Racing

Ricky Hendriks' Fil Dor won the $150,000 Colonial Cup

Details: November 25, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

CAMDEN, S.C.--Ricky Hendriks saddled two stakes winners, including his own Fil Dor (Fr) in the $150,000 Colonial Cup, at the Colonial Cup races on Sunday, Nov. 23.

Fil Dor Dan Nevin lead over last in Colonial Cup 3 Fil Dor, ridden by Dan Nevin, led over the last fence in the Colonial Cup (Photo by Tod Marks)"It was a very exciting day," said Hendriks."Wow! So cool."

Fil Dor, owned by Hendriks' Morningstar Farm and ridden by Dan Nevis, won the G1, 2 5/8 mile Colonial Cup by 1 1/4 lengths, setting a new track record of 5:02 2/5, and beating Vae Patron (Fr), trained by Leslie Young, and Zarak the Brave (Fr), trained by Tom Garner.

The Colonial Cup results threw the race for the Eclipse Award into total disarray.

Cool Jet, Little Trilby and Jimmy P had been in the lead for the award, with the results of the Colonial Cup expected to give the winner between those three the edge to win.

But Cool Jet, trained by Jack Fisher, fell at the first fence, Little Trilby, trained by Hendriks, fell at the second fence, and Jimmy P, trained by Keri Brion, was never a factor, finishing a dull fifth in the nine horse race, beating only two tiring horses in the stretch.

And now Fil Dor has entered the picture, too, with his win.

Del Rio Racing's Coutach (GB), trained by Hendriks and ridden by Nevis, won the $56,000, 2 1/2 mile Hokirk Hill Hurdle Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths in 4:50 4/5 over Pure Courage, trained by Todd Wyatt, and Active Duty (Fr), trained by Garner.

Both Fil Dor and Coutach were brought to this country by top Irish trainer Gordon Elliott for the races at Far Hills, with Del Rio finishing fifth in the G1 Grand National and Coutach winning the Foxbrook Champion Hurdle by 4 1/4 lengths.

Arch Kingsley won three at Aiken

Details: November 24, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

AIKEN, S.C.--Arch Kingsley saddled three winners and was leading trainer at the Aiken Fall Steeplechase on Saturday, Nov, 22.

Sweet Will takes jump 2nd pass 5th 2 Sweet Will, ridden by Freddie Procter (Photo by Tod Marks)Freddie Procter rode all three of Kingsley's winners, and with those three wins moved into a tie for Rider, Races Won with 15 wins behind runaway winner Graham Watters, who won 26 races.

"It was a very good day, said Kingsley. "We always try to do well at Aiken, so it's nice when it all comes together."

"I was really happy for Freddie," said Kingsley. "He's put in a lot of work and he came down here to work the horses. So it's nice for him to have a three win day."

Kingsley saddled Hurricana Farm's Sweet Will (Ire) to win the $35,000, 2 1/8 mile Ratings Handicap Hurdle b y 1 length in 3:48 4/5 over Rucker Road (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, and Caramelised, also trained by Young.

"We've had Sweet Will for a year," said Kingsley. "This was his first win for us. He won six hurdle races in Ireland. We bought him to be a timber horse, but right now he's still a productive hurdle horse. He was third in the G1 Lonesome Glory."

"I'm not sure what we'll do with him next year," he said. "Whether we'll make him a timber horse or or stay with him over hurdles. He still has some good days over hurdles."

Champion steeplechaser Snap Decision retires

Details: November 19, 2025; By Staff Writers

By Joe Clancy

Snap Decision, champion steeplechase horse of 2024 and the second-leading earner in United States steeplechase history, has been retired by owner Bruton Street-US and trainer Jack Fisher.

Snap Decision leads over last in one of his wins in the Iroquois (Photo by Tod Marks)Bred in Kentucky by Phipps Stable, the 11-year-old gelding won 17 of 32 starts over hurdles, finished second eight times and was third twice while racing from 2019 to 2025.

He earned $1,258,150 over jumps, second only to Hall of Famer McDynamo’s $1,310,104 in North American history.

A son of Hard Spun and the Unbridled mare Salute, Snap Decision won an Eclipse Award as champion steeplechaser of 2024 and was a finalist for the 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020 awards.

He won five Grade 1 stakes, captured 15 stakes overall and led the National Steeplechase Association annual earnings table in 2024 and 2022.

The retirement decision came this week after a 2025 campaign that included four starts, a win in the Grade 2 Temple Gwathmey Handicap in April and a second in the Grade 1 Iroquois Steeplechase in May.

In his final start, he finished fourth behind Irish shippers Zanahiyr and Ballysax Hank in the Grade 1 American Grand National at Far Hills, N.J. Oct. 18.

The announcement closes one of the great careers in U.S. jump-racing history.

The other millionaires on the U.S. earnings list, McDynamo and Good Night Shirt, are in Thoroughbred racing’s Hall of Fame as is Lonesome Glory, fourth on the list at $965,809.

Keri Brion saddled Swore to win the Novice Stakes at Callaway

Details: November 17, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga.--Keri Brion saddled two winners at the Steeplechase at Callaway Gardens on Saturday, Nov. 15, including Swore in the Novice Stakes..

Swore jumping NYRA Swore winning the Lonesome Glory (Photo by NYRA)Stone Farm's Swore, ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, won the $75,000, 2 3/8 mile Sport of Kings Novice Hurdle Stakes by 5 3/4 lengths in 4:12 over Two Past Eight (GB), trained by Leslie Young, and King of the Kids, trained by Cyril Murphy,

"He's a big horse with a big, massive stride," said Mulqueen. "I was sitting against him all the way."He's only had a few runs over fences. His jumping was electric."

Swore led from the start over Two Past Eight and shook clear after the last fence to win comfortably.

"I've thought very highly of this horse from the beginning," said Brion. "He was trained on the flat by Graham Motion."

"As I was beginning as a trainer, I had The Mean Queen," said Brion of her Eclipse Award winning mare. "I've been looking for my next big horse ever since."

Risk Taking won the Allowance race at Steeplechase at Charleston

Details: November 10, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

HOLLYWOOD, S.C.--Julie Gomena saddled Risk Taking to win the $35,000 Allowance Hurdle at Steeplechase at Charleston on Sunday, Nov. 9.

Risk Taking Bernie Dalton Risk Taking and Bernie DaltonStonelea Stables' Risk Taking, ridden by Bernie Dalton, won the 2 3/8 mile race by 13 1/2 lengths in 4:28 3/5 over Cainyoudothetwist, trained by Arch Kingsley, and Brie's Mission, trained by Kathy Neilson.

That was a nice end to the year," said Gomena.

"I've had Risk Taking for three years now." she said. "I bought him at the Keeneland fall sale. He'd been trained by Chad Brown, and he ran in the Preakness."

Risk Taking had sold for $240,000 as a yearling, and he won the G3 Withers as a 3-year-old.

Gomena bought Risk Taking for $75,000.

"He was a raging, screaming stallion, so we had him gelded." said Gomena. "I ran him first at Colonial, and he blew a tendon, so he had a year off."

"He's still a keen horse, so if he runs up front against another horse he runs himself out, so we always tuck him in behind," she said. "He's one paced, so he needs to close on speed."

"He'll get a vacation now," said Gomena. "He's now officially a novice, so we'll bring him out again next spring."

Keri Brion had five winners, Motion, Matz and Merryman also had winners

Details: November 9, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

LAUREL, Md.--Keri Brion had five winners, including two allowance winners, in the last month, while Graham Motion had seven winners, including two Stakes winners, and Michael Matz and Liz Merryman also had winners.

Sporting LadyAudley Farm Equine's Sporting Lady won a $50,500, 5 1/2 Allowance race for Fillies and Mares on the turf by 1 1/2 lengths and paid $70.60 for the win.

"Sporting Lady is a nice filly," said Brion. "She threw in a bad race last start with no real excuse. She came out of it fine, so we regrouped and tried again."

"I can't believe they let her go off at 30 to one," said Brion. "She's always been very consistent. She's a nice really filly who should keep improving."

Sporting Lady ran second five times in Maiden Special Weight races before winning on Aug. 23, and then finishing eighth in an allowance race before her win at Laurel.

Master Seville, trained by Mark Beecher, won the Pa. Hunt Cup

Details: November 5, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

UNIONVILLE, Pa.--Mark Beecher saddled Master Seville to win the $35,000, 4 mile Pennsylvania Hunt Cup on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Master Seville 4 early in PHC 1 Master Seville, number 4 on the right. early in the Hunt Cup (Photo by Tod Marks)Master Seville, owned by South Branch Equine and ridden by Graham Watters, won the Hunt Cup by 4 3/4 lengths in 8:35 3/5 over Uco Valley (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, and Goodoldtimes (Ire), also trained by Beecher.

Also, at a previous race meet, Duncan Patterson, a steward at the Hunt Cup in an interview explained the rulings in a controversial timber race at the International Gold Cup.

"Master Seville has been with me a long time," said Beecher. "I got hm as a 4-year-old and he's 9 now. He's won five or six sanctioned races and a number of point-to-point races."

Beecher said he didn't give Watters any instructions.

"Graham is a very good rider," he said." I thought he gave him a very good ride, The horse jumped beautifully."

"He's been a rock solid horse for us," said Beecher. "This is his first stakes win. He's a lovely horse. He foxhunts, and anyone can ride him,"

Cool Jet won the Noel Laing Stakes at Montpelier

Details: November 3, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

MONTPELIER STATION, Va.--Riverdee Stable's Cool Jet (Ire) won the G3, $75,000 Noel Laing Stakes at Montpelier, while Mark Beecher had two winners and a third to win the Leading Trainers award.

Cool Jet leads pver last in Commonwealth Cup Cool Jet led over last to win the Commonwealth Cup (Photo by Tod Marks)Cool Jet, trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Bernie Dalton, won the 2 1/2 mile Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths inn 5:12 2/5 over Noble Anthem (Ire), trained by Tom Garner, and For the Parish, (Ire), trained by Leslie Young,

"Cool Jet has a very high cruising speed," said Sean Clancy, manager of the Riverdee Stable syndicate "He loved it at Montpelier, He loved those hedge jumps. Some horses brush through them, but he jumped over them. It looked beautiful. And he never put a foot wrong."

Cool Jet went to the front from the start and was never headed, opening up after the last fence to win comfortably.

"Bernie got on him three rides ago, and he's got him in rhythm," said Clancy.

Cool Jet has won the last three stakes he's run in,, the Commonwealth Cup at Great Meadow, the Mariann de Tjjeda Stakes at Foxfield and now at Montpelier, after finishing second and third earlier this year.

"He's 9, and he's had a good year," said Clancy. " He'll probably go to the Colonial Cup. I think he'll like it there."

Little Trilby, trained by Ricky Hendriks, won the $100,000 Hurdle Stakes at the Gold Cup

Details: October 28, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

THE PLAINS, Va.--Ricky Hendriks had two winners, including the Stakes winner Little Trilby, (GB) at the International Gold Cup on Saturday, Oct. 25, while Key's Discount won the Timber Stakes.hoto by Tod MarksDel Rio Racing's Little Trilby, ridden by Conor Tierney, won the $100,000, 2 1/8 mile William H. Allison Hurdle Stakes by 1/2 length in 3:56 4/5 over Foxy Walk (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, and Rampoldi Plan, also trained by Young.

Little Trilby 6 rallies over last to win Allison REMOTE 1 Little Trilby, left, number 6, rallies over last to win the Allison Stakes (Photo by Tod Marks) "Little Trilby had a nice win at Saratoga earlier this year," said Hendriks of the horse's win in the Michael G. Walsh Novice Stakes. "But this was a big step up in class. I had told Conor to take him back, so he was a little more forward placed than I thought, but Conor gave him a masterful ride."

Around the final turn, Little Trilby stumbled quite badly but recovered quickly and after the last fence closed strongly to get up for the win in the last few strides.

"The two horses in front of me weren't coming back to me, so I went outside to get around them," said Tierney. "He had a slight stumble and lost a little ground, but he straightened out and came again. He jumped brilliantly."

Hendriks also saddled his own Star Force, ridden by Tierney, to win the $30,000, 2 1/2 mile Optional Maiden Starter/Maiden Claiming race by 3 3/4 lengths in 4:52 2/5 over Lucky Prince, trained by Joe Davies, and Love Shaq, trained by Barry Foley.

Mark Beecher as trainer and Virginia Korrell as jockey dominated Genesee Valley

Details: October 14, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

GENESEO, N.Y.--Armata Stable's Crealion, trained by Tom Garner and ridden by Virginia Korrell was disqualified on Saturday, Oct. 11 due to not weighing out at the correct weight at the Genesee Valley Hunt Races.

Crealion ridden by Virginia KorellThen 48 hours later the National Steeplechase Association Stewards Advisory Committee ruled that the disqualification of the horse was not warranted.

"When i weighed out, I was one-tenth of a pound under," said Korrell. "It used to be that jockeys were allowed a half pound leeway, but that was changed this year. Tom argued the decision and it was changed."

Originally, it was announced that South Branch Equine's Master Seville, ridden by Nevin, won the $15,000 Amateur or Apprentice Rider Timber by 5 1/4 lengths in 5:40 3/5 over Project Two (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, and Rhyhmia, trained by McKenna.

The Steward's ruling reinstated Crealion, and dropped Master Sevile to second and Project Two to third.

With that ruling, it meant that Korrell had ridden two winners, Crealion and The Butler Yates in the Timber Stakes and a second placed horse, Hey Teacher..

"Crealion has run about 35 times," said Korrell. "Tom got him last year, and I rode him in some races. Then he wasn't himself this spring, so we gave him the summer off. He's a nice horse, and he jumped really well."

The Butler Yates, owned by Greenlights, trained by Young and ridden by Korrell, won the $25,000, 3 1/2 mile Timber Stakes by 3/4 length in 6:54 2/3 over Goodoldtimes, trained by Beecher, and Hard Games, trained by Neilson.

"I rode and schooled The Butler Yates quite a lot when I worked for Leslie."said Korrell. "He's very uncomplicated now. He used to be quirky, when he came over from Ireland. He used to be very slow over the fences, but that was the best he's ever jumped."

Cool Jet won the $75,000 Mariann De Tejeda Memorial at Foxfield

Details: October 7, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va--Cool Jet (Ire), trained by Jack Fisher, won the G3, 12 1/8 mile, $75,000 Mariann De Tejeda Memorial at the Foxfield Fall Races on Sunday, Oct. 6.

Cool Jet leads pver last in Commonwealth Cup Cool Jet winning the Commonwealth Cup (Photo by Tod Marks)Owned by Riverdee Stable and ridden by Bernie Dalton, the 9 year-old Cool Jet won by 4 3/4 lengths over Foxy Walk (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, with Who's Counting, trained by Sean McDermott, third, finishing in 4:03, the fastest time of the day.

The favored Snap Decision, owned by Bruton Street-US and also trained by Fisher, finished fifth.

"Cool Jet came to me from Pat Doyle as a 6-year-old, and he's been sterling ever since," said Sean Clancy, head of the Rverdee syndicate. "He's a hard trying over-achiever."

Cool Jet has run 12 times for Riverdee Stable with five wins, three seconds, a third and two fourths after racing in England and Ireland as a 4- and 5-year old.

"He'll run next a the G2 at the International Gold Cup," said Clancy. "It depends on how he does there where he goes after that. He's not gong to Far Hills. The 2 5/8 mile race would be too far for him."

Fisher was unavailable for comment as he was in hospital following a fall.

Graham Motion, Jack Fisher, Keri Brion, Liz Merryman and Michael Matz have winners

Details: September 30, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

FAIR HILL, Md.--Over the past month, Graham Motion has had 11 winners, including five stakes winners, Jack Fisher had $170,000 Maiden winner, Keri Brion and Liz Merryman had four winners each, and Michael Matz had a winner.

Jack Fisher Fair Hill 2 Jack Fisher Fisher saddled Bruton Street-US' The Jackal, ridden by Forest Boyce, to win a $170.000, 1 1/2 mile Maiden Special Weight turf race at Kentucky Downs by 3/4 length on Aug. 31.

The Jackal, a 5-year-old by Medaglio D'Oro out of a Tapit mare.was trained by Chug McGaughey for Woodford Racing from July 2024 to October, 2024 with one second and one third in maiden special weight races, and then was purchased by Bruton Street to become a steeplechase horse.

Fisher ran him over hurdles at Colonial Downs on Aug. 7, and he won.

"He can't jump," said Fisher despite his win. "He won that race, but I thought he was going to fall over every fence on the backside."

So Fisher entered him on the flat and won the $170,000 Maiden Special Weight at Kentucky Downs.

"He's in the field now" said Fisher. "Then when we bring him back up, we'll teach him how to jump this winter."

When The Jackal does learn how to jump, he looks like he'll be another powerhouse for Fisher and Bruton Street.

Jack Fisher had three winners including Keys Discount in the Timber Stakes at Shawan Downs

Details: September 28, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

HUNT VALLEY, Md.--Jack Fisher dominated the races at Shawan Downs, winning three of the six races and finishing second in one and third in two others on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Keys Discount leads over last in Brown Advisory 2 Keys Discount leads over the last in the Brown Advisory Stakes (Photo by Tod Marks)Fisher's three winners included Maiden and Allowance Hurdle winners and the winner of the Timber Stakes.

He saddled Keys Discount, owned by his mother, Mrs. John R.S.Fisher and ridden by Graham Watters to win the $25,000 3 1/8 mile Brown Advisory Timber Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths in 6:46 2/5 over Animal Kingston, trained by Neil Morris, and Queens Empire (Ire), also trained by Fisher.

"Keys Discount has stamped himself as the horse to beat," said Fisher. "It was the way he won it that was so impressive. He won it easily."

"He'll go to Middleburg next," he said.

Keys Discount has now won three hurdle stakes this year, beginning with the Virginia Gold Cup and then the Middleburg Hunt Cup and now at Shawan Downs.

Fisher's horses finished first and second in the first race on the card, the $20,000 Maiden Three Year Old Hurdle.

Swore, trained by Keri Brion, won the $150,000 Lonesome Glory Handicap

Details: September 18, 2025; By Staff Writers

SOUTH OZONE PARK, N.Y.--Swore, trained by Keri Brion and ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, won the G1, 150,000, 2 1/2 mile Lonesome Glory Handicap at Belmont at the Big A on Thursday, Sept. 18.

Swore defeats Welshman in Lonesome Glory (Photo by Tod Marks)Stone Farm and Upland Flats Racing’s Swore set the pace and was overtaken in the stretch by Welshman, trained by Jack Fisher, but battled back gamely along the inside to win by a neck.

Brion has now racked up an impressive record n G1 steeplechase stakes at New York tracks.

This was Brion's third win in the four Grade 1 steeplechase races held at The New York Racing Association, Inc. racetracks, adding to wins in the A.P. Smithwick Memorial Handicap with Historic Heart and the Jonathan Sheppard Handicap with Jimmy P at Saratoga.

Brion also won this trio of races in 2021 in what was then a clean sweep of NYRA’s top steeplechase events as Baltimore Bucko won the Smithwick and subsequent Eclipse Award Champion The Mean Queen won the Sheppard and Lonesome Glory.

The Beverly Steinman was added in 2024 to make it four Grade 1 races in New York.

Swore, a 6-year-old gelding by Broken Vow, was comng off a 2 1/4-length win in a Maiden Special Weight at Colonial Downs on Aug. 21.

He made just his third start over jumps in the Lonesome Glory, and posted the professional win by a neck while carrying the second lowest weight in the field of eight at 144 pounds.

Mark Beecher saddled Timetoshine to win $100,000 hurdle at Colonial

Details: September 12, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

NEW KENT, Va..--TimetoShine (Fr) won the !00,000 Life''s Illusion 2 1/4 mile Filly and Mare Hurdle Stakes at Colonial Downs on Thursday, Sept. 11.

TimetoshineCoady Medial Timetoshine (Photo by Coady Media)Trained by Mak Beecher, owned by Runnymoore Racing and ridden by Dan Nevin, Timetoshine won by 8 lengths over Anador (Fr), trained by Todd McKenna, and Madaket's Arrow trained by Kate Dalton, finishing in 4{03.86.

"That was a massive win," said Beecher. "It was a great pick-up for us."

"I bought her iin May for Runnymoore," he said. "She'd been running in England. I got her acclimated to the heat here. This was her first race in this country."

"Her owners never put any pressure on me to race her," Beecher said. "They said, run her when she's ready."

"Today was perfect for her," he said. "A little overcast, and the ground was a little yielding."

"She's a lovely, light-type mare," Beecher said, ""We'll get her home and see how she is, She'll probably run next in the filly and mare stake at Far Hills."

Successful Fair Hill Races leads to plans for additonal meets

Details: September 3, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

ELKTON, Md--Officials have declared the Fair Hill Races on Aug. 30 to have been a success and say that there will be another meet over Memorial Day weekend.

Fair Hill turf course 1 Fair Hill turf course "We were thrilled with the day," said George Mahoney, Chairman of the Maryland Racing Commission.

"This was a good first step," said Joe Clancy, a member of Sports Corp., the group that organized the meet. "We puposely didn't have any jump races. We didn't want to compete against Colonial Downs or Saratoga or hurt their entries. We held the number of entries to eight in the interest of safety, and we didn't charge admission."

"We got a good crowd, and I think that the people that came had a good time," said Clancy. "The total betting handle was $56,5503. The total handle is always going to be small, and that never was a money maker, but it's a tradition to have betting. In the old days the handle was around $200,00, but 75 percent of that goes back to the betters and 25 percent is divided between the races, which pay all the expense of betting, and the Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources."