CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va--Leslie Young saddled The Flasche to win the $25,000, 2 1/8 mile Maiden Hurdle race at the Foxfield Fall races on Oct. 3 to move into the lead in Trainer, Races Won by one race over Keri Brion and Jack Fisher, who has won both the Races Won and Money Won titles numerous times.
The Flasche, owned by Ballybristol Farm and ridden by Tom Garner, who had run five times over fences before breaking his maiden, won by 10 lengths in 4:01 over Quality Road, trained by Mark Beecher.
After moving into a tie for the lead in Races Won two weeks ago, Young had said, "We're going for it. Wouldn't winning that title be what we all dream of? It's the greatest honor in training."
Fisher has said that the most important thing for him is to see his horses run well, and Brion said that saving her up-and-coming young horses is more important to her than a trainer title.
Fisher didn't have any horses run at Foxfield, while Brion saddled Iranistan, ridden by Richard Condon, to win the 1 1/4 mile Training Flat race, a race that doesn't count towards the training title.
IRANISTAN hasn't run in a year, since Jonathan Sheppard saddled him at Saratoga, and since then Sheppard has retired and Brion has taken over training many of his former customers.
"It was nice to have Iranistan back," said Brion. "It was a prep for the stakes at the Gold Cup in three weeks. He was about 80 percent fit, so it was nice to see him win so easily and gallop out so strongly, He seems to have come out of it well, so he'll be at the Gold Cup."
Iranistan won by 1/2 length over Cite, trained by Fisher.
As to winning the Trainer, Races Won title, Brion, who still leads in Trainer, Money Won, said it wasn't important.
"I have a bunch of really nice young horses, and I am not going to sacrifice them just to win a trainer's title," said Brion. "I have quality over quantity, and it would mean way more for me to win an Eclipse Award and my fourth Grade 1 of the year st Far Hills."
Brion is aiming The Mean Queen towards a rematch with Snap Decision, trained by Fisher, at Far Hills on Oct. 16, a rematch much anticipated after their thrilling duel in the Lonesome Glory at Belmont.
Neil Morris moved into as tie for Trainer, Races Won, with nine races won each for Brion, Fisher and Morris, after saddling William Russell's Animal Kingdom to win the $20,000, 2 1/4 mile Ratings Handicap Hurdle.
Animal Kingdom.ridden by Gerard Galligan, won by 1 1/2 lengths in 4:06 1/5 over Decisive Triumph, trained by Beecher.
Kate Dalton saddled Jeffry Morris' Shaka to win the first race on the card, a $14,000, 2 1/8 miles Maiden Claiming race.
Shaka, ridden by Bernie Dalton, won by 7 3/4 lengths over Sea Mast, trained by Richard Valentine, in 4:07 2//5.
Elizabeth Voss saddled Mary P. Voss' Bella Coola to win the $25,000, 2 1/8 Filly and Mare Maiden Hurdle.
Bella Coola, ridden by Eddie Keating, won by 4 lengths in 4:15 over Investor, trained by Doug Fout.
Sanna Neilson saddled Hepcat, a horse she owns along with Steven Poorman, to win the $10,000, 2 1/8 mile Apprentice Rider Hurdle race.
Hepcat, ridden by Parker Hendriks, won by 6 11/4 lengths in 4:05 2/5 over Mr. Sarinara, trained by Dalton.