Middleburg and its environs qualify as a horse mecca: every kind of equine and everything equestrian from international level eventing, show jumping, and dressage to AA-circuit show hunters (ponies and horses) and side saddle champions to driving horses to field hunters and racehorses -- flat, hurdle and timber -- running at local hunts' point-to-points and "under rules" at meets sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association (NSA).

Last winter's snow delayed the start of the point-to-point season from the first Saturday in March for two weeks. It was a crazy spring, and everyone was pretty glad when it settled down to summer. Then, in a twinkle it was time for Saratoga, July 18 to September 1. The country's oldest race course and the oldest sporting venue of any kind offers flat racing with steeplechases carded weekly (one on Wednesday, one on Thursday) through August 28.

It is a sporting getaway like none other, especially with the Saratoga Sales, social events, and the ambience of the Spa town itself. It's win-win for anyone with a penchant for Thoroughbred racing and excitement.

Saratoga dates back to 1863 and the race course owes its existence to John Hunter and William R. Travers. Each thought his horse was the best, but Kentucky won and earned Travers, his owner, the distinction of having a Grade 1 stakes named after him. First run in 1864, the Travers highlights the summer race season at Saratoga and is open to 3-three-olds and runs over 1 1/4 miles with a purse of one million dollars. Its 145th running takes place on August 23, right about the time this issue hits the stands.

The history of Saratoga alone is worth a visit to: www.saratogaracetrack.com, and there is no better way to keep up with all the action than the Saratoga Special, available in its entirety online at www.thisishorseracing.com -- look for the icon in the upper left hand corner. This is the Clancy family summertime opus -- a labor of love, sweat, tears and occasionally blood. One of them, Sean Clancy, lives in Middleburg.

Saratoga's big $150,000 Grade 1 NY Turfwriters steeplechase ran on August 22 -- you don't have to wait to find out the outcome, you can read about it in the Saratoga Special (see previous paragraph). Maybe you can mosey over to see what the NSA -- www.nationalsteeplechase.org -- has to say about the Turfwriters.

After Saratoga, all eyes turn to the $150,000 Lonesome Glory Stakes (Gr. 1) at Belmont and the rest of the NSA's fall schedule. In Virginia, the calendar at www.centralentryoffice.com offers the Blue Ridge Races (Berryville) on Sept. 20, Foxfield Fall Races (Charlottesville) on Sept. 28, Virginia Fall Races (Glenwood Park, Middleburg) on Oct. 4, and please note that the International Gold Cup races (Great Meadow, The Plains) take place a week later than usual on Oct. 25.

Next month, look for a profile about local trainer Richard Valentine, standing fourth in NSA standings for both races and money won: 50 starts, 6 wins, 5 seconds, 7 thirds for 217,550.