WARRENTON, Va--Jonathan Sheppard had two first time starters, both homebreds, win in 2 mile Hurdle races at Warrenton Point-to-Point on March 14.

Jonathon SheppardBrevard Place, ridden by Gerard Galligan, won by 3 lengths going away over a field of 11 maidens, finishing in 4:02 3/5.

"He's a nice boy," said Sheppard. "We bred him. He's a useful horse. He's out of a nice mare that I've gotten some winners out of. He's got a little class."

Brevard Place is a 6-year-old by Quality Road out of Lovely Stay, by Flower Alley who won two allowance races on the flat before Sheppard decided to run him over fences.

"Brevard Place is a little green," said assistant trainer Keri Brion who saddled the horse in Sheppard's absence. "This was his first time over fences. He was basically in the race just to school. I told Gerard just to jump the last fence and see where he was. He won easily."

Penitence, also ridden by Galligan, won the second division of the maiden race by 1 1/2 lengths, finishing in 3:52 1/5, the fastest time over the 2 mile course and a full 10 seconds faster than her stablemate.

"I'm taking a bit of a shine to her sire Redeemed," said Sheppard, who has bred a few of his mares to the stallion standing at Northview with good results. "She was a useful filly on the flat."

 

BY REDEEMED out of Push My Luck, by Press Card, Penitence ran 17 times on the flat with two wins, six seconds and three thirds and earned $104,333.

"Penitence has just started over fences,," said Brion. "She's probably only schooled four times. She was just out for an education. The second placed horse, Sudden Victory, was highly thought of, so I think she has a bright future."

Brion also saddled Konstantinova to finish second by three lengths to Be Somebody, trained by Doug Fout, in the Amateur/Novice Rider Hurdle.

"She's a maiden 4-year-old, so that was a really big run for her," said Brion. "She ran twice as a 3-year-old, but she's matured a lot over the winter."

Orchestra Leader, owned by Brion but trained now by Lillith Boucher and ridden by Mell Boucher, won the Open Hurdle by a head in 4: 1/5..

"I still own him, and he taught me a lot," said Brion. But since I can't ride over fences, I decided to let him help someone else. That was Mell's first ride over fences and her first win. I'm glad he could do that for someone else."

Kinross Farm's Just Wait and See, trained by Richard Valentine and ridden by Chris Gracie, won the 3 mile Open timber by an easy 8 lengths, while Meadow Run Farms LLC's Full Time Party (Ire), trained by Ricky Hendriks and ridden by Archie MacAuley, won the 3 mile Novice Rider Timber by 5 lengths.

Belisarius, trained by Kate Dalton, won the 1 1/2 mile Open Flat, while, Draper's Guild, trained by Hendriks, won the 1 1/2 mile Novice Ride Flat and Curve of Stones, trained by David Bourke, won the Virginia bred flat race.