BENSALEM, Pa.--Bernie Houghton saddled a pair of horses bred by his mother Betsy to win one stakes and place second in another on Pa. Day at the Races at Parx on Sept. 24.
Midnight Parade winning the Imply Stakes (Photo by EquiPhoto)Hillman Racing's Midnight Parade, bred by Elizabeth Houghton, won the $200,000, 6 11//2 lengths Imply Stakes for 2-year-old fillies by 2 lengths over Pachelbel, trained by John Servis.
"Midnight Parade is a filly we bred and sol to Joe Hillman as a baby,"said Houghton, "I thought she was good before she ran in her first race. She can run. She won her first race by 9 lengths, and from then on I planned on this race. She's one of those 2 year olds that is very professional and mature."
"Joe Hillman has been in this sport through good times and bad," said Houghton. "His wife June works for Peter Gianguilio at Castle Rock Farm. He was very excited for the win."
Midnight Hauler, owned by Betsy Houghton's Sylmar Farm and bred by her, placed second by 3 1/4 lengths to Buy Land and See, trained by Guadalupe Preciado, in the $200,000, 1 1/16 mile Alphabet Soup Turf Stakes.
"MIDNIGHT HAULER won a stakes at Penn National before this," said Houghton."He ran good here but he was second best."
"Mom came to the race, too," said Houghton. "I drove her here. We had a good day."
Another trained by Houghton, Recycle, bred and owned by Barlar, won a 25,000, 1 mile and 70 yards Starter Optional Claiming Race on the turf at Parx by 11 1/4 lengths on Sept.18.
"It's been hard to find races for him because he's a turf horse," said Houghton.
GRAHAM MOTION had an allowance winner and three maiden special weight winners in 10 days.
Kitten's Collusion, bred and owned by Isabell deTomaso, who is the aunt of Bambi Glaccum, Plantation Field's secretary/treasurer, won a $56,250, 1 1/16 mile Allowance Optional Claiming race on the turf at Meadowlands on Sept.23.
Running four wide early, Kitten's Collusion rallied steadily and finished best to win by 1/2 length.
Nagirroc, owned by Madaket Stables, Little Red Feather Racing and William Strauss and trained by Motion, won a $95,000, 6 furlong Maiden Special Weight on the turf at Aqueduct of Sept. 24 by 3 1/2 lengths.
Jack Swain's homebred Whistlejacket won a $58,650.6 furlong Maiden Special Weight by 3/4 length at Monmouth on Sept. 18.
Motion's third Maiden Special Weight winner was Essaquirq, bred and owned by Al Shaqab, who won a $42,000, 1 mile and 70 yards Maiden race at Delaware Park by 4 1/2 lengths on Sept. 14.
KERI BRION, who is expanding into flat racing after being steeplechasing's leading trainer in 2021, her first year of training after being Jonathan Sheppard's assistant trainer for almost a decade, won another flat race on Sept. 25.
Mariano Brothers Stable's Heymacit'sjack won a $77,000,6 furlong Maiden Special Weight race at Aqueduct by 2 3/4 lengths.
MICHAEL MATZ saddled Runnymoore Racing's Late Frostto win a $32,000, 6 furlong Maiden Claiming race at Delaware Park by 1 1 1/4 lengths on Sept.16.
