Racing

Virginia Korrell placed second in an Irish Point-to-Point, Motion & Houghton have winners

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January 24, 2023

By SARA CAVANAGH

WEST CHESTER, Pa.--Virginia Korrell of West Chester, Pa., went to Ireland before Christmas to ride for trainer Andrew Slattery, a trip she had also made last year.

Virginia Korrell (On the right)She was hoping to get some rides over fences this year, but her license was held up for the first few weeks that she was there, finally coming through in mid-January, allowing her to finally get a ride in a point-to-point, an opportunity she put to good use.

Riding Ahaknowyerself for trainer Slattery, Virginia finished second in a 3 mile race at the Ballycrystal Point-to-Point in County Wexford.

Her parents, Brian and Wis Korrell, said that when they talked to her she told them that because she is an American that the cameras followed her all over.

Virginia Korrell leading on Ahaknowyerself"My first Irish point-to-point ride was a memorable experience,"said Korrell. "The point-to-point people were extremely nice and treated me like a celebrity. My horse ran and jumped like a star, and we almost won. If everything goes to plan, I will ride him in another point-to-point on Feb. 5."

Riding is this country last spring, Virginia had considerable success riding in point-to-points  before suffering a broken leg from a horse kicking her as she was riding back from a work for trainer Leslie Young, an accident that sidelined her until just before she went to Ireland.

"She's riding works for Slattery every day," said Brian. "She rides up to eight or nine a day."

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Parker Hendriks rides for Gordon Elliott and Motion and Houghton have winners

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December 28, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

UNIONVILLE, Pa.--Parker Hendriks, a Unionville resident and National Steeplechase Association's Leading Jockey, traveled to Ireland for a month this fall to ride for one of Ireland's top trainers, Gordon Elliott.

Parker Hendriks "Everything is done so differently over there," said Hendriks. "I was watching and trying to learn."

Despite already being on the top of the standings at just 18 years old, Hendriks said he wanted to learn as much as he could to improve his ability in his chosen field.

"I was riding just like I was a regular employee," said Hendriks. "I was pretty busy. Gordon has about 250 horses in training. Instead of six or eight in a set like we have here, they have 30 to 40 in a set. The horses train on an incline hill. They probably train way more than ours do. They train more for stamina.

""We'd ride out six or eight a day. Some days we'd go away to work horses in a different place. After work in the morning, we'd go to lunch, then I'd go back. I was helping to feed. I stayed with Simon McManagle, Gordon's head lad. Gordon had a separate yard where the young horses were broken. There were probably 20 to 30 more horses in that pre-training yard.

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Graham Motion's G1 Stakes win, Brion and Houghton have winners

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December 7, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

DEL MAR, Calif.--Graham Motion had a grade1 stakes win, a grade 2 stakes place and a maiden win, all on Saturday, Dec. 3.

Graham Motion (Photo by Coady Photography)Speaking Scout won the G1, $400,000, 1 1/8 mile Hollywood Derby Stakes for 3 year olds on the turf by 3/4 length on Dec. 3.

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and trained by Graham Motion, Speaking Scout was a bit slow at the start, running ninth in the 10 horse field until the far turn, then was two wide into the stretch and drove past the leaders for the win.

Speaking Scout previously won the Hawthorne Derby Stakes on Oct. 1 and was second in the G2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on Oct. 29.

This was Speaking Scout's first G1 win, and he now has four wins and four seconds from 14 starts and $500,668 in earnings,

"I'll probably keep him in California and run him at Santa Anita," said Motion.

Motion's G2 second place was at Aqueduct.

AMO Racing USA's Affirmative Lady, trained by Motion, ran second, beaten by just a neck by Julia Shining, trained by Todd Pletcher, in the $250,000, 1 1/8 mile Demoiselle Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.

Affirmative Lady had previously run third and fourth in maiden special weights at Keeneland.

"She's a filly I've always liked," said Motion. "I knew she'd like the mile and an eighth. Not all fillies do. That was a good opportunity for her. I might keep her here to break her maiden or maybe send her to California."

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Keri Brion has two flat winners and a stakes placed 2-year-old, Houghton, Jenkins and Motion have winners

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November 29, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

FAIR HILLS, Md.--Steeplechase's Leading Trainer, Money Won Keri Brion has said that she wants to have successful flat horses as well as jumpers, and she's already well on her way to doing that.

Afjan winning at Laurel (Photo by TrackPhoto)During the past week, Brion saddled two flat winners and a Stakes placed 2-year-old.

Three Diamond Farm's Afjan won a $52,000, 1 1/16 mile Maiden Special Weight for 3, 4 and 5 year olds at Laurel on Nov. 18.

"That was my first winner for Three Diamonds," said Brion, who was only saddling the gelding the second time for Three Diamonds.

Previous to that, Afjan had raced nine times with a couple of seconds and thirds.

"I also have a filly, Every Time, for Three Diamonds, who was third in a maiden race at Aqueduct in October," said Brion.

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Bernie Houghton won five, including three allowance races

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November 18, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

GRANTVILLE, Pa.--Bernie Houghton had five winners in the past two weeks, all at Penn National, three of which were foaled at his mother Betsy's Sylmar Farm in Christiana, Pa.

Swan Point (Photo by EquiPhoto)Houghton had two allowance winners for James Eshelman.

"Those two are owned by Kim Eshelman, who has worked for us for years," said Houghton. "They race in her husband's name."

Swan Point won a $31,000, 1 mile Allowance race  for Pa-bred fillies and mares, 3 years and up, by a neck on Nov.8.

"Kim bought her as a yearling at Timonium," said Houghton. "She won an allowance first and then this Pa-bred allowance."

Swan Point was bought for $15,000 as a yearling and has since raced 18 times, winning three times with five seconds and five thirds and earning of $121,057.

Eshelman's Trolley Ride won a $31,600, 1 mile Allowance Optional Claiming race for Pa-bred fillies and mares by 1 3/4 lengths on Nov. 1 and was claimed for $25,000.

"Kim bred her,"said Houghton "She's 7, coming 8, and she's won over $400,000."

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Keri Brion won two at Charleston

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November 15, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

HOLLYWOOD, S.C.--Keri Brion won two races at the Steeplechase of Charleston while Bruton Street-US also won a race to become steeplechasing's Leading Owner, Money won.

Topic Changer winning at Aiken (Photo by Tod Marks) Jordan Wycoff and Frank Mullins' Topic Changer,, trained by Brion and ridden by Barry John Foley, won the featured $35,000 Sport of Kings 3-Year-Old Hurdle Stakes 13 1/2 lengths in front of the only other finisher, Hoffman, trained by Leslie Young.

Brion and was on the way to finishing first, second and third when the three she trains, The Insider, Clara Belle and Topic Changer, approached the last jump almost side by side, with The Insider, who had won by 13 lengths at Far Hills, expected to go on to win.

But Clara Belle, ridden by Jamie Bargery, stumbled over the fast fence, almost falling and losing her rider, and in the process brought down The Insider, ridden by Parker Hendriks, leaving to Topic Changer to go on to win, eased and all alone,

"Jamie said the fence just came up all wrong for Clara Belle," said Brion. "She all  but took out Topic Changer, too."

"That's a trainer's nightmare," said Brion. "But 3 year olds will be 3 year olds. The three were 25 lengths in front of Hoffman. Jut pop the last fence. One stayed up, anyway."

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Caravel, bred by Liz Merryman, won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

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November 11, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

LEXINGTON, Ky.--Caraval, a Pa-bred bred by Elizabeth M. (Liz) Merryman on her farm in Coatesville, won the $1 Million Turf Sprint at Keeneland  by 1/2 length over a field of 14 the best sprinters from the U.S., Ireland, Great Britain and France.

Caravel winning the Goldwood Stakes at Monmouth while still being trained by Merryman (Photo by Equi Photo)Merryman not only bred the 5-year-old mare, she also trained and raced her as 2- and 3-year-old, with seven wins and two thirds, before selling her for an undisclosed price to Bobby Flay, while retaining a quarter interest in her.

Caravel was then sold at the Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale in 2021 for $500,000 and is now owned by Qatar Racing, Mark Detampel and Madaket Stables and is trained by Brad Cox.

"Caravel was doing really well," said Merryman, who went to Keeneland to watch the race. "I was excited to see her run well. But I hadn't expected her to win. She was running against the best turf sprinters from all over the world."

Although she no longer owns an interest in Caravel, Merryman said that she still got quite a lot out of the mare's winning a Breeders' Cup race.

"I get an award as the breeder who nominated her, although I don't know how much that is, and I have five of her siblings," said Merryman.

Caravel is out of Zeezee Zommzoom, and Merryman still has the mare and continues to breed her and has five of her get.

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Mystic Strike wins the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup for the third time

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November 9, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

UNIONVILLE, Pa.--It was only a three horse field, but it still came down to a fight to the finish as Upland Partners' Mystic Strike won the 4 mile, $35,000 Pennsylvania Hunt Cup Timber Stakes by 2 lengths over Charlie Fenwick's Royal Ruse, trained by Sanna Neilson, with Mercoeur, who had led for much of the race, a distant third.

Mystic Strike leads Royal Ruse at the last in the Pa. Hunt Cup (Photo by Tod Marks)Trained by Todd McKenna and ridden by erard allian, this was Mystic Strike's third win, having previously won in 2018 and 2020, then finishing second last year to Goodoldtimes.

"It's an incredible thrill," said Bill Wylie of Upland Partners. "I'm one of several in a group. We've foxhunted together for years. It's been an incredible ride to have a horse that's been so good for so long. He's won here twice before. He came in as a probable favorite, so expectations were high, but you're always on pins and needles when he runs."

"He's 13, and he's been running over timber since he was 6," said Wylie. "We'll see if he comes back next year."

William B. Santoro's Mr. Fine Threads, trained by Alicia Murphy and ridden by Colin Smith, won the $15,000, 3 mile Maiden Timber by 11 lengths over Tiepolo (Ire), trained by Elizabeth Korrell.

Tiepolo, ridden by Freddie Procter, had led for most of the race but was caught going to the last fence.

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Leslie Young had three winners at Callaway Gardens plus two at Montpelier

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November 8, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga.--Leslie Young had three of the five winners at Steeplechase at Callaway Gardens on Nov. 5, plus two at Montpelier that put her over the top to win Leading Trainer, Races Won.

Leslie YoungLeipers Fork Steeplechasers' Court Ruler (Ire), ridden by Freddie Procter, led all the way in the 3 1/2 mile, four horse race and won the $20,000 Steeplethon by 37 lengths over Stooshie (Ire),  trained by Cyril Murphy.

"After the ratings handicap at Saratoga was cancelled, we decided to convert Court Ruler to timber," said Young. "He couldn't run in stakes because he's a bleeder, so I said to his owners.`Let's try him over timber.' He went to Middleburg, and Tom Garner gave him a lovely ride, and he finished third. So then he went to Callaway, and he went to win it, and he did,"

Thoma S. Rice's Booby Trap, ridden by Procter, won the $15,000 Amateur or Apprentice Rider Hurdle by 11 1/2 lengths over Three O One, trained by Lillith Boucher.

Booby Trap was giving 20 pounds to the Three O One in the 2 3/8 mile, four horse race and was last the first time around, moving up gradually and drawing clear in the stretch.

"Booby Trap was great," said Young. "He had top weight, and I was worried about Lillith's horse, but Freddie gave him a lovely, patient ride."

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Keri Brion wins three at Montpelier and goes over $1 million in money won

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November 7, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

MONTPELIER STATION, Va.--Keri Brion saddled three winners, including the winner of the $50,000 Montpelier Cup Fillies and Mares Stakes, at Montpelier Hunt Races on Nov. 5 to increase her total in Trainer, Money Won to $1,059,250, with one more meet to go, making her only the second trainer ever to go over the $1million mark in one year.

Keri BrionJack Fisher, who was Leading Trainer, Races Won last year, was the first and only other trainer to have accomplished that feat.

Last year, in her first year of training, Brion  had the Eclipse Award winning horse and was Leading Trainer in money won, and she said at the beginning of this year that she wanted to prove that that was not a fluke.

And this year, without her top horse, 2021 Eclipse Award winner The Mean Queen, she not only saddled horses that won over $1 million, she was also second in Trainer, Races Won, with 30 wins to Leslie Young's 36 wins, with one more meet to go.

She proved in spades that last year was no fluke.

This year, Brion won the 30 races with a number of different horses.

"It's harder to win that amount of money without  a horse like The Mean Queen," said Brion. "And I dd it without winning a grade one stake."

"Leslie had 15 wins over timber," said Brion."I had only one timber win. From a business point of view, it doesn't make any sense to have timber horses, because there isn't enough purse money in timber races."

Brion also had a number of flat wins and some seconds in high profile flat races.

"To make a living, you have to have flat horses," said Brion, following in the footsteps of the main under whom she was assistant trainer for over a decade, Jonathan Sheppard, who had Eclipse Award winning horses both over fences and on the flat.

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Matz had three 2-year-old winners, Motion and Houghton had multiple winners, and Jenkins had a win

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November 1, 2022

By Staff Writers

WILMINGTON, Del.--Michael Matz had three impressive 2-year-old winners, all for Runnymoore Racing, in two days.

Late Frost winning at Delaware Park (Photo by Hoofprints, Inc.)"One minute you think you don't have anything, and then these three pop up," said Matz.

Gregory and Caroline Bentley, owners of Runnymoore Racing, bred two of the 2 year olds, a filly and a colt, while the third, another filly, was bought by their manager, Joe Bentley at last year's Timonium yearling sale.

Runnymoore's homebred Late Frost, by Frosted, won a $44,000, 6 furlong Allowance race by 8 lengths at Delaware Park on Oct. 28 in her second start after winning a maiden claiming race on Sept.16.

"She looks like a pretty nice filly,"said Matz."It looked like she handled herself pretty well in that race."

"Her mother died when she was born," he said. "I think she had some tough times growing up. She has some scars on her hind leg. She's a tough little thing.That's probably why she made it."

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Keri Brion has two winners in Aiken, both three year olds

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October 30, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

AIKEN, S.C.--Keri Brion saddled two winners at the Aiken Fall Steeplechase, both three year olds, which bodes well for her continuing success in next year's races.

Topic Changer rallies to win the Maiden Hurdle in Aiken (Photo by Tod Marks)Both three year olds are owned by Jordan V. Wycoff, a relatively new steeplechase owner.

Topic Changer, ridden by Barry Foley, won the featured $30,000, 2 1/8 mile Maiden Hurdle by 4 1/2 lengths over Beat Le Bon, trained by Jack Fisher.

Beat Le Bon (Fr) led for most of the race and looked like the winner, while Topic Changer raced at the back of the six horse field after Tiger to Remember lost his rider.

Topic Changer began to move up gradually, caught Beat Le Bon in the stretch and went on to win late.

This was Topic Changer's first race over fences after winning a maiden race at Belmont last June, then finishing ninth in an allowance race and being dropped into a claiming race at Saratoga, where he was claimed by Double B racing.

After finishing last in an allowance race at Belmont on Oct. 7, Wycoff got him and he was switched to jumping.

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Ani'amu and Down Royal win the two $75,000 Stakes at the International Gold Cup

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October 23, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

THE PLAINS,Va.--Leslie Young saddled Andi'ami (Fr) to win the $75,000 International Gold Cup Timber Stakes while Kate Dalton saddled Down Royal to win the $75,000 David L "Zeke" Ferguson Memorial at the International Gold Cup on Oct. 22.

Andiamu leads in Timber Stakes (Photo by Tod Marks)Ballybristol Farm's Andi'amu, ridden by Freddie Procter, went right to the lead in the 3 1/2 mile Timber Stakes, leading at times by 20 or 30 lengths over the five horse field to win with ease by 9 3/4 lengths over Cracker Factory, trained by Mark Beecher and Flaming Sword, trained by Richard Valentine.

Young also saddled Silverton Hill's Bodes Well (Ire), ridden by Tom Garner, to win the $30,000, 3 mile Steeplethon Stakes by 1/2 length over Duc de Meran (Fr), trained by Cyril Murphy.

Those wins extended her lead in Trainers, Races Won to five, with 30 wins, to Keri Brion's 25 wins, while Fisher, who also had two winners in the Gold Cup meet, is third with 18 wins.

Brion continues to lead over Young in Trainer, Money Won.

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Virginia Korell's Tiepolo won the featured timber race at the Cattail Point-to-Point

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October 21, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

BROOKEVILLE, Md.--Virginia Korrell's Tiepolo (Ire) won the $15,000 Waterford Open Timber at the Cattail Chase Point-to-Point races on Oct. 16.

Tiepolo (Photo by Pam Patton)It's not only very unusual to have a point-to-point in the fall, it's also unusual to have prize money in a point-to-point.

Tiepolo, trained by Elizabeth Korell, was ridden by Freddie Procter and won by 1/2 length over Huyana, trained by Casey Pickard.

Procter rode the gelding because Virginia, who usually rides Tiepolo, broke her leg in an unusual accident a couple of months ago,

Virginia had finished galloping a set for trainer Leslie Young, and the set was walking back when the horse near Virginia kicked, hitting her leg and breaking it.

"Virginia is back riding and working, and she's getting better slowly but probably won't be back to riding in races this fall," said her father Brian.

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Irish trainers dominated Far Hills races with three wins, including th $250,000 Grand National

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October 16, 2022

By SARA CAVANAGH

FAR HILLS, N.J.--The Irish came to Far Hills, saw America's best opposition and conquered.

Hewick leads Noah And The Ark over the last fence in the Grand National (Photo by Tod Marks)Gordon Elliott, one of Ireland's leading trainers, brought three horses and won two races and was third in the other, while John (Shark) Hanlon brought one horse and won the biggest prize of all, the $250,000 Grand National Steeplechase.

T.J. McDonald's Hewick (Ire), trained by Hanlon and ridden by Jordon Gainford, won the $250,000, 2 5/8 mile,, G1 Grand National Steeplechase, decimating the opposition and winning by 11 1/2 lengths over Noah And The Ark (Ire), trained by Todd McKenna, with Ask Paddinton (Ire), trained by Keri Brion, third.

Favored Snap Decision finished sixth of the seven that finished, after Moscato fell and Pistol Whipped pulled up.

Hewick had previously this year won twice in Ireland and finished second once.

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