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By Betsy Parker
Times Newspapers Staff Writer
Away from the race course, horse racing probably wouldn’t win, place or even show in a general population poll of which sport has the toughest athletes. But among responses from anyone who’s watched the Virginia Gold Cup in any of the past five years, of their answer there is no doubt.
To wit: Virginia-bred and Virginia-owned, Saluter has racked up no fewer than 34 miles racing over Great Meadow’s championship timber course. His five Virginia Gold Cup victories 1994-1998 mark him as the only horse in history to win the classic more than three times — and only a single horse in the race’s 76year history, Leeds Don, won the four-mile classic even three times. 1b the 20 miles of Gold Cup winning miles, add Saluter’s 14 miles of racing in the fall International Gold Cup - over 3 1/2 miles and basically the same course as the spring Gold Cup, resulting in one win, one second and two fifths. Saluter qualifies as the unchallenged king of The Plains.
Like clockwork since 1922, the Virginia Gold Cup has highlighted the spring steeplechasing season in Fauquier County. And since 1985, the prestigious Cup has called Great Meadow home.
In addition to the eponymous feature, spectators (expected to top 40,000) will cheer winners of six other hurdle and timber races as well as the competitors in the unique NationsBank Cup true
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