THE PLAINS, Va.--Ricky Hendriks had two winners, including the Stakes winner Little Trilby, (GB) at the International Gold Cup on Saturday, Oct. 25, while Key's Discount won the Timber Stakes.hoto by Tod MarksDel Rio Racing's Little Trilby, ridden by Conor Tierney, won the $100,000, 2 1/8 mile William H. Allison Hurdle Stakes by 1/2 length in 3:56 4/5 over Foxy Walk (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, and Rampoldi Plan, also trained by Young.

Little Trilby, left, number 6, rallies over last to win the Allison Stakes (Photo by Tod Marks) "Little Trilby had a nice win at Saratoga earlier this year," said Hendriks of the horse's win in the Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes. "But this was a big step up in class. I had told Conor to take him back, so he was a little more forward placed than I thought, but Conor gave him a masterful ride."

Around the final turn, Little Trilby stumbled quite badly but recovered quickly and after the last fence closed strongly to get up for the win in the last few strides.

"The two horses in front of me weren't coming back to me, so I went outside to get around them," said Tierney. "He had a slight stumble and lost a little ground, but he straightened out and came again. He jumped brilliantly."

Hendriks also saddled his own Star Force, ridden by Tierney, to win the $30,000, 2 1/2 mile Optional Maiden Starter/Maiden Claiming race by 3 3/4 lengths in 4:52 2/5  over Lucky Prince, trained by Joe Davies, and Love Shaq, trained by Barry Foley.

 

"HE'S A FRONT runner, so we broke him off sharply," said Hendriks. "Conor was able to give him  a little rest at times. The horse jumped fantastic, and Conor got him into a great rhythm. We know he wants to go farther, so we may make him into a timber horse."

 Mrs. John R.S. Fisher's Key's Discount, trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Graham Watters, won the $50,000, 3 1/2 mile International Gold Cup Timber Stakes by 10 1/4 lengths in 7:56 2/5 over Uco Valley (Ire), trained by Young, and Track and Trace (Ire), trained by Mark Beecher, in the messiest and most confusing race in decades.

A few fences into the race, three horses went wide to the right and the rest of the field went left and then circled left, while the three circled back, and then the seven horses were circling right and left, with the jockeys talking to each other.

Then the field regrouped, straightened out and resumed racing, with Key's Discount running third, although he soon accelerated and won easily.

"When you come off a very tight turn early in the race, the last fence is right in front of you." said Watters  "You're going 38 miles an hour after a tight turn and there's that fence."

But that's not the fence you're supposed to jump.

Watters said he'd been fined $500 there last year for jumping the wrong fence, and over the years a number of other jockeys have been fined for jumping the wrong fence. 

"For years, we've asked for an outrider to be stationed in front of the fence so we'd know not to jump it," said Watters.

It's clear that with so many problems occurring at that fence that it's the fault of the course design and not the jockey's fault, and that something should be done about it.

Key's Discount has had a spectacular year, winning all five of his timber stakes over all comers, and each time doing it more easily, winning by large margins while being eased in the stretch.

"We're so lucky to have this horse the years after Schoodic was retired," said Dolly Fisher, referring to her previous champion timber horse.

Dollly and Johnny Fisher were in the winner's circle with Watters while Jack Fisher was watching from home following a fall at his farm when a Gator-type vehicle tipped over, dumping him onto the ground.

"That's a champion horse with a champion rider and a champion trainer," said Johnny Fisher.

Young also saddled two winners.

Silverton Hill's Two Pat Eight (GB), ridden by Luke Carberry, won the $50,000 Allowance Hurdle by 1/2 length in 4:51 1/5 over Dynamite Dan, trained by Tom Garner, and Predominate, trained by Todd McKenna, and Sharon Sheppard's King of Tsavo, ridden by Jamie Bargary won the second division of the Maiden Claiming by 1 length over British Royalty, trained by Kathy Neilson, and Gettin'downonit, trained by Beecher.

"This was his fourth race this year, and he's had two wins and a second," said Young of Two Past Eight. "He's a cool horse."

"I can't tell you how thrilled I am," said Sheppard of King of Tsavo. "He spent last year at New Bolton, and now he's back racing and doing well. It's incredible."

Cyril Murphy saddled Irv Naylor's Alpamayo, ridden by Harrison Beswick,, to win the $45,000 Maiden Hurdle by 2 1/4 lengths in 5:04 2/5 over Yes Sir Jack, trained by Young, and Nobel Speaker, trained by Fisher.

Alpamayo went to the lead over the last fence and closed well for the win.

Sandra Webb saddled Mrs. S.K.Johnston's Anzio, ridden by Freddie Procter, to win the $20,000, 3 mile Steeplethon by 1/2 length in 6:19 3/5 over I Can Only Imagine, trained by Beecher, and Sultan Pierji (Fr), trained by Garner.  

"I've had him for four years," said Webb. "He's always been a good jumper, so after he won a maiden race we decided to change him to steeplethon."

Garner saddled Butler Hall Racing's Take Your Seats (Ire), ridden by Evan Dwan, to win the $40,000 Ratings Handicap Hurdle by 13 1/2 lengths in 4:51 1/5 over Dante's Fire, trained by Neil Morris, and L'Avvocato (Fr), trained by Neilson.

"He's a big galloping horse," said Dwan. "He's an early 4-year-old, so he should be good next year."