Virginia was well represented during the National Racing Hall of Fame induction ceremony with grass champion Fort Marcy (bred and owned by Paul Mellon) and historic inductee Ansel Williamson, who trained Aristides to win the first Kentucky Derby, each born in the state.

Derby/Belmont winner Riva Ridge, while foaled in Kentucky, was bred and owned by Meadow Stable of Doswell, Va.

• Monmouth Park lured Caroline and Sonny Hine’s Skip Away, the leading candidate for 1998 Horse of the Year honors, to its Philip H. Iselin Handicap-G2 by doubling the purse to $500,000 and lengthening it to 11⁄8 miles. Loaded with 131 pounds, 17-20 more than six rivals, Skip Away nosed out Stormin Fever. The victory pushed Skip Away’s career earnings past $9 million.
  
  
• Alexander Mackay-Smith, longtime editor of The Chronicle of the Horse and renowned as a steeplechasing and foxhunting scholar/writer, died at age 95. While serving as editor of The Chronicle from 1952 to 1976, Mackay-Smith also founded or co-founded the Virginia Thoroughbred Association, United States Pony Clubs and U.S. Combined Training Association, as well as the National Sporting Library in Middleburg in collaboration with George Ohrstrom.
  
  
• No Japanese-trained horse had won at the highest level outside that country until Virginia-bred Seeking the Pearl captured the Prix Maurice de Gheeston-G1 in France in August. A Group 1 winner in Japan, the Seeking the Gold filly was owned by Tomoko Uenaka, who purchased her privately from breeder Joe Allbritton’s Lazy Lane Farm after she failed to meet her reserve at the 1995 Keeneland July sale.
  
  
• Tim Capps reflected on the legend of Native Dancer, the champion and leading sire who made Maryland home. The Sagamore great was foaled in Kentucky, but was raised and stood at stud at the Glyndon farm, and was buried there after his death in 1967 at age 17. He sired 304 named foals.
  How deep is Native Dancer’s influence? In the pedigree of this year’s Kentucky Derby winner Mage, Native Dancer appears behind all eight horses in Mage’s third generation.
  
  
• Julie Krone, at age 35, ranked fourth in the Monmouth rider standings and recorded five stakes wins. 
  Krone was a three-time leading rider at Monmouth – the 1998 meet was the last she rode at the New Jersey track.
  
  
• Charles Town raised its purses 10 percent in September, the seventh increase that year and elevating the daily distribution to $50,000. Still, the underpayment for the year showed no sign of decreasing. As of late August, it stood at more than $1.2 million.