-watching that day.

Some people pull out all the stops when there is a tailgate contest at the race meet. They may bring a stuffed fox as a centerpiece or a small chandelier to hang from the back hatch, Irish lace tablecloths and good champagne. An original theme helps when seeking the winning tailgate title. Check before you go to see if your race meet is having such a contest. Most of the contests are judged in the advance ticket, rail or preferred parking lots and there is usually some sort of entry form.

For the budget tailgater, a thick plastic tarp placed under your picnic blanket is a good idea for protection from the possibility of cold or damp ground.

You may also choose to bring lawn chairs. Alcohol is permitted at the race meets but it is almost always "bring your own". For the safety of horses, pets and people, no bottles are allowed.

At the Races Will O'Keefe is undeniably the "voice of steeplechase" at the Virginia and a few Maryland race meets. His voice is what race-goers hear over the loud speaker calling the play-by-play action as the 'chasers gallop along on course. Perched high above the crowds in the steward's stand, O'Keefe has a bird's eye view into the steeplechasing world and its fans.

Listen to how he rolls off the hardest of names.

"Steeplechasing is one of those sports that has something for everybody. You can tailgate with your friends and be entertained every half-hour with a race. It is an exciting sport with great athleticism on the part of the horses and there is so much color involved. The setting is much prettier than running in the dirt," says O'Keefe who announces Potomac and the week before, The Virginia Gold Cup.

Get to the races before post time, especially if you have never seen a steeplechase before. First-timers will see hurdlers (horses that jump over 52-inch man-made or natural brush fences) timber horses (horses that jump over large freestanding wooden railed fences and jumps in fence-lines) and the fast paced flat racers. There are usually anywhere from six to nine races on a race card and sometimes more if the divisions have to be split because of the number of entries.

Bring your binoculars and a camera because, unlike the flat track, steeplechase courses stretch over the countryside with many of the best fences along the rail where you can get great photographs as the equines thunder by.

Arrive early to see the pony races. Watching the pony races is seeing racing's future jockeys. A good number of the top jockeys, past and present, started in the pony and junior divisions.

Like most equestrian sports, the men and women compete equally and together. In addition to the regular coed races, there are some ladies only 'chases, which are some of the most competitive in and around the circuit.

Steeplechasers are all registered Thoroughbred horses but not all were born and bred in the United States. When you arrive at the entrance gate get a race program, in it you will see the lineage of your favorite steeds, where they are from and their latest wins and earnings. Your program will tell you what kind of race they are running, how long it is and what horse and rider combination won it in previous years. Bring a Sharpie marker along in your picnic gear. You will want to mark the program with the scratches (horses not running) and the rider and weight changes.

Wagering Whereas only a few races in the season are para mutual, there is always playful betting among friends. However, choosing a winner over fences is like predicting the stock market. There are many more variables in steeplechase than in flat track racing. First, they are jumping serious fences at speed. Even the most novice of horse folk realize

guiding a 1,200 pound bundle of energy over a fence in company at speeds over 30-miles-an hour, is quite difficult.

Second, if a jockey pops off, which happens not infrequently, the rider-less horse rarely just stops. In fact, the loose horse will follow the field more times than not, making it even more difficult for the jockeys to jump cleanly. Loose horses are something a spectator should avoid at all costs. Never try to catch one, leave that up to the outriders and officials.

The Course

Unlike the flat track where there is a starting gate, the start at a steeplechase consists of lining the horses up evenly and signaling them to go by dropping a flag. A jumped start is where one horse had an advantage or left before the flag fell. If this happens, they line up again.

In a race, a good hurdle horse will take the jump in stride like a human hurdler and may "brush" through the top of the fence. Hurdle races are shorter and faster than timber races. In a timber race, the horse should not "brush" or hit the fence, to do so could be catastrophic. However, timber is made to break away when hit hard enough. Timber courses are miles longer and increase in height at the sanctioned races.