Jonathan Sheppard's Hepcat wins steeplechase at Colonial Downs

Details: August 14, 2019; By SARA CAVANAGH

NEW KENT, Va.--Jonathan Sheppard's Hepcat won a $36,000, 2 1/4 mile Maiden Special Weight Steeplechase Race at Colonial Downs on Aug. 10.

jonathonsheppardWillowdale Jonathon SheppardHepcat stalked the pace two wide, went to the lead in the final turn and won by 3/4 lengths to reward his relatively new owner/trainer with his $18,000 share of the purse.

"I bought Hepcat from Jimmy Day last fall," said Sheppard. "He ran second twice for me before this. He was second in a maiden claiming race at Camden in March. Someone said that he'd claim him if I ran him in another claiming race, so we waited until July and ran him in a maiden special race at Monmouth, and he finished a god second there."

"So he's run three times for me with two seconds and a win, and he didn't cost a great deal," said Sheppard. "He's a young horse. He's a likeable horse. He has a nice personality. Everyone in the barn likes him."

"I took a shot in buying him, and it paid off," said Sheppard.

BERNIE HOUGHTON saddled Barlar LLC's Witch to win an $18,000, 1 mile and 70 yards Claiming Race on the turf for fillies and mares 3 years old and up at Penn National on Aug. 10.

"It was Saturday night, and it was pony racing night at Penn," said Houghton. "It was a fun night. My son Thomas was second and third in two of the pony races. They ran the pony races between the regular races.""Thomas was third on Lickety Split in the small pony race, and he was second in the medium pony race on Princess Togo."

"It was an exciting night," said Houghton. "My wife invited the Conestoga Pony Club, so we had about 10 to 15 kids there. That was fun."

With was three wide around the final turn and opened up to win by 4 1/2 lengths.

Also on Aug. 10, Graham Motion saddled Alex G. Campbell's Lucky Jingle to win a $46,000, 1 mile Maiden Special Weight race for 2-year-olds on the turf at Laurel.

Lucky Jingle set the pace, was pressured around the far turn and pulled away to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

Michael Dickinson saddle Stephen E. Post's Rumors of Violence to win a $34.000. 1 1/2 mile maiden Special Weight race on the turf in record time at Delaware Park on Aug. 12.

Rumors of Violence set the pace, opened up the led after a mile, drifted into the three path turning for home, continued to drift out, was headed, straightened out and edged away to win by 3//4 length in 2:28.46, setting a new record.