AIKEN, S.C.--To finish his year on a high note, Todd Wyatt saddled Kiyomori to win the final steeplechase Stakes race of the year, the $35,000 Sport of Kings Three/Four Year Old Hurdle Stakes at the Aiken Fall Steeplechase on Saturday, Nov. 18.
Kiyomori, right, leads Total Joy over last in the 3/4-year-Old Stakes (Photo by Tod Marks)Kiyomori, a homebred belonging to Gregory D. Hawkins and ridden by Graham Watters, won by 3/4 length over Total Joy (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, finishing the 2 1/8 mile race in 4:02..
"Janet Elliot sent him to me in September when things began to change for her," said Wyatt. "Since then he's run three times, including Aiken, with two wins and a third. Janet had a lot to do with his wins."
"He's a lovely horse," said Wyatt. "He's nice to train.He's a good jumper, and he has a good mind. He just wants to do right."
"We'll put him away for the winter,"said Wyatt. "I'll talk to Janet, and she'll talk to Mr. Hawkins about what he'll do next, but he'll probably run in novice races next year."
"It's been a little quiet for us this year, so it was nice to have this to pick our heads up at the end of the year," said Wyatt.
Watters, who had both the Rider, Races Won and Rider, Money Won titles sewn up before Aiken, the final race meet of the year, but he added three wins on Saturday to finish with 23 wins and $776,900 to Harry Beswick's 17 wins and $597.150.
Young and Jack Fisher also had the Trainer, Races Won and Trainer, Money Won titles respectively sewn up before Aikken, but each added one win to their total totals to finish in a high note.
Young had 33 wins to Fisher's 23 wins,while Fisher finished with $1,005,760 to Young's $876,900.
Watters first win of the day came on Bellarmine Hall in the first race, the $20,000, 2 1/8 mile Maiden Claiming Hurdle.
Bellarmine, owned by Sawbuck Racing and trained by David Bourke, won by 1 /14 length over Absam, trained by Paige Reynolds, finishing in 3:44 3//5.
Young saddled Thomas S. Rice's Oscar Winner, ridden by Conor Tierney, to win the $25,000, 2 3/8 mile Ratings Handicap Hurdle by 3/4 length in 4:11 over Tease and Sieze (Fr), trained by Richard Valentine.
Fisher saddled Bruton Street-US' Quick Master, ridden by Watters, to win the $20,000, 2 1/8 mile Maiden Starter Hurdle by 1 1/4 lengths in 3:55 4/5 over The Quantico Kid, trained by Keri Brion.
Tom Garner both trained and rode Mrs, S. Johnston's Active Duty (Fr) to win the $30,000, 2 1/8 mile Maiden Hurdle by 2 lengths in 3:49 3/5 over Kitten Around, trained by Brion.
Aiken finished steeplechasing for the year in the U.S., while the steepleching season in England and Ireland is just getting underway, leading up to the Cheltenham championship meet next spring.
