Racing

Winston C and Baltimore Bucko to race Jan. 30 at Naas

Details: January 26, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

Once again trainer Keri Brion's plans for her string of racehorses in Ireland were disrupted by the weather.

Baltimore Bucko Keri Bryon Baltimore Bucko and Keri BryonBaltimore Bucko was scheduled to run in a Novice Hurdle at Royal Downs on Jan. 26, but racing at Royal Downs was scrubbed when the ground was still frozen on the morning of the meet.

Winston C's race on Saturday, Jan. 23 was also cancelled due to frozen ground.

Both Winston C and Baltimore Buck are now scheduled to race at Naas in County Kildare on Saturday, Jan. 30.

Hopefully, the weather in Ireland will cooperate and racing will be contested on Jan. 30,

Winston C's race at Navan canceled, race plans rethought

Details: January 23, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

COUNTY MEATH, Ireland--Racing at Navan was canceled on Saturday, Jan. 23 due to frozen ground, thus cancelling Winston C's first race in Ireland.

Winston C Gerard Baltimoe Bucko Keri Winston C , left, under James O'Neill, and Baltimore Bucko, ridden by Keri Brion, training on the beach in Ireland,Winston C, owned by Ed Swyer's Hudson River Farms, was scheduled to run in a $45,000 Handicap Hurdle,and he would have been making his first start since finishing fourth in the G1 Lonesome Glory Stakes after winning both the G1 A.P. Smithwick and G1 Turf Writers at Saratoga in 2019, had the race gone.

"Navan is being rescheduled, but we've had a change of plans," said trainer Keri Brion. "Asking him to go straight into a Grade B after such a long lay-off was a big ask. So we're going to enter him in a G3 at Naif on Jan. 31. The there's another G3 at Goren Park on Feb. 20. We'll run him in those two and then decide whether to go to Cheltenham."

"I was talking to Mr. Swyer, and we decided that going this route was going to let him be competitive," said Brion. "Navan is quite far north of us. It's north of Dublin. The ground was frozen this morning, but it would have been very deep if it hadn't frozen."

Baltimore Bucko runs Tuesday,, Jan. 26 at Down Royal in a rated novice hurdle, after finishing a game third in his first race in Ireland, and French Light is aimed for a race at Leopardstown on Feb. 7 after finishing second at Clonmel in a rated Novice Hurdle race on Jan. 20.

While Brion's string is the only group a horses usually trained and raced in the states racing in Ireland, Bruton Street's owners Charlie Fenwick, Mike Hankin and Charlie Noell have European horses based in and training in Ireland.

Bruton Street V's Franco De Port, who is trained in Ireland by Willie Mullins, is scheduled to run again on Feb. 6 after winning a G1 Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Dec, 26.

French Light is second in a rated Novice Hurdle in Ireland

Details: January 20, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

POWERSTOWN PARK, Ireland--Irvin S, Naylor's French Light (Fr), trained by Keri Brion and ridden by Gerard Galligan, finished his first race in Ireland, a $16,500 Rated Novice Hurdle at Clonmel, in second place, an excellent result considering the going.

French Light and Keri BrionFrench Light ran second to last or last for most of the 2 3/8 mile race, moving into contention about three fences from home, and was among the leaders over the second to last, then moving into second over the last.

At the last, Broomfields Jeremy drew away to win by about 13 lengths while French Light held on to place second by a head.

This was Brion's first race as a trainer in Ireland after Jonathan Sheppard announced his retirement Jan. 4, and she was delighted with the result.

"After I walked the course, this was a much better result that I had expected," said Brion. "The going was very deep, and it was very tacky. My boots kept getting stuck in the mud. The horses were just digging in."

"Between the distance and the ground, this was not the best race for him, but he needed to run so that we could decide whether to go to the Leopardstown grade one," said Brion. "I talked to the Naylors, and we decided that that's what we came for. We decided we'd take a bit of a gamble."

So French Light will race next in the G1 Novice at Leopardstown on Feb. 6.

Bruton Street-US sure to win steeplechasing's Eclipse Award

Details: January 17, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

The nominees for steeplechasing''s Eclipse Award have been announced, and, while which of the three nominees will be the winner is still to be decided, the name of the winning owner is not, it will be Bruton Street-US.

Moscato tight at wire in Smithwick1 Moscato winning the G1 A.P. Smithwick at Saratoga (Photo by Tod Marks)This is the first time in history, at least in so far as The Horse's research has uncovered, that one owner has had all three nominees - quite a fantastic feat.

Nominees are Moscato (GB) and Snap Decision, both trained by Jack Fisher, and Rashaan (Ire), trained by Leslie Young.

'We were very fortunate," said Charlie Fenwick, who along with Mike Hankin and Charlie Noell are partners in Bruton Street-US. "Certainly these three horses are among the best we've ever owned."

This will be Bruton Street-US' second Eclipse Award, having previously won in 2017 with Scorpiancer, also trained by Fisher.

"All three of these horses appeared in a year when racing was compromised by Covid," said Fenwick. "It will be fun if we could establish them in a year of regular racing."

The Eclipse Award is recognition, and it's nice to be recognized," said Fenwick. "But you're only as good as your last race, so it's more about where we go from here."

Willowdale Steeplechase to Run Saturday, May 8, 2021

Details: January 15, 2021; By Staff Writers

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa.--Great news for all of us sick of being closed down - Plans for the 28th running of the Willowdale Steeplechase are moving forward!

Willowdale 1 The races will run on Saturday, May 8, 2021 as the kick-off to Mother’s Day weekend.

“We are grateful to the supporters who helped us survive the losses brought on by the pandemic - and to be able to run the races this spring! “said Race Director Leslie Carpenter.

“The safety and well-being of our spectators, horsemen, officials and volunteers is our top priority so our planning decisions are being guided by federal and state government mandates and public health guidelines.”

Proceeds from the races benefit the Stroud Water Research Center and New Bolton Center.

Please go to Willowdale.org or the Willowdale Steeplechase Facebook page for the latest updates on attendance opportunities.

Jonathan Sheppard is now retired from training in Ireland and Keri Brion trains the string

Details: January 9, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

WEXFORD Ireland--With the strict rules regarding trainers' licenses in Ireland, once Jonathan Sheppard announced his retirement in the United States, he also relinquished his training license in Ireland.

Baltimore Bucko Keri Bryon Keri Bryon in Wexford with Baltimore Bucko, who placed third in his first race in IrelandOnce they learned that, the three owners with horses in Ireland, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Moorhead's Buttonwood Farm, Irv Naylor and Ed Swyer's Hudson River Farms, as well as one owner with horses in this country, Kevin Galbraith's KMSN Stable ,transferred their horses from Sheppard as trainer to his former assistance trainer Keri Brion.

Brion holds a current U.S. trainer's license and, learning of the Irish rules pertaining licenses, applied for and received a license to train in Ireland until next April.

"The rules are strict in Ireland," said Brion. "It's quite difficult to get a trainer's license in Ireland, but a number of trainers ship their horses into Ireland for one or two races, and those trainers are granted a temporary license. I'm running horses under an American license, but I've been granted a temporary license here to train until April."

Naylor's French Light had been scheduled to run on Jan. 7 at Clonmel, but there's been a cold snap in Ireland and the ground was frozen the morning of the race, so that meet was cancelled.

Clonmel has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 19, and French Light is entered in the Novice Hurdle there.

"We think French Light will win," said Brion. "I was hoping that French Light would run in Jonathan's name, before the trainer's license was transferred, so that Jonathan could go out with a win. He had such an outstanding career, that would have been a fitting way to end it.""

Jonathan Sheppard, one of this country's winningest trainers, announced his retirement

Details: January 4, 2021; By SARA CAVANAGH

HOLLYWOOD, Fla.--Jonathan Sheppard, arguably America's greatest trainer, announced on Jan. 4 that, at age 80, he is retiring as a trainer in America, although he still has a small string of horses in Ireland, one of which, French Light, will run in his name on Jan. 7.

Jonathan Sheppaard w. program Jonathan Sheppard Among his accomplishments are 15 Eclipse Awards, training a stallion that became this nation's Leading Sire, being the National Steeplechase Association's all-time leading trainer by wins, with 1,242 wins, and by purse earnings, with $24,902,442, winning champion trainer by wins 26 times and leading the sport by purses in 29 years, both records, winning a race at Saratoga for 47 straight years, and, as a breeder, breeding an Eclipse Award winner.

But one major accomplishment not so well known is the number of today's top trainers Sheppard "trained".

Sheppard won 15 Eclipse Awards, and, while two trainers, Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lucas, have won more, no other trainer won multiple Eclipse Awards both on the flat and in steeplechasing, and Sheppard had winners on the dirt, on turf and over fences.

And, to make it even more amazing, in one year, 2009, he won an Eclipse Award both on the flat with Informed Decision as the Top Turf Female and with Mixed Up for steeplechasing.

Never before and perhaps never again has any trainer won both a flat and a steeplechase Eclipse in the same year.

Only one trainer, Sidney Watters Jr., has won even one Eclipse Award on the flat as well as over fences.

Bruton Street V's Franco De Port won the G1 Novice Chase at Cheltenham

Details: December 30, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

Buttonwod Farm, Hudson River Farms and Irv Naylor have horses that run in America and are trained in America by Jonathan Sheppard, and they are the only group of owners with horses shipped to Ireland this year to race there, but as National Steeplechasing pointed out, there are other Americans who campaign horses bred and trained in Europe currently racing overseas.

Franco De Port ridden by Bryan CooperWhile the eyes of the American steeplechase community are fixed on the exploits of trainer Jonathan Sheppard’s string over in Ireland, another leading US stable just scored a huge G1 win at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival in Dublin wrote Tod Marks..

Bruton Street V, the European arm of Bruton Street-US -- the champion 2020 National Steeplechase Association owner -- scored a 4 ½-length upset victory with Franco De Port in the Racing Post Novice Chase at 2 ⅛ miles under Bryan Cooper for trainer Willie Mullins.

Darver Star finished second.

Baltimore Bucko runs good third in first Irish hurdle race

Details: December 29, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

LIMERICK, Ireland--Buttonwood Farm's Baltimore Bucko, trained by Jonathan Sheppard and ridden by Gerard Galligan, ran a very good third in a Novice Hurdle for 4 year olds and up at Limerick on Dec. 29.

Baltimore Bucko Keri Bryon Baltimore Bucko with Keri BryonRunning second or third throughout the 2 mile race. Baltimore Bucko moved into a head in front while in between No Grey Area's and Blanketontheground approaching the last fence and stood off almost back from the wings.

It was a wonder he didn't fall two or three strides after the fence trying to get his feet out of the very heavy going, but he stayed up, just losing enough momentum to finish third, two lengths back of the winner, No Grey Area's.

In very deep going, when a horse stands off like Bucko did, often upon landing he has trouble getting his feet out of the muck and falls two or three strides after the fence, which luckily didn't happen in this case.

The race was shown live on xpressbet.com, and the track announcer was very complimentary about Bucko's race.

"That was a great finish," said the announcer. "That was a great effort, a cracking good finish by the American entry in his first run over hurdles in this country. Hopefully there will be more American horses coming to challenge here, That would be a great thing to see."

Houghton and Motion have winners, Sheppard's first runner in Ireland is scheduled

Details: December 27, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

GRANTVILLE, Pa.--From the winner's circle, Bernie Houghton has had four winners, including one of his own and one of his mother's, and Graham Motion has saddled two winners in Florida.

Baltimore Bucko wins Baltimore Bucko winning at Colonial Downs on Aug. 11.Jonathan Sheppard sent five horses to Ireland to race there over the winter, and the first to start over there will be Baltimore Bucko, who is scheduled to run Tuesday, Dec. 29 in the first race at Limerick.

"Bucko runs Tuesday if the race isn't called off," said Keri Brion, Sheppard's assistant trainer who is in charge of the Irish contingent. "We've had lots of rain."

"The ground will be very heavy," said Brion. "Not ideal, but he needs the run to get a rating."

TVG shows racing from Limerick and Leopardstown, only recently TVG has only had international racing on Wednesday through Sunday, but the race should be available on various betting channels like xpressbet if it's noton TVG.

Sheppard's horses are stabled at James Doyle's Baltimore Stables in Wexford.

Doyle runs horses in point-to-points and than sells them, and Brion has bought a few horses for various owners from him.

Winston C, who won both the G1 A.P. Smithwick and the G1 New York Turf Writers at Saratoga in 2019, is aiming for a race on Dec. 31 in Ireland.

Also in Ireland are Irv Naylor's French Light, Clondaw Camp and Fancy Pants, both owned by Buttonwood Farm along with Baltimore Bucko, and Francois, who with Winstron C is owned by Hudson River Farm.

Gerard Galligan, this year's Leading Jockey, is in Ireland to ride the horses there, and Parker Hendriks also went over to work for Brion.

The importance of naming a racehorse

Details: December 20, 2020; By Staff Writers

The 1929 Kentucky Derby winner, as most horse racing historians will know, was called Clyde Van Dusen.

Naming a Horse 1 The jockey/trainer also bore the same name of the winning horse, and it was quite a bold move by Mr Van Dusen to name the horse after himself.

Not many would do that today, but, of course, many horse owners will add a personal touch when naming the newest arrival to a stable.

The naming of a horse is something of an art form.

At times it can be subtle, and obvious at other times.

We can tell a lot about a horse by just glancing at the name.

Big Brown, who triumphed at the 2008 Kentucky Derby, is quite easy to work out.

It’s not as if the horse is going to be gray and diminutive.

On the other hand, we have a horse like 2015 Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah.

Steeplechasing crowns its 2020 champions, including Jonathan Sheppard as Leading Trainer

Details: December 15, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

Adding another laurel to an an amazing career, Jonathan Sheppard was once again Steeplechasing's Leading Trainer, and Sheppard's horses helped Gerard Galligan win the Leading Jocky tilte.

Jonathan Sheppaard w. program Jonathan Sheppard Jack Fisher, who had won that honor for the past nine years, was the trainer of the Leading Money Winning horse, Moscato, and his owners, collectively knows as Bruton Street-US, were the Leading Owners.

Despite the absence of fans and a dramatically truncated racing calendar due to Covid-19, there were noteworthy achievements by both horses and humans on the National Steeplechase Association stage in 2020.

But perhaps the biggest success of all was the fact that the show was able to go on -- 80 races in all, worth more than $1.6 million in purses -- during an unpredictable spring, summer, and fall.

As we look toward better times ahead, we look back at the champions of this uniquely challenging season.

Wicked Strong's 2-year-old son Brooklyn Strong wins the G2 Remsen

Details: December 7, 2020; By Staff Writers

OZONE PARK, N.Y.--Brooklyn Strong, the 2-year-old son of Wicked Strong, who stands in Pennsylvania at Dr. William Solomon's Pin Oak Lane Farm in New Freedom, Pa., won the G2, $150,000 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct on Dec. 5.

Brooklyn Strong Coglianese Photos Brooklyn Strong (Photo by Coglianese Photos)Owned by Mark Schwartz, Brooklyn Strong was the only New York-bred entered in the Remsen, but he had no trouble in open company with a hard fought triumph by a neck over 6-5 post time favorite Ten for Ten in Saturday’s nine-furlong event for 2-year-olds.

Bred in New York by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan, Brooklyn Strong is out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Riviera Chic and was a $5,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training from the Coastal Equine consignment.

Wicked Strong stands for $3,500 for 2021, and Brooklyn Strong now has three firsts, two of the stakes, and a third from four starts with earnings of $195,000, a good return on $3,500 stud fee and $5,000 purchase.

Potential breeders can read more about Wicked Strong in The Horse's STALLIONS 2021 section.

Pa. racing to continue shortened racing schedule for 2021

Details: December 6, 2020; By Staff Writers

HARRISBURG, Pa.--Racing at Parx, Penn National and Presque Isle will continue in 2021 under the abbreviated schedule worked out after Covid-19 hit and closed down all racing last spring.

Racing Parx grandstand Sarah Andrew Racing oast the Parx grandstand (Photo by Sarah Andrew)Those three thoroughbred tracks have been approved for a total of 348 racing dates for 2021, down from the 434 requested for 2020before Covid hit..

The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission approved the submissions at its Nov. 17 meeting.

With 472 programs approved for the state’s three Standardbred tracks, the overall total of live racing dates for 2021 is 820.

Parx Racing, which was scheduled for 170 days this year, requested 152 for next year.

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course asked for 96 programs, down from 164, and Presque Isle Downs & Casino was approved for its customary number of 100 days.

Houghton has four winners, Motion and Sheppard also have winners

Details: December 6, 2020; By SARA CAVANAGH

GRANTVILLE, Pa.--Bernie Houghton's Fairy Dust, owned by his W.M.T. Stable, won for the third time for Houghton on Dec. 4, winning a $19,100, 6 furlong Claiming race on an evening when the pouring rain throughout the day had left the track a sloppy mess.

Bernie HoughtonBut this time the 3-year-old filly was claimed by Brandon Kulp for M3 Racing Stable and Wire to Wire Racing Inc.

Houghton's homebred won by 3/4 length after racing four wide around the turn and then running down the leaders to prevail.

"She ran good," said Houghton. "Having her claimed is just part of the game. But because we bred her we'll still get the Breeder's Awards."

Houghton still owns five race horses, all homebreds, and four or five broodmares.

Houghton's other three winners were all bred by his mother, Elizabeth (Betsy) R. Houghton with one still owned by her.

Lee J. Glassburg's 4-year-old filly Cabbage Patch won an $11,800, 6 furlong Claiming race on Dec. 2, going to the front right from the break and improving to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

"Mom bred her and then we sold her to Lee," said Houghton. She's won two in a row now."

Maryland to ban Lasix in graded stakes starting in 2021

Details: December 2, 2020; By Staff Writers

TOWSON, Md.--The Maryland Racing Commission voted unanimously on Dec. 2 to expand a race-day Lasix ban that began this year with 2-year-olds to include horses of any age competing in graded stakes starting in 2021.

Racing Laurel gate “A few months ago, the commission passed an emergency regulation restricting Lasix to any horse that’s two years old for the next three years, as part of [a negotiated] agreement between the HBPA and The Stronach Group,” J. Michael Hopkins, the MRC’s executive director, explained prior to the vote during the Dec. 2 teleconference meeting.

“Moving forward, it also included graded stakes races beginning in calendar year 2021,” Hopkins said. “What this regulation does is extend that restriction for 2-year-olds to include any horse [of any age] running in a graded stakes going forward in accordance with that agreement.”

Prior to the vote, commissioner David Hayden, who has bred Thoroughbreds at Dark Hollow Farm near Baltimore for three-plus decades, asked for a clarification on the current Lasix rule for 2-year-olds.