Horse Racing in Aiken

The 2005 Aiken Trials will be held on March 19th and represent the 63rd renewal of the event. Horses are a year-round presence in Aiken, but Thoroughbreds are the ruling force throughout the winter months until March. Nationally known racing stables such as Cot Campbell’s Dogwood Stable and Robert McNair’s Stonerside Stable, and many other smaller operations call Aiken home. Forty Champions have trained over the Aiken’s mile training track, which was built in 1941, including 1991 Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero and Storm Song, winner of the 1996 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“It’s our first rite of spring,” explained Mike Fanning, a member of the Aiken Jaycees, the organization that sponsors the Trials (along with the Aiken Training Track itself). “Last year we had perfect weather and a great crowd of between six and seven thousand – I would hope we had a repeat this year!”

There are six races on the Trials program—two races for two-year-olds and four races for horses three years old and older. Each race is named for an important racing personage from the past. There is the Gaver Trophy, named after the late John Gaver, trainer for the once powerful Greentree Stable; the Post Trophy, named for Fred Post, who came to Aiken with polo ponies but built the training track and helped develop Aiken into a world-class Thoroughbred training center. The final race of the day is always the “City of Aiken Trophy” with Aiken’s mayor, Fred B. Cavanaugh presenting the trophy. The races are only open to horses that train on the grounds, so horses do not ship in from Elloree or Camden, two other notable training towns in South Carolina.

Although the tailgating is not as lavish at the Trials as during the steeplechase event, there is still a wide array of food. Several local restaurants have their catering trucks set up, and this year there are plans for a food court.

But make no mistake, horses are the main drawing card. Who knows, a future Kentucky Derby winner could be making his (or hers) first start at the Aiken Trials. Dogwood Stable’s Summer Squall ran in the Trials as a two-year-old in 1989—finishing second after gazing at the crowd when the starting gate flew open. It was the big colt’s only loss of the year! As a three-year-old, Summer Squall finished second in the Kentucky Derby, then won the Preakness Stakes two weeks later in Baltimore.

For further information on the Aiken Trials you can go to the event’s website: www.aikentrials.com, or call 803.278.4849.