Racing

Keri Brion won four flat races, Bernie Houghton won two, and Motion, Matz and Meister had winners

Details: May 27, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

BALTIMORE, Md.--Keri Brion saddled four winners during the past week, including Caroline Krystyna at Pimlico on Black Eyed Susan Day, May 10.

Caroline Krystyna James McCue Caroline Krystyna winning at Pimlico (Photo by James McCue)Sterbenz Racing's Caroline Krystyna won a $58,800, 5 furlong Maiden Special weight turf race for 3-, 4- and 5-year-old fillies and mares by 2 1/4 lengths.

"It's been great," said Brion."Winning a race on Black Eyed Susan Day was a big push. I've gotten a lot of calls from that."

"Caroline's owner came from an open house that I had last February," said Brion. "He thought she'd be a turf horse, so he sent her to me. She's out of an Augustin Stable's mare that I used to gallop for Jonathan Sheppard. She's going to go to a stakes at Laurel next month."

Blue Streak Racing's Anoint won a $32,000, 1 mile Allowance race at Presque Isle by a neck on May 24.

Anoint was bred by Jonathan Sheppard, for whom Brion was assistant trainer before going out on her own.

"She ran a career best," said Brion. "She ran huge. She's not really a dirt horse, but she loves the tapeta track at Presque Isle."

Mr. Fine Threads, trained by Joe Davies, won at the Potomac Hunt Races

Details: May 23, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

SENECA, Md.--Mr. Fine Threads, ridden by Eric Poretz and running without shoes, won the $2,500 Preakness Novice Timber race at the Potomac Hunt Races point-to-point on Sunday, May 21.

Mr.Fine Threads Mr. Fine Threads, left, and Real Factor over the last at Potomac (Photo by Bob Keller)"I bought Mr. Fine Threads from Billy Santoro, but he had foot issues," said Joe Davies, who trains the 10-year-old gelding for Armata Stables. "He won at Elkridge-Harford and was second at the Manor, but prior to that, we took his shoes off. He'd been lame with shoes on, and our blacksmith suggested trying him without shoes. So we took them off and painted his feet with turpentine every day."

"I don't know how many timber horses have run and won without shoes," said Davies. "Eric did a great job. Mr. Fine Threads will foxhunt this fall. He may go to Genesee and the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup. If he goes, he'll either be ridden by Eric or Teddy (Davies, Joe's son who broke his collarbone at the Grand National in April)."

Mr. Fine Threads won over Real Factor, trained by Arch Kingsley.

Leslie Young wins two more at Radnor, now leads by 11 in Races Won

Details: May 21, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

MALVERN, Pa.--Leslie Young saddled another pair of winners at the Radnor Hunt Raceson Saturday, May 20 and stretched her lead in Trainer, Races Won to 21, 11 more than Jack Fisher, who has 10 wins, and 14 more than Ricky Hendriks, who has seven wins.

Total Joy 4 Mark Watts race through stretch early in 1st Total Joy under Mark Watts passed Gold Charm in the stretch (Photo by Tod Marks)Young has been winning races two at a time in steeplechase meets this spring.

She won two races at Foxfield, two at the Queen's Cup, two at Willowdale and now two at Radnor.

Noble Stables' Total Joy, ridden by Mark Watts, won the $25,000 Maiden Hurdle by a neck over Gold Charm, trained by Cyrll Murphy.

"I bought Total Joy at Tattersall last year," said Young, "He's really well bred and was relatively inexpensive. We put together a syndicate of six people, Gayle Clark, Skip and Vicky Crawford, Dr.and Mrs. Devon and Mrs. Brown."

"The jockey was way over weight, so he did really well," said Young.

Total Joy was scheduled to only carry 146 pounds, second lightest in the field, but actually had too carry 156 pounds, making him the high weight in the eight horse field.

"We might run him this summer" said Young."He's a lovely type that's very versatile. He might want longer distances. I think he could be a timber horse."

Leslie Young won two at Willowdale, moves into big lead in Trainer, Races Won

Details: May 16, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa.--Leslie Young won two races at the Willowdale Steeplechase on May 13 and moved into a huge lead in Trainer Races Won.

Leslie YoungThomas Rice and Ashwell Stable's Booby Trap, ridden by Conor Tierney, won the $10,000 Apprentice Rider Hurdle by 1 1 /4 lengths over another horse trained by Young, Ashwell Stable's Top Brass (GB).

"Conor got him parked out in the back and got him to relax,"said Young. "There's nothing left for Boob Trap this spring, We'll have to see what his rating is now. If they raise it too high, he might do better to switch to timber. He's a good jumper."

Ashwell Stable's Durragh (Ire), ridden by Tierney, won the $20,000 Ratings Handicap Hurdle by 3/4 length over Rhebus Road (Ire), trained by Willy Dowling, with another two of Young's, Oscar Winner and Wightman (Ire), finishing third and fourth.

"Durragh is a lovely mare," said Young. "I bought her for $6,000 at Doncaster. I thought she was going to win at Foxfield, but she hit the front too early. I just told Conor not to hit the front too often, and he followed instructions well. Conor got her to relax, and she gritted it out."

Young's two wins moved her into a big lead in Trainer Races Won with 19 wins to Jack Fisher's nine wins and Hendriks seven wins, and she also leads in Money Won with $420,350 to Fisher's $404,250 and Hendriks'$109,800.

Willie Mullins' Scaramanga beat Snap Decision in $200,000 Iroquois Stakes

Details: May 16, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Irish invader Scaramanga, trained by champion Irish trainer Willie Mullins and ridden by champion Irish jockey Paul Townend, won the $200,000, G1 Calvin Houghland Iroquois Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths over Snap Decision at the Iroquois Steeplechase on May 13..

Scaramanga leads Snap Decision over last in iroquois 31 Scaramanga (left) leads Snap Decision (Right) over the last in the iroquois Stakes (Photo by Tod Marks)Bruton Street-US' Snap Decision, trained by Jack Fisher, was ridden by Sean McDermott after his regular jockey, Graham Watters, suffered a back injury in a fall at the Virginia Gold Cup a week earlier.

Snap led through most of the race, although not by as much nor as brilliantly as ha has in past races, until Scaramanga drew even with him over the last fence and then drew off in the stretch.

"He got beaten by a better horse," said Fisher. "But I know he didn't like the going. He'll probably go to the race at Belmont next and then to Far Hills.""

The going was listed as good, although it appeared closer to soft than firm, and in the past Snap's connections have said they wouldn't race him again on the soft going that he doesn't like.

Graham Motion won eight races this past month

Details: May 10, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

FAIR HILL, Md.--Graham Motion, based at Fair Hill Training Track, won eight races including one stakes and five allowance races during the past month.

Graham Motion Coady Photography Graham Motion (Photo by Coady Photography)AMO Racing USA''s Affirmative Lady won the G2, $250,000, 1 1/16 mile Gulfstream Park Oaks by 2 lengths at Gulfstream on April 1, but then ran back May 5 in the G1 Kentucky Oaks and was unplaced.

Wertheimer et Frere's homebred Ambitieuse won a $28,000, 11/16 mile Allowance race for mares 4 and up at Tampa Bay on April 2 by a neck, and she now has two wins, one second and one third from eight starts.

Team Valor, et al's Hurricane Dream (Fr) won a $140,000, 1 1/16 mile turf Allowance for 4 year olds and up BY 4 1/2 lengths at Keeneland on April 7 in his second start in this country after racing in stakes in France.

Highclere Throughbred Racing's Royal Patronage (Fr) won a $43,000, 1 1/16 mile turf Allowance for 4 year olds and up by a neck at Keeneland on April 20 in his fourth start in this country after racing in stakes in France.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Albert Frassetto's The Grey Wizard won a $120,000, 1 1/2 miles turf Allowance for 4 year olds and up by 1 1/4 lengths at Keeneland on April 27 and is now multiple stakes placed with three wins and three seconds from 10 starts.

Kathy Neilson won the race honoring her father Paddy at Winterthur

Details: May 9, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

WINTERTHUR, Del.--Kathy Neilson saddled Armata Stables' Fashion Line, ridden by Conor Tierney, to win the featured $20,000 Vicmead Plate Apprentice Rider Timber race at Winterthur Races on May 7.

Fashion Line Conor Tierney lead over last in 3rd 2 Fashion Line, ridden by Conor Tierney, leads over the last in the Vicmead Plate (Photo by Tod Marks)The race was run in honor of Louis "Paddy" Neilson, a top rider and trainer who died in 2019..

Fashion Line, ridden by the Maryland Hunt Cup winning jockey, went right to the lead at the start, was never headed and won comfortably by 6 lengths.

"The race was in honor of Dad, so it was definitely a sentimental moment," said Neilson. "Dad was a fantastic rider, but more than that, he was a good person. If one of us was in a race and either pulled up or won, he was there for us either way. He was a really good father."

Fashion Line was bred by Magdalen Bryant," said Neilson. "His mom was a winner over jumps. He was given to me by Beth Fout. He's a big, good looking horse, so we went on to teach him to jump over timber."

Jack Fisher saddled two stakes winners at the Virginia Gold Cup

Details: May 9, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

THE PLAINS, Va.--Jack Fisher saddled two winners as well as both the first and second placed horses in the featured $100,000 David Semmes Memorial Hurdle Stakes at the Virginia Gold Cup on Saturday, May 6.

Welshman Graham Watters lead over last in Semmes REMOTE 2 Welshman under Graham Watters leads over last in the David Semmes (Photo by Tod Marks)Harold Via's Welshman ridden by Graham Watters, won the David Semmes by 2 lengths over stablemate Riverdee Stable's Gordon's Jet, ridden by Jamie Bargary.

Welshman went to the front about halfway through the race and held off Gordon's Jet, who had run second throughout the race.

"Graham gallops Welshman every day," said Fisher."He's a little difficult to gallop. He'll go to Saratoga next."

"Gordon's Jet is a lovely horse," said Fisher of the 7-year-old gelding that ran in handicaps in England through 2022 before coming to this country and winning his first race in this country at Tryon in April.

"I expected Welshman to run a good race," said Watters. "I didn't want to go to the front that early, but I didn't want to break his spirit."

Sheila Williams and Northwood Stable's Storm Team, ridden by Watters, won the $30,000 Steeplethon Stakes by 14 1/2 lengths over Brooklyn Speights, trained by Mark Beecher.

Storm Team, a stakes winner over timber, had been eased in his last race at Middleburg after leading for the first 2 1/2 miles.

Mark Beecher had a Maiden Timber winner at the Middlbeburg Hunt Point-to-Point

Details: May 4, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

MIDDLEBURG, Va.--Mark Beecher saddled Mekong to win the Maiden Timber at the Middleburg Hunt Point-to-Point on April 30.

Mark Beecher at Winterthur 2018 Mark Beecher at Winterthur in 2018 while he was still riding in steeplechase racesSky Hy Star, trained by Carl Rafter, led for most of the race, until Carroll F. Hawkins' Mekong, ridden by Jamie Bargary, challenged him in the stretch and went on to win by a neck at the wire.

This was Mekong's first race over timber after running three times on the flat and then over hurdles for breeder Gregory Hawkins while being trained by Janet Elliot.

"Mekong just came to me late in the season," said Beecher. "He jumped around well. I got him a little too late to run in any sanctioned races. He may go to one mome point-to-point, Potomac on May 21. Then I'll run him in sanctioned races this fall."

Keri Brion won three races, while running both first and second in one of them.

She saddled Molly Willis and The International Venture's Geordie Dreamer, ridden by Parker Hendriks, to win the Maiden Hurdle, first section, by 2 3/4 lengths over Total Joy, trained b Leslie Young.

Brion then saddled Buttonwood Farm's Lady's Game (GB), also ridden by Hendriks, to win the Maiden Hurdle, section 2, by 3/4 length over Master McGrath, trained by Richard Valentine.

In the Maiden Flat, Ahsoka, owned by Blue Streak Racing and ridden by Taylor Kingsley, won by 6 lengths over KMSN Stable's Lightning Ridge, ridden by Jesue Saucedo, both trained by Brion.

Emily Hannum saddled Adlestrop Hill's Our Legend (Ire), ridden by Chloe Hannum, to win the Open Timber by 1 3/4 lengths over Flaming Sword, trained by Valentine.

Manuel Aguilera saddled EHM Stable's Prince Khozan, ridden by Gretchen Eisenberg, to win the Novice Rider Flat by 6 lengths over Clint Maroon (GB), trained by David Bourke.

Todd Wyatt saddled Mrs.S.K. Johnston's Awesome Man, ridden by Elizabeth Scully, to win the Open Flat by a neck over Crab N Beer, trained by Brion.

West Newton won the $60,000 Handicap Hurdle Stakes at Foxfield

Details: May 3, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va--Ricky Hendriks saddled Upland Flats Racing's West Newton, ridden by Harry Beswick. to win the $60,000 Handicap Hurdle Stakes at Foxfield Spring Races on April 29.

West Newton Jerry Dzierwinski West Newton winning on the flat at Pimlico last year (Photo by Jerry Dzierwinski)West Newton went right to the lead, lead throughout and held off a determined challenge by Scorpian's Revenge, trained by Cyril Murphy, to win by a nose.

"He ran super," said Hendriks. "Harry gave him a great ride. We may go to Saratoga for the A.P.Smithwick next."

Bred by the late Queen Elizabeth, the 7-year-old West Newton raced in England as a 2- and 3-year-old and then raced on the flat in this country.

He ran over fences in 2021 with a couple of wins and then switched back and forth from hurdle to flat races last year.

He's run twice this year, both over fences, and he won both races.

With that win, Beswick moved into the lead in Rider, Races Won with seven wins to Graham Watters six wins.

Leslie Young won two races at Foxfield, and with two wins at the Queen's Cup races on the same day now leads in Trainer, Races Won with 16 wins, with Hendriks and Jack Fisher sharing second with six wins apiece.

Freddy Flintshire wins the $50,000 Queen's Cup

Details: May 2, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

MINERAL SPRINGS, N.C.--Keri Brion saddled Upland Flats Racing's Freddy Flintshire to win the $50,000 Queen's Cup Novice Hurdle Stakes at the Queen's Cup Steeplechase on April 29.

Freddy Flintshire Parker Hendriks race last in QC 9 Freddy Flintshire, ridden by Parker Hendriks (Photo by Tod Marks)Parker Hendriks rode Freddy Flintshire, and he kept tthe 5-year-old gelding in the back of the six horse field, beginning to make his move running down the hill, swiftly went to the front and won by 14 1/2 lengths over Cool Jet, trained by Jack Fisher.

"He's a really nice horse," said Brion. "I've had him since he was a 3-year-old. Originally,we weregoing to wait withhim until Saratoga, but he cameout of this race so weelwe're going to sendhim to Nashville in the Novice Stakes."

Freddy Flintshire won an allowance race at Saratoga last summer and then placed second by 1/2 length to Theocrat, also trained by Brion.

In 2021, her first year as a trainer, Brion trained an Eclipse Award winner, The Mean Queen, and was Leading Trainer, Money Won and was also Leading Trainer, Money Won in 2022, but so far this year she has had only three winners.

Withoutmoreado won the Maryland Hunt Cup as the Neilson sisters run first and second

Details: May 1, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

GLYNDON, Md.--Withoutmoreado (Ire) won the Maryland Hunt Cup by 10 3/4 lengths over Royal Ruse, the only two finishers from a starting field of eight.

Withoutmoreado 3rd Douglas Lees Withoutmoreado at the third fence (Photo by Douglas Lees)Sisters Kathy and Sanna Neilson trained Withoutmoreado and Royal Ruse respectively.

Owned by Irv Naylor and ridden by Conor Tierney, Withoutmoreado ran second to Vintage Vinnie until after the 18th fence, when he passed Vinnie, who was then pulled up.

Charlie Fenwick's Royal Ruse, ridden by Elizabeth Scully, ran third until after the 18th fence, and then chased Withoutmoreado but was never able to close the gap to more than a few lengths and was slightly eased in the stretch when it was clear he was beaten.

"Ado squealed in the morning when he was turned out, and I thought then he'd have a good day," said Kathy. "He had just shed out the week before the Hunt Cup. I knew he was in good shape, but I would have been happy if he'd just jumped around okay."

Tierney, who's 19, had only come over from Ireland in March, and had only ridden in eight sanctioned races over timber," said Kathy. "I said to him the Wednesday before the race, after he'd walked the course, `If you don't want to ride in the Hunt Cup, now is the time to tell me.' But he said he was fine. The day of the race, I told him `Don't let your Mother see any of the fences, or she'll take you straight to the airport.'"

"I made Conor walk the course six times," she said. "Conor rode very bravely and boldly."

Laurel resumed training on its track on April 27 and plans to resume racing on Saturday, April 29

Details: April 27, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

LAUREL, Md.--Laurel Park was open for training on Thursday, April 27, and will be open on Friday, with hopes to run on Saturday, Apr. 29 unless the rain scheduled for Friday changes this schedule.

Racing Laurel gate Last Saturday's cancelled Apr. 22 card included two $100,000 races, the Native Dancer Stakes and the Primonetta Stakes, scheduled for the main track.

This Saturday, there will be 11 races with the same slate of five stakes.

Races were cancelled last week after two horses had to be euthanized and trainers claimed this was due to the track.

Laurel issued a statement that attested to the safety of the track, but that alone didn't satisfy all the horsemen.

There were a number of talks between the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and the Stronach Group last week.

The horsemen wanted Laurel's former track superintendent John Passero to assess the track.

Stronach Group agreed, and that has led to the resumption of training and the decision to conduct racing on Saturday.

Vintage Vinnie is the one to beat in the Maryland Hunt Cup

Details: April 25, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

GLYNDON, Md.--Vintage Vinnie will be going for his third straight victory in the Maryland Hunt Cup on Saturday, April 29, a feat only one other horse, Blockade, has accomplished.

Vintage Vinnie 22 best Vintage Vinnie on his way to winning last year with Teddy DaviesArmata Stables' Vintage Vinnie (Ire), trained by Joe Davies, won by 96 lengths two years ago and set a new track record of 8:29,.60, and he won last year by 54 lengths, beating his previous time and setting a new track record of 8:15.00.

"No other horse in the Hunt Cup has broken his own track record," said Davies.

Five other horses have won three times to retire the challenge cup, but none three times in a row.

Winton's wins were separated when the race was cancelled from 1943 to 1945 in World War II, Pine Pep was beaten in his third run before winning again in 1952, Jay Trump skipped 1965 to run in the Aintree Grand National and Cancottage was also beaten in his third run before retiring the trophy in 1983.

Vintage Vinnie will be ridden by Dan Nevin, who rode him to victory two years ago.

Teddy Davies, who rode Vinnie last year, broke his collarbone when his mount fell in the Grand National, and his hopes of a quick fix were dashed when the Space X doctors at NASA said that none of the glues they had for treating astronauts in trouble would work on him.

"No miracle cure for collarbones available at this time," said Joe Davies.

Doug Fout saddled two winners at the Loudoun Hunt Point-to-Point

Details: April 25, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

LEESBURG,Va.--Doug Fout, trainer, and Barry Foley, jockey, teamed up to win two races at the Loudoun Hunt Point-to-Point on April 23.

31f7c9c40370047c6657d0f51995d5f1 Loudoun Hunt Point-to-PointRolling Tide's Hold Hard (Ire) won the first division of the Maiden Hurdle by 1 length over Top of the Field, trained by Keri Brion, and Beverly Steinman's Dyna Mast won the Maiden Flat by 1 length over Quiddich, trained by Todd Wyatt.

Willy Dowling saddled Kiplin Hall's Absam to win the second division of the Maiden Hurdle by a neck over Moonshine Time (Ire), trained by Brion.

Charlie Fenwick's Withoutdestination (GB), trained by Wyatt and ridden by Elizabeth Scully, won the Open Flat over Wicked West (Ire), also trained by Wyatt.

Mint Meadows Farm's B Determined, trained by Suzanne Stettinius and ridden by Erika Taylor, won the Virginia Bred Flat, and EHM Stables' Prince Khozan, trained by Manuel Aquilera ad ridden by Gretchen Eisenberg, won the Restricted Young Adult Flat.

Cami Kern continued her winning ways on Mallory, winning the Small Pony flat, while Yomar Ortiz on Blueberry won the Medium Pony Flat, and Jaidyn Shore on Janneydancer won the Large Pony Flat.

Monbeg Stream won the Grand National, and Teddy Davies tries an unusual fix for a broken collarbone

Details: April 24, 2023; By SARA CAVANAGH

BUTLER,Md.--The $30,000 Grand National Timber Stakes is often used as a prep for the Maryland Hunt Cup, but the winner, Monbeg Stream, won't be going to the Hunt Cup this year.

Monbeg Stream RobertKeller Fredd Procter on Monbeg Stream managed to stay on over this fence and went on to win the Grand National Stakes (Photo by Robert Keller)"Monbeg Stream is only 6, so we'll wait until next year for the Hunt Cup with him" said Leslie Young who trains the gelding for Tuscany Racing. "He'll probably go to Willowdale, and then we'll put him away until Genesee. Next year, we'll give him one prep and then run him in the Hunt Cup."

But the most extraordinary story of the day is that of Teddy Davies and his broken collarbone.

Our Friend (Ire) fell with Teddy in the first race, and Teddy, who was scheduled to ride Vintage Vinnie in the Hunt Cup, broke his collarbone.

Teddy won last year on Vintage Vinnie, who is going for a third straight win in the Hunt Cup on April 29.

So, as of Monday morning, Teddy was on his way to NASA.

Yes, that's right -NASA.

Teddy's father Joe Davies, who trains Vintage Vinnie, said the Space X doctors were going to look at the possibility of gluing Teddy's collarbone so he could ride in the Hunt Cup.

Joe said the doctors had glue that they could use on astronauts if need be, and that they'd be looking a different types of glue to see which would work on Teddy.

"He'll have to be able to bench-press 150 pounds tomorrow for us to allow him to ride in the Hunt Cup," said Joe. "We'll know tomorrow if he can ride."