OZONE PARK, N.Y. - To celebrate a remarkable year of racing action on the New York Racing Association, Inc. circuit, the NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of trainers, owners, jockeys and racing personalities to share their reflections on the memorable year.
Keri Brion (Photo by NYRA)Trainer Keri Brion has posted a career-best year in wins and purse earnings, with 44 victories banking over $2.3 million [as of Dec. 19], including a trio of steeplechase Grade 1 victories on the NYRA-circuit, all in thrilling finishes.
Historic Heart, an 8-year-old Fracas gelding owned by Atlantic Friends Racing, captured the Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick Memorial Handicap by a nose holding off the oncoming Grade 1-winner Proven Innocent on July 23 at Saratoga Race Course.
The chestnut was making just his second start off a nearly two-year layoff, which ended with a return in an April 20 allowance at Morven Park where he stumbled and lost the rider.
Jimmy P, a 7-year-old Slumber gelding owned by Madaket Stables, Molly Willis and Paul Willis, repeated in the Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard Handicap on Aug. 27 at Saratoga.
HE WON the 2024 edition by 34 1/2 lengths, and secured the title defense by just three-quarter-lengths over co-highweight Zarak the Brave, a special win for Brion as a former assistant to the race’s late namesake Hall of Famer.
Stone Farm and Upland Flats Racing’s Swore set the pace and was overtaken in the lane of the Grade 1 Lonesome Glory on September 18 at Belmont at the Big A, but gamely battled back to defeat Welshman by a neck.
The 6-year-old Broken Vow gelding is 3-for-5 over the jumps, graduating in his second try ahead of his top-level triumph.
He also captured the Supreme Hurdle most recently on November 15 at Pine Mountain Callaway Gardens.
The NYRA Press Office checked in with Brion for her thoughts on the productive year that saw her win her third Lonesome Glory and Sheppard, as well as her second Smithwick.
It was the second time she won all three in a year along with 2021, but never had she done it with three different horses.
Q: How rewarding was Historic Heart’s win, second start off a long layoff and following a troubled outing?
“Massive," said Brion. "Off the long layoff, to put in an effort like that, was a testament to how much heart this horse has. Great owners that have been so loyal and done everything right by him, so for it all to come to fruition and him to stick his head out, not letting that other horse get by, was huge. That was special. That was all the horse. He really laid it out, that’s always been him, he’s unfortunately just had some issues here and there. He will lay it all out on the line for you, run through fire for you, and he showed that.”
Q: Jimmy P, while he didn’t win by 30-plus lengths this year, defended his title in the Sheppard. Is that race especially meaningful for you? The Jonathan Sheppard, previously named the New York Turf Writers Cup Handicap, was won consecutively by Happy Intellectual [1976-78], Double Bill [1989-90], Yaw [1991-92] and Jimmy P [2024-25], according to Equibase.
“He’s one of the only horses to win it two years in a row,said Brion. "I think that is a huge testament with the jump horses, to keep them coming back at the top level. It was special for Madaket, it was Sol's [Kumin] first homebred Grade 1-winner in Saratoga, where he really likes to have winners. That was fun with him, Paul and Molly Willis, everybody was there for a cool horse who keeps performing. Of course, it means a lot to me to win this race whenever I have the opportunity. To be honest, Jimmy P was everything Jonathan loved and looked for in a horse, so it feels meant to be.”
Q: How game was Swore in the Lonesome Glory?
“Swore was beaten," said Brion. "When Welshman came to him, I was happy to be second. If we hung on for second, I would’ve been thrilled, but even that was a big effort to ask. My gosh, at the sixteenth-pole, he re-rallied and got him. Even thinking about it now, I’m still like ‘My God…’ What a cool horse. I’m really excited for his future. He’s new to the jumps game, only broke his maiden this summer and his Grade 1 was his third start, so that’s really exciting, and he followed it up with a really nice stakes win at Callaway Gardens in Georgia.”
Q: A career-best 44 wins this year [as of Dec. 19], with much success coming on the flat, was it really just a strong year overall?
“It’s really been a breakout year," said Brion. "I’ve been fortunate to have some great owners. I have to say, Three Diamonds Farm – Kirk Wycoff, Debra Wycoff – giving me the opportunity with some better horses on the flat has really opened doors for me, gotten me noticed, gotten new owners, new horses, better quality horses. They’ve played a huge role in that. Also, just continuing to build my team and my staff has played a part in it. It is a lot to train jumpers and flat horses, it takes a lot of time and more effort, but it has been a rewarding year. I think we’ve improved every year, and hopefully we can ride this into next year.”
Q: Any prospects to keep an eye on? The juvenile filly Unmiztaken was fourth in the $500,000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue sprinting seven furlongs on dirt on December 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
“Love her, she’s a turf horse, but you have to take a shot for that money," said Brion. "I can’t wait to get her on the grass next year for real. She’s obviously one prospect, Sporting Lady is another. She won a ‘1-X,’ we sent her down to Florida, and she was third, she’s getting a vacation, but will be back. For the jumps scene, Swore, I’m very excited for him. Jimmy P will be back, we will see about the Jonathan Sheppard three years in a row.”
