The steeplechase world is a small, tightly knit community, and everyone knows everyone else. When a new entry by a well known face gives racegoers a thrill it's a special day not long forgotten. The races at Glenwood finished pretty predictably with the exception of a first time starter on the sanctioned race circuit trained by the affable Irish gentleman, Jeff Murphy. A jockey for the last few years, Murphy looked the part as he sent a handsome dark bay gelding named SECRET SOUL to the course for the James P. McCormick Memorial maiden timber with leading Irish point-to-point rider Byron Moorcroft aboard.

Looking at prospects one day with Liz Millikin last year, Jeff noticed the dark bay gelding and asked about him. Liz tried to divert his attention to another horse, "no, no, no" she replied, "he's hot." An unremarkable winner on the flat, he was by a Canadian champion grass horse and out of a stakes winner. Jeff thought him too attractive, and worth the effort. He took him home.

Lots of ground work and a winter of foxhunting helped him return to form for his first sanctioned start at Glenwood. "He's super brave" Jeff said. This jockey would know. "And Byron gets along well with the horse."

And they're off! It wasn't long before Secret Soul began to break away. Once around and then again. As the crowd watched his 60 - yes 60 - length lead begin to shrink as he approached the turn home, the crowd was screaming, "come on 9! come on 9!"

Won by a half length. "He had enough to get home," Jeff described, barely hinting at the joy of his first sanctioned victory. Later I learned it was his birthday. A day, indeed, that will be long remembered.