Racing

Gold Charm won the $100,000 Life's Illusion Stakes at Colonial

Details: September 5, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

NEW KENT, Va.--Cyril Murphy saddled Irv Naylor's Gold Charm, ridden by Harry Beswick to win the $100,000, 2 1/4 mile Life's Illusion Stakes for fillies and mares on Thursday, Sept. 5, the last day of his year's steeplechase racing at Colonial Downs.

Gold Charm Coady Media Maddy Becker Gold Charm (Photo by Coady Media, Maddy Becker)"We bought her as a 3-year-old at a hoes in training sale in England and brought her here," said Murphy. "She's a nice filly. She ran second to the boys at Malvern and then broke her maiden at Colonial last year. She won the Randolph Rouse Stakes at Colonial and then was third in the stakes at Far Hills."

"The plan was always to come back to Colonial, but horses don't pay bills standing in their stalls, so we had to run her this spring in a couple of races that didn't suit her," said Murphy. "Today she showed what she can do. She's very honest, she jumps well and she got a nice ride from Harry."

"Our whole year was geared to Colonial, and today was the last day, so I'm not sure what we're going to do next." said Murphy. "October at Far Hills is a possibility. There aren't that many opportunities for fillies and mares. But for now, we've achieved what we came to do."

Gold Charm ran off the pace in the back half of the seven horse field for the first six fences and then steadily improved her position, caught the leader, Exculpate, turning for home and pulled clear to win by 2 3/4 lengths over Exculpate, trained by Arch Kingsley and ridden by Parker Hendriks, with My Forever Annie, trained by Leslie Young, third,

Evie's Prince won the $100,000 Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes

Details: August 28, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Shannon Hill Farm's Evie's Prince won the $100,000 Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes at Saratoga on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Graham Watters celebrates near wire in the Walsh Novice Stakes (Photo by Tod Marks)
Graham Watters got the ride on the horse trained by Neil Morris when Jack Fisher had no horse entered in the race.

This was Evie's Pince's seventh start over fences and his third win, all of which came this year.

Evie's Prince had previously run on the flat for three years, mainly in claiming races.

Watters gave the 7-year-old gelding a good ride, tracking the leader, Hold Hard, until after the last fence and then taking command, drawing clear around the final turn and into in the stretch to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Hidden Path.trained by Ricky Hendriks and ridden by Parker Hendriks was second with Westerland, trained by Kathy Neilson and ridden by Jamie Bargary third in the eight horse field.

This win brings Evie's Prince's record to five wins, two seconds and six thirds from 26 starts and earnings of $214,341.

The win extended Watters lead in Riders, Races Won to15, with Bargarys econd with 11 wins.

Watters also leadsin Money Won with $711,550 over Bargary with $561,700.

Leslie Young leads Trainer, Races Won with 22 wins to Fisher's 14 wins and Keri Brion's seven wins.

Michael Matz has a Stakes winner, Keri Brion, Graham Motion, Ricky and McLane Hendriks and Bernie Houghton have winners

Details: August 28, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

TIMONIUM,Md--Michael Matz saddled Runnymoore Racing's Late Frost to win the $75,000, 61/2 furlongs Shine Again Stakes at Timonium on Aug. 24.

Late Frost (Photo by James McCue)
Late Frost led for most of the race for fillies and mares 3 and up and steadily increased her lead to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

"She's quite an honest filly," said Matz. "She was an orphan, so she was raised by humans. She's a real little character."

"There haven't been too many times that she's been out of the money," said Matz. "Six furlongs is probably what she likes, but she was second at 7/8th of a mile around two turns, too. I'm not sure where she'll run next."

Late Frost is graded stakes placed and now has four wins, including two in stakes, three seconds and three thirds from 11 starts with earnings of $349,790.

Matz also had a winner at Parx on Aug. 24, with Michael Moran's homebred Corinna winning a $50,000.1 1/16 mile Allowance race on the turf by 3/4 length.

Matz saddled another for Runnymoore at Penn National on Aug, 23.

Lady Liberty Bell won a Maiden Special Weight for fillies and mares 3 and up by 3 1/4 lengths.

Graham Motion has two Stakes winners

Details: August 23, 2024; By Staff Writers

WILMINGTON, Del.--Graham Motion had two Stakes winners along with an Allowance winner and three maiden Special Weight winners. in the past 10 days.

Graham Motion Coady Photography Graham Motion Photo by Coady Photography)The Grey Wizard, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and the Estate of Albert Frassetto, won the $200,000, 1 1/2 miles Cape Henloped Stakes on the turf by 2 1/4 lengths at Delaware Park on Aug. 21.

The Grey Wizard ran near the back of the six horse field, raced four wide in the final turn and drew clear under mild urging.

Earlier this year, The Grey Wizard won the G2 Belmont Gold Cup Stakes at Saratoga on June 6 and now has five wins, four seconds and a third from 16 starts and earnings of $693,531.

Amerman Racing's Trikari won the G 2, $500,000, 1 mile Secretariat Stakes for 3 year olds on the turf at Colonial Downs by 2 1/4 lengths on Aug. 11.

Trikari settled into second in the six horse field, moved into contention on the final turn and finished clearly the best.

Trikari has now won four stakes this year, including the G1 Belmont Derby Invitational on July 6, the G2 American Turf at Churchill Downs on May 4 and the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway on March 23.

Trikari now has five wins a second and a third from eight starts and earnings of $1,303,530.

Both stakes winners were ridden by John Valezquez.

Keri Brion saddled first and second placed Jimmy P and Going Country in the G1 Sheppard

Details: August 14, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y--Jimmy P shot by Pickanumber, Going Country and Abaan on the final turn and widened his advantage in the stretch to win by a dominating 34 1/2 lengths in the G1, $150,000, 2 3/8 mile Jonathan Sheppard on Wednesday, Aug. 14 at Saratoga.

Stephen Mulqueen waves whip on Jimmy P at wire in Sheppard 2 Stephen Mulqueen celebrates as Jimmy P wins the Sheppard (Photo by Tod Marks)
It was the first G1 stakes win for Jimmy P, who is owned by Madaket Stables, Molly Willis and Paul Willis, trained by Keri Brion and ridden by Stephen Mulqueen.

Jimmy P placed second in the Sheppard last year, and was fourth in the Beverly Steinman earlier this year.

Brion not only saddled the winner, she also trains the second placed Going Country, ridden by Parker Hendriks, with Abaan, trained by Kate Dalton, another 91/2 lengths further back.

The race is named in honor of the late Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who won more than 3,400 races, both flat and steeplechase, in his career that was highlighted by G1 winning flat Champions Forever Together, With Anticipation and Informed Decision and steeplechaser Divine Fortune, as well as G1-winning Storm Cat who became a champion sire.

"I'm here because of Jonathan," said Brion, who worked as Sheppard's assistant trainer for over 10 years. "Everything I know came from him."

This was Brion's second win in the Sheppard, having won the inaugural running of the race with The Mean Queen.

"I told everyone he was going to win," said Brion. "I knew he had a big one in him"

Arch Kingsley's Exculpate and Cainudothetwist finish first and second in $100,000 Hurdle Stakes

Details: August 12, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

NEW KENT, Va.--Arch Kingsley saddled Exculpate to win the $100,000, 2 1/4 mile Randolph D. Rouse Memorial Stakes for fillies and mares on Monday, Aug. 12, and also saddled the second placed Cainudothetwist to top off a spectacular day at Colonial Downs.

Arch Kingsley"It was a sweet win," said Kingsley.

This was a case, for once, of a good deed being rewarded, as Kingsley bought Exculpate as a favor for a friend.

Exculpate was running on the flat at Monmouth in 2023, owned by Jeanne Vuyosevich.

"My friend at Monmouth, Jeanne, was having trouble with Exculpate," said Kingsley. "She didn't like the way she was being trained, the way things were going. She called me and said she thought the mare would make a good jumper. I bought her sight unseen. I thought I was doing her a favor. Exculpate wasn't very expensive."

Since buying her, In four starts over fences, all this year, Exculpate has won twice and finished second twice, once in the Margaret Currey Henley Stakes at Iroquois.

"She ran in my father's old silks," said Kingsley. "She broke her maiden here at Colonial, also in my father's silks, and on his birthday."

Atsamy Racing Club's Exculpate, ridden by Parker Hendriks, went right to the front, opening a big lead in the first half mile but putting in a couple of bad jumps.

"She danced her way out of a couple of pretty bad spots," said Kingsley, "Parker gave her a great ride. He has a great set of hands."

Maryland's racing authority may be a hope for Fair Hill turf course

Details: August 12, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

FAIR HILL, Md.--There may be a light at the end of the tunnel for the beleaguered Fair Hill turf track that would mean racing could eventually resume.

Fair Hill turf course 1 Fair Hill turf course
It won't happen fast, but there's hope in the form of the recently created Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority.

Best of all, the Maryland racing authority not only has the money to fix, maintain and race over the Fair Hill turf track, it also has the knowledge of how to do it.

"The potential of the Fair Hill turf track is very much on our radar," said Alan Foreman, a member of the board of the The Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority.

Foreman is one of the leading racing law attorneys in the United States and the chairman and chief executive officer of Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Associations, Inc., based in Stevenson, Md, which represents more than 20,000 owners and trainers throughout the United States.

He is also a founding director of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and is counsel to many horsemen’s and racing industry organizations.

Keri Brion and Graham Motion have multiple winners, while Liz Merryman, Bernie Houghton, Kathy Neilson and Jack Fisher also have winners

Details: August 9, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Two trainers that learned their trade working for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, Keri Brion and Graham Motion, scored multiple wins over the past few weeks.

Neuschwanstein winning at Saratoga
Brion, who started her career galloping horses for Sheppard, rode steeplechase races for him and then worked as his assistant trainer, began mainly as a steeplechase trainer, but she soon branched out into flat racing, as she always said that was where the money was.

On Wednesday, Aug. 7, Brion saddled Layton Register's homebred Neuschwanstein to win a $45,000 Claiming race at Saratoga by 2 lengths, but he was then claimed by Wayne Potts for $25,000.

"Yesterday we got our second winner of the Saratoga meet when Neuschwanstein won the seventh race nicely for us under Irad Ortiz,"said Brion. "It was great to have his owner/breeder, Layton Registar, at the races to be there for his first Saratoga winner"

Westerland, trained by Kathy Neilson, won the $50,000 Maiden Hurdle at Colonial Downs

Details: August 1, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

NEW KENT, Va.--Kathy Neilson saddled Westerland to win the featured $50,000, 2 14 mile Maiden Special Weight Hurdle at Colonial Downs on Thursday, Aug, 1.

Westerland Maddy BeckerLead Photographer Colonial Downs Westerland (Photos by Maddy Becker, Lead Photographer Colonial Downs)Westerland, owned by Irv Naylor, trained by Kathy Neilson and ridden by Gerard Galligan, ran in the middle of a tightly packed group of 10 starters, began to make his move on the final backstretch, rallied between horses, got through a small hole in the stretch and went on to win by 5 3/4 lengths over Gettleman, trained by Jack Fisher, and Moonshine Time, trained by Keri Brion.

"He's such a nice horse," said Neilson. "I've had him four years, but he has really bad feet, and I had a hard time keeping shoes on him. I talked to Skylar (Neilson's daughter) about it, and we trained him without shoes. He ran without shoes this spring and ran really well. But Colonial won't let horses run without shoes, so we got glue-on shoes."

"I'm glad he got it done, and for a big, fat $50,000," she said. "The Naylors have been really patient. Westy loves Colonial. He loves the good, cushiony turf, so I'd like to keep him there."

Bruton Street's Ziggle Pops won the G1 A.P Smithwick for Jack Fisher

Details: July 22, 2024; By Staff Writers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y--Ziggle Pops (GB) went from last on the final turn to a dominating win in the $150,000, G1, 2 3/8 mile A.P. Smithwick at Saratoga on Sunday, July 21.

Ziggle Pops leads to wire in Smithwick 4 Ziggle Pops leads to the wire in the Smithwick (Photo by Tod Marks)
Bruton Street-US’s Ziggle Pops , trained by Hall of Fame Jack Fisher and ridden by Graham Watters, drew off in the stretch to soundly defeat an accomplished field in the Smithwick, winning by 4 1/4 lengths.

This was Fisher 's fifth win in the Smithwick.

Ziggle Pops has previously finished third in the G1 Beverly R. Steinman on June 20 at Aqueduct after winning a handicap at Iroquois.

"It surprised me," said Fisher. ““I thought he was just 'a horse.' I ran three at Aqueduct in the Steinman and didn't expect much of him there, but I thought he ran well so I brought him back up here. He likes to sit back. He's obviously getting better. I thought his jumping was good last time, and his jumping was great today.”

Graham Motion and Michael Matz have Stakes winners

Details: July 19, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

ELMONT, N.Y.--Graham Motion saddled Trikari to win a Stakes race at Belmont at the Big A, while Michael Matz saddled Alla Brreve to win a Stakes at Laurel.

Trikari Adam Coglainese Trikari (Photo by Adam Coglainese)Keri Brion, Mclane Hendriks, Ricky Hendriks, Bernie Houghton, Liz Merryman and Kathy Neilson also had winners.

Amerman Racing's Trikari won the G1, $750,000, 1 1/16 mile Belmont Derby Invitational on the turf by a head on July 6.

Trikari was up close throughout the race, dueled outside the runner-up White Palomino in the final furlong and prevailed under strong urging.

This was Trimari's first G1 win, having previously won the Rushaway Stakes and the G2 American Turf Stakes.

This win gave Trikari a record of four wins, one second and one third from seven starts and earnings of $959,380.

Motion also saddled Amo Racing's Sir London to win a $53,900, 1 mile Allowance Optional Claiming race on the turf by 1/2 length at Laurel on July 5.

Matz saddled Runnymoore Racing's Alla Breve to win the $75,000, 6 furlong Jameela Stakes on the turf by a head at Laurel on July 14.

Alla Breve moved up steadily through the race, moved out four wide in the stretch and closed with determination to win.

This was Alla Breve's first Stakes win after winning and placing in the money in a number of allowance races.

Matz also saddled Runnymoore Racing's Carentan to win a $20,525, 6 furlong Maiden Claiming race by 4 lengths at Delaware Park on July 4.

Mark Beecher saddled Exuma to win at Colonial

Details: July 19, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

NEW KENT, Va.--Mark Beecher saddled Exuma to win the $33,500,2 1/4 mile Ratings Handicap at Colonial Downs, one of three steeplechase races on Thursday, July 18.

Exuma Coady Photography Exuma (Photo by Coady Photography)Turks Head Turf's Exuma, ridden by Jamie Bargary, raced mid pack, moved up on the outside on the turn to challenge the long time leader Lightning Ridge and went into the lead in the stretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Auction Kingdom, trained by Neil Morris, and Auchincruive, trained by Keri Brion.

"Exuma went very nicely," said Beecher. "We knew there would be a lot of pace. The instructions were just take your time, and find your way through late. Jamie rode him just right."

Beecher said that the long term plan had been to run him in a maiden race at Colonial, but then, while he ran second at Radnor, the horse that beat him was later disqualified, meaning Exuma was moved up to win the maiden race,

"He was then rated at 107, and this was a 110 rated, so this race was nice for him,"said Beecher, ""It let him find his feet. We'll take him home, and we'll wait to see what rating he gets now. Or maybe we'll run him in an allowance next."

L'Imperator and Abaan lead a field of seven in the A.P. Smithwick

Details: July 15, 2024; By Staff Writers

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--L'Imperator, trained by Arch Kingsley, and Abaan, trained by Kate Dalton, lead a field of top steeplechase horses in the G1,$150,000, 2 3/8mile A.P. Smithwick Memorial on Wednesday, July 17 at Saratoga.

LImperator in Steinman Tod Marks L'Imperator winning the Beverly Steinman (Photo by Tod Marks)Hudson River Farms’ L’Imperator, who won the G1 Beverly Steinman at Belmont at the Big A on June 20, will try to earn his second consecutive top-level victory in the Smithwick Memorial, while Abaan, who has won his last four races, including three stakes, will be trying for his first G1 victory.

Abann, ridden by Bernie Dalton, is the high weight at 158 pounds, with L'Imperator, with Jordan Gainford, the second high weight at 154 pounds.

Leipers Fork Steeplechasers’ Pickanumber with Jamie Bargary, will carry 152 pounds and makes his American debut for Leslie Young following a tremendous 15-length victory at odds of 22-1 in the 1 15/16-mile Swinton Handicap on May 11 at Haydock Park in Great Britain.

Pickanumber has won four of his last five outings, including a nine length win in a maiden race over hurdles in February.

Bruton Street-US’s Ziggle Pops, trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Graham Watters, carries 148 pounds and was third behind L'Impertor in the Steinman.

He won a handicap by 10 1/2 lengths two starts back going 2 3/4 miles on May 11 at Percy Warner.

Todd Wyatt saddled Pure Courage to win the $55,000 Ratings Handicap at Colonial

Details: July 11, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

NEW KENT, Va.--Todd Wyatt saddled Pure Courage to win the $55,000,2 1/4 mile Ratings Handicap at Colonial Downs by 13 lengths on Thursday, July 11, dominating the nine horse field after leading throughout the race.

Pure CourageCoady media Pure Courage (Photo by Coady Media)Owned by Mrs.S.K Johnston and ridden by Graham Watters, Pure Courage finished in 4:01.40, the fastest of the three steeplechase races, with Travesuras, trained by Cyril Murphy, second and Outperform, trained by Richard Valentine, third.

"He's a nice horse," said Wyatt. "Sean Clancy picked him out for us. He's been consistently in the money."

Since winning a maiden race Aug. 11, 2023, Pure Courage has finished third twice and second twice in allowance races before this win.

"Elizabeth Scully, who works for us, did a lot of work with him," said Wyatt. "She didn't ride him today, but she deserves a lot of the credit. He's been running against quality horses, so I thought he was due."

"We'll let the dust settle a little before deciding where he'll go next, but it would be nice to take him to Saratoga," said Wyatt. "There's a couple there that will fit him."

Arch Kingsley saddled his own Exculpate to win the $52,500 Maiden race for fillies and mares 4 and up by three lengths over Long Foreverafter, trained by Neil Morris, and Dark Pool, trained by Keri Brion, finishing in 4:05.33.

Taylor Kingsley leads Fegentri during a very busy summer of riding races all over the world

Details: July 10, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

CAMDEN, S.C.--Taylor Kingsley has had a very busy and very successful summer, and she is currently leading the Fegentri series of invitational races for amateurs.

Taylor Kingsley on Chinese Empror in Sweden Photo by Fegentri)Kingsley, daughter of top steeplechase trainer Arch Kingsley, has traveled the world to compete in Fegentri races while still riding races for trainers in Ireland, the U.S. and her father as well as riding morning works for her father.

Along the way, she has ridden five Fegentri races, winning three in Germany, Norway and Sweden.

Most recently,, she rode races in Ireland for trainers Shark Hanlon and Dennis Hogan,finishing with two fourths and a seventh.

Kingsley flew back to this country yesterday, July 9, drove to Colonial Downsn, where she worked a horse for her father and drove north after that to be ready to ride a horse tomorrow, July 11, at Delaware Park in an Arca race, an Amateur Riders Club series that is this country's stepping stone to Fegentri.

"The riding's not difficult," said Kingsley. "Horses all speak the same language. The difficulty is more with the traveling and communication with trainers when the language is different. The races are all different, too, from dirt to turf, long and short. There's no bell in the gate like there is in this country."

Keri Brion had four winners in one week, Motion, Merryman, Matz and Houghton had winners

Details: July 2, 2024; By SARA CAVANAGH

LAUREL, Md.--Keri Brion had four winners in one week, including two in one day at Laurel Park.

Fun Lovin Criminal (Photo by James McCue)
Graham Motion had five winners, including a first and a third in an allowance race at Delaware Park, and Liz Merryman, Michael Matz and Bernie Houghton also had winners.

At Laurel on June 28, Brion had two winners, including Fun Lovin Criminal in a $29,290, 1 mile Starter Optional Claiming race and Summer Anthem in a $28,580 1 mile Claiming race on the turf.

Rising Sun Racing Stables' Fun Loviin Criminal won by a nose after going three wide on the turn and fighting with determination to the wire.

The 4-year-old gelding obviously did have fun being criminal because Brion got him when other trainers couldn't get him to train.

Fun Lovin Criminal came to me because he wouldn't train," said Brion."We got him going."

"Jonathan Sheppard used to get horses that wouldn't train," said Brion, who had been Jonathan Sheppard's assistant trainer. "We made it fun for them. So we took Fun Lovin Criminal out back at Fair Hill. We rode him up and down the hills and turned him out every day. It was a long time before we tried him on the track again. He's still a little funny, but he's a fighter in a race."

"He was claimed from us, and we claimed him back," said Brion. "He's won twice since then. We'll try him in an allowance at Laurel next."