AIKEN, S.C.--Arch Kingsley saddled three winners and was leading trainer at the Aiken Fall Steeplechase on Saturday, Nov, 22.
Sweet Will, ridden by Freddie Procter (Photo by Tod Marks)Freddie Procter rode all three of Kingsley's winners, and with those three wins moved into a tie for Rider, Races Won with 15 wins behind runaway winner Graham Watters, who won 26 races.
"It was a very good day, said Kingsley. "We always try to do well at Aiken, so it's nice when it all comes together."
"I was really happy for Freddie," said Kingsley. "He's put in a lot of work and he came down here to work the horses. So it's nice for him to have a three win day."
Kingsley saddled Hurricana Farm's Sweet Will (Ire) to win the $35,000, 2 1/8 mile Ratings Handicap Hurdle b y 1 length in 3:48 4/5 over Rucker Road (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, and Caramelised, also trained by Young.
"We've had Sweet Will for a year," said Kingsley. "This was his first win for us. He won six hurdle races in Ireland. We bought him to be a timber horse, but right now he's still a productive hurdle horse. He was third in the G1 Lonesome Glory."
"I'm not sure what we'll do with him next year," he said. "Whether we'll make him a timber horse or or stay with him over hurdles. He still has some good days over hurdles."
MARK W. BUYCK, JR.'S Encosta (Ire) won the $30,000 Filly and Mare Maiden Hurdle by 3/4 length in 3:50 4/5 over Unfolding Beauty, trained by Young, and Fiery Dart, trained by Keri Brion.
"Mark Buyck recently broke his hip, so it was good to win a race for him," said Kingsley. "He said, "That makes you want to get up and walk again.'"
"We'll see what kind of a race there is for Encosta next year at the Carolina Cup," he said.
Richard D. Colton, Jr.'s Bee Well won the $25,000, 2 3/8 mile Optional Starter Allowance Hurdle by 1 3/4 lengths in 4:10 over Starforce, trained by Ricky Hendriks, and Orders Anthem (Ire), trained by Mark Beecher.
"We've had Bee Well for a couple of years," said Kingsley. "He broke his maiden at the Aiken Spring races and then came back and won at Aiken again in the fall.."
Neil Morris saddled Shannon Hill Farm's Naturally Nimble to win the $50,000 Four Year Old Hurdle Stakes by a neck in 3:43 over Starlifter, trained by Jack Fisher, and Chortal (GB), trained by Hendriks.
Brion saddled Leipers Fork Steeplechase's Salted Carmel to win the $30,000 Maiden Hurdle by a neck in 3:44 2/5 over Goodson Jameson, trained by Barry Foley, and Verbal, trained by Young.
Foley saddled Paul A. Wllls' Love Shaq to win the 20,000 Maiden Claiming Hurdle by 4 1/4 lengths in 3'46 2/5 over Coal Boss, trained by Kate Dalton, and Drakon, trained by Brion.
