Racing

Leslie Young, Kathy Neilson and Mark Beecher have winners at the Grand National

Details: April 23, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

BUTLER, Md--Wrestlingwithrae (Ire), owned by Michael A.Smith, trained by Leslie Young and ridden by Jordan Canavan,, won the $35,000, 3 1/4 mile Grand National Timber Stakes on Saturday, April 19.

Hard Game at the Grand National Hard Game won the Benjamin H Murray Allowance raceMark Beecher trained the winner of the second race, and Kathy Neilson saddled the winners of the third and fourth races.

Wrestlingwithrae won by 1 1/2 lengths in 6:35 1/5 over Goodoldtimes (Ire), trained by Mark Beecher, and Queens Empire (Ire), trained by Jack Fisher.

Wrestlingwithrae won an allowance race at Cheshire Point-to-Point and was second in the My Lady's Manor Stakes earlier this year.

The 7-year-old bay gelding ran mid-pack in the five horse field in the early going, led over the final fence and went on to win.

None of the five in the Grand National are going in the Maryland Hunt Cup.

Beecher saddled Bruton Street-US' Track and Trace (ire), ridden by Dan Nevin, to win the $15,000, 3 mile Maiden Timber by 10 3/4 lengths in 6:21 2/5 over Hey Teacher (GB), trained by Neilson, and Blackstar Rocco (Ire), trained by Willy Dowling.

Mark Beecher saddled Decisive Triumph to win at Loudoun

Details: April 24, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

LEESBURG, Va.--Mark Beecher saddled Decisive Triumph to win the $15,000 Apprentice Rider Hurdle, one of three recognized races at the Loudoun Hunt Point-to-Point on Sunday, April 20.

Keri BrionKeri Brion had four winners, including three in flat races, in the Point-to-Point section.

Decisive Triumph, owned by Daniel R. Baker, trained by Beecher and ridden by Dan Nevin, won the 2 1/4 mile race by 1 length in 4:27 1/5 over Tufton Avenue (Ire), trained by Todd McKenna, and Kiyomori, trained by Todd Wyatt.

Decisive Triumph has been with us for six or seven years," said Beecher. "He loves the game, and he loves to jump. "It's nice to see a horse come back time after time."

"He's a hard knocking horse that everyone in the barn likes," said Beecher. "He'll go next in the apprentice rider hurdle at Willowdale."

Neil Morris saddled Maranto Manor's Auction Kingdom, ridden by James O'Sullivan, to win the $25,000 Ratings Handicap Hurdle by 1 1/4 lengths in 4:34 1/5 over Dante's Fire, also trained by Morris, and Love Saga, trained by Sean McDermott.

Todd McKenna saddled Keystone Thoroughbreds' Box Office Warrior, ridden by Gerard Galligan, to win the $20,000 Maiden Claiming Hurdle by 6 1/2 lengths in 4:34 3/5 over Love Shaq, trained by Brion, and Selassie, trained by Kathy Neilson.

In the Point-to-Point secton, Brion saddled Arturo Toscanini (Ire), owned by K. Valerio,, T. Murabito and The International Venture and ridden by Stephen Muqueen, to win the first division of the Maiden Hurdle by 3/4 length in 5:00 over Rejection Hurts, trained by Beecher, and Anador (Fr), trained by McKenna.

"Arturo Toscanin iis an old classy horse that actually ran in the Irish Derby in Ireland years ago for Aidan O'Brien," said Brion. "He's got a new lease on life since jumping, and we plan to take him to the Maiden at Nashville."

Snap Decision won the $100,000 Temple Gwathmey Hurdle Stakes for a record fourth time

Details: April 22, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

MIDDLEBURG,Va.--Snap Decision won the G2, $100,00, 2 1/2 Temple Gwathmey Hurdle Stakes for a record fourth time at the Middleburg Spring Races on Saturday, April 19.

Snap Decision leads over last in 2025 Gwathmey 1 Snap Decision leads over the last in theTemple Gwathmey (Photo by Tod Marks)Owned by Bruton Street-US, trained by Jack Fisher and ridden by Graham Watters, Snap won by a neck in 5:28 2/5 over Abaan, trained by Kate Dalton, and Who's Counting, trained by Sean McDermott.

"This was one of the most competitive Temple Gwathmey's that's happened in my time," said Watters. "The race didn't go according to plan, Snap started a little slow. I went three or four wide to avoid other horses. He jumped his way into the lead two out, and he winged the last,but then Abaan came running. Snap was giving him a lot of weight."

Snap was giving Abaan 18 pounds, and other horses 10 to 24 pounds.

"Abaan is a terrific horse,"said Mike Hankin, a co-owner with Charlie Fenwick and Charlie Noell in Bruton Street. "Snap lives in Snap's world, and we're lucky to be in it. He's a horse of a lifetime."

"Snap loves to train," said Hankin. "He has to be turned out at night. If he has to stay in at night he gets really unhappy."

If he wins the Iroquois, and then if he wakes up in the morning and wants to train, we'll go on," said Hankin.

Jack Fisher had two winners at Blue Ridge Point-to-Point

Details: April 16, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

BERRYVILLE, Va.--Jack Fisher saddled two maiden winners in sanctioned races, one in a timber race and one in a hurdle race, at the Blue Ridge Point-to-Point on Saturday, April 12.

Jack FisherBlue Ridge had four sanctioned races as well as two timber races and three flat races.

Penicilllin Success, owned by Riverdee Stable, trained by Fisher and ridden by Steven Mulqueen, won the $15,000, 3 mile Maiden Timber by 3 1/2 lengths in 6.57 over Presence of Mind (Ire), also trained by Fisher, and Kelmscott, trained by Leslie Young.

"Penicillin Success is a failed hurdle horse," said Fisher. "That was his first race over timber. He'll run next at Nashville."

Penicillin Success ran on the flat with one allowance win in 2021 and then over hurdles.

Roja Redemption, owned by Riverdee Stale, trained by Fisher and ridden by Graham Watters, won the $20,000 two mile Maiden Starter hurdle race by 9 3/4 lengths in 4:03 1/5 over Forever Hopeful, trained by Lillith Boucher, and Slibh Aughty (Fr), trained by Neil Morris.

"The race conditions fit him perfectly," said Fisher. "That was his first race over fences. He'll probably go to Willowdale with Teddy Davies riding."

Joe Davies wins two at Mount Harmon-Wicomico Point-to-Point

Details: April 15, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

EARLEVILLE, Md.--Joe Davies saddled two winners at the Mount Harmon-Wicomico Point-to-Point, including one that is aimed for the toughest steeplechase race in the world, the Pont De Vichy steeplechase in Czechoslovakia,

DeNordener J.Gill De Nordener (Photo by J.Gill)Armata Stables' De Nordener (Ire), ridden by Sophie O'Brien, won the 3 mile Lady Rider Timber in 7:02.5 over City of Grace, trained by Casey Pinkard.

Be Nordener had previously run in five steeplechase races in Ireland in '23 and'24.

Davies said that De Nordener had been aimed at the Pont De Vichy last year but that small glitches kept him from running there.

"The plan is for him to go to Pont De Vichy this October," said Davies, whose son Teddy rode there two years ago and jumped all the very difficult fences but had to pull up not far from the finish.

"Maybe DeNordener will run next at Willowdale," said Davies.

Davies also saddled Pleasant Prospect Farm's Shofar, ridden by Zach Miller, to win the Maiden Timber in 7:03 after De Grey Guy, trained by Todd McKenna, lost his rider at the last fence.

"This was Shofar's first start over timber," said Davies. "He jumped well. He's a really good jumper. We're hoping he'll be able to jump the big Maryland fences. The plan is for him to go to Potomac next."

Joe Davies saddled two winners at My Lady's Manor, including Bogey's Image in the Stakes

Details: April 15, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

MONKTON, Md.--Joe Davies saddled Harvey W. Goolsby III's Bogey's Image to win the featured $50,000 3 mile My Lady's Manor Timber Stakes on Saturday, April 12 at the My Lady's Manor races.

Bogeys Image Robert Keller Bogeys Image (Photo by Robert Keller)Davies also saddled the winner of the Apprentice Rider while Kathy Neilson had the first and second placed horses in one Maiden race and Mark Beecher had the winner in the other Maiden race.

Bogey's Image, ridden by Teddy Davies, won by 7 1/2 lengths in 6:20 over Wrestligeithrae Ire), trained by Leslie Young, and Theda's Boy, trained by Kevin Boniface.

Bogey's Image ran five times over hurdles in 2021 and was stakes placed at Far Hills before Davies got hm to train in 2022.

"He's a big, lovely horse," said Davies. "Sean McDermott called me and said he thought he'd make a good timber horse. His owner has been very patient with him."

"Teddy gave him a beautiful ride," said Davies. "This is the culmination of his career."

Davies said he wasn't sure where Bogey's Image would run next.

"Right now, we'll just savor this victory," he said.

Neilson saddled Motley Crew Racing's Marcel Magic (Ire), ridden by Freddie Proctor, to win the $20,000 John Rush Streett Memorial Maiden by 4 1/4 lengths in 6:23 2/5 over Hey Teacher (GB), also trained by Neilson.

Jack Fisher had two winners for Northwoods Stable at Old Dominion

Details: April 9, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

WASHINGTON, Va.--Jack Fisher saddled two winners for Michael Hankins' Northwoods Stable, including one in a recognized race, at the Old Dominion Point-to-Point on Saturday, April 5.

Jack Fisher Fair Hill 2 Jack FisherOld Dominion had three recognized races and nine unrecognized hurdle, timber and flat races.

Fisher saddled Mission North, ridden by Graham Watters, to win the recognized $30,000, 2 1/4 miles Maiden Hurdle in 4:20 by 4 lengths over The Wizards Well (Ire), trained by Todd McKenna, and Point Me By, trained by Julie Gomena.

"That was his first race over fences," sid Fisher. "He was just out for a school."

Mission North is a Northwoods' homebred that ran eight times on the flat in 2023 and 2024, winning twice, including an allowance race.

Fisher also saddled Dream North, ridden by Dylan McDonagh, to win the second division of the Maiden Hurdle in 4:27 by 2 1/4 lengths over Selassie, trained by Kathy Neilson, and Love Foreverafter, trained by Neil Morris..

"She was just out for a school, too," said Fisher. "She'll probably run in the maiden race at Middleburg."

Dream North, also a Northwoods' homebred, ran twice on the flat, once as a 2-year-od and once as a 3-year-old, and then twice over fences last year, finishing third in her first recognized race at Middleburg.

In the other two recognized races, Julie Gomena saddled Bonnie Rae Stables' Winning Spirit (Ger), ridden by Gerard Galligan, to win the $30,000 Amateur/Novice Hurdle in 4:00 by 6 lengths over Vintage Year, trained by Fisher, and Dynamite Dan, trained by Tom Garner.

McKenna saddled Upland Partners' Hard Strike, ridden by Galligan, to win the $20,000, 3 mile Allowance Timber in 6:40 by 2 lengths over Corky Lemon, trained by Fisher, and Fast Vision (Fr), trained by Leslie Young.

William Dowling, Mark Beecher and Keri Brion won multiple races at Green Spring Valley Point-to-Point

Details: April 8, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

COCKEYSVILLE, Md.--William Dowling saddled two winners at the Green Spring Valley Point-to-Point on Sunday, March 30.

Green Spring Valley Point to Point Kiplin Hall's Take Profit, trained by Dowling and ridden by Teddy Davies, won the Novice Timber over Track and Trace (Ire), trained by Mark Beecher.

EHB Racing's Huyana, trained by Dowling and ridden by Evan Dwan, won the Open Timber over Queens Empire (Ire), trained by Jack Fisher.

Beecher saddled Lucy Goelet's Rocket Star Red, ridden by Dan Nevin, to win the Heavyweight Timber over Brave Deacon, trained by Joe Davies, and Beecher and Nevin also teamed up to win the Amateur Flat with Daniel Baker's Decisive Triumph.

The Kid Rocks, owned by Petticoats Loose Farm, trained by Meriwether Morris and ridden by Dwan, won the Amateur Apprentice Timber.

Keri Brion had three winners on the flat in the three divisions of the Training Flat, winning with Damchu Stables' Miztertonic in division one, with R and K Racing's Big Big Star in division two and with Madaket Stables' Jimmy P in division three.

Leslie Young saddled Irv Naylor's Too Friendly (GB) to win the Amateur Flat.

Pauly Aguilers won the Small Pony Flat on Sassy and the Medium Pony Flat on Rose, while Tessa Tullock on Janey Dancer won the Large Pony Flat.

In the Field Masters Chases, Cami Kern on Mallory won the Small Pony, Abby Taylor on Spur of the Moment won the Medium Pony, Kern on Goose won the Large Pony, Kern on Modern Cowpoke won the Horses, and Taylor on Guinness on Draft won the Non-thoroughbred Horses.

Freddie Procter rode two winners at the Brandywine Point-to-Point Races, seen on a new jumbo-tron

Details: April 8, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

NORTHBROOK, Pa.--The Brandywine Hills Point-to-Point once again distinguished itself by being in the vanguard of technology,

Freddie Procter 2 Freddie Procter won two racesA few years ago, Brandywine started using a drone to live stream the races, a technology that no other point-to-point has yet started to use.

Then this year, Brandywine put a jumbo-tron near the finish line, positioned so that everyone on both sides of the long stretch could see the races, a huge addition to the enjoyment of the spectators..

"We promoted it before the races, and we got enough interest that the jumbo-tron ended up paying for itself," said race Chairman Carl J."Bunny" Meister Jr. "We had a pretty good crowd despite the weather, and we did pretty well."

It was a chilly 50 degrees with intermittent rain,, but despite that, a large crowd enjoyed the timber races more than ever before with the addition of the jumbo-tron.

The races are run over a lovely three mile course, but as the trees have grown up over the years, very little of the course is visible to those lining the stretch, so the jumbo-tron was greatly appreciated.

Freddy Proctor rode two of the winners of the four timber races, including the winner of the featured Open Timber.

Merriebelle Stable's Wagner (Ire), trained by Todd Wyatt and ridden by Procter, won over Macheeda (Ire), trained by Kathy Neilson and ridden by Conor Tierney, after Andale pulled up.

"At one point, race announcer Jay Meister said, "They've slowed way down. I think they're trotting."

"On the backside, when we realized Andale had pulled up, Conor and I had a chat," said Procter. "Both horse had run the week before at Cheshire, and it was slippery going down the hill, so we decided to trot and then pick up racing going up the hill."

Kate Dalton saddled China Beach to win the Carolina Cup

Details: March 31, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

CAMDEN, S.C.--Kate Dalton saddled St. Rita Racing's China Beach, ridden by Bernie Dalton, to win the $75,000, 21/8 mile Carolina Cup on Saturday, March 29.

China Beach leads Little Trilby over the last fence (Photo by Tod Marks)China Beach won in 4:02 3/5, the fastest time of the day, by 5 1/2 lengths over Little Trilby, trained by Ricky Hendriks, and Evie's Prince, trained by Neil Morris.

"This was his second win in four starts over fences,"said Dalton. "His syndicate manager, Ted Thompson, is a trainer, too. Bernie rode China Beach for him in a flat race last year. But Ted's alone in Tennessee, and China Beach doesn't like to train alone. We have a bunch in training, so Ted sent him to us."

"He didn't like the going in his first race, and he didn't like going the wrong way in his second start," said Dalton. "We regrouped, put blinkers on him, and he won well at Aiken last fall."

"He's been training like a bear, so we ran him in the Carolina Cup," she said."He ran there like he loved it. He attacked the fences. Ted lives in Tennessee, so we'll run him next in the novice at Iroquois."

"He's a real character in the barn," Dalton said. "He has no ego problems at all. He's a cool horse."

This was the Daltons' second straight victory in the Carolina Cup, having won it last year with Abaan.

Mark Beecher had two winners, including in the featured Rokeby Bowl, at Piedmont

Details: March 25, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

UPPERVILLE, Va.--Mark Beecher saddled Goodoldtimes (Ire) to win the featured 3 1/2 mile Open Timber over a field of top timber horses at the Piedmont Fox Hounds Point-to-Point on Saturday, March 22.

Mark Beecher when he was riding racesEven though this was just a point-to-point, the six in the field of the Rokeby were all recognized meet winners or placed horses, and a number of other horses at the meet were top horses prepping for big timber races later in the season.

"It's just the timing," said Beecher."It's three weeks before the first big race, so this was a good place to get a prep race."

Armata Stables' Goodoldtimes (Ire), ridden by Dan Nevin, won by 5 lengths in 7:02 3/5 over The Butler Yates (Ire), trained by Leslie Young, and Animal Kingdom, trained by Neil Morris.

"He ran a good race,"said Beecher, "Last year, his goal after the Maryland Hunt Cup was the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup. He ran second in Genesee, then they canceled the Hunt Cup."

"He'll go back to the Maryland Hunt Cup, and maybe the Grand National first," said Beecher.

Beecher also saddled Runnymoore Racing's Eternal Story, ridden by Nevin, to win the Amateur and Novice Rider, 3 mile Timber by 1 length in 6:24.2 over Racavan (Ire), trained by Richard Valentine, and Great Road, trained by Joe Davies.

"Eternal Story is a new horse to the barn," said Beecher. "He went around very nicely and jumped well. He'll probably go to the Maiden at the Manor."

"It's nice to get back to good weather," he said. "With the weather it was hard to keep the staff's morale up. We were lucky, we have two sand gallops. We were able to jog there, and we jogged on the roads. It was like the old days."

Keri Brion won two, including the $40,000 feature, at Aiken

Details: March 24, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

AIKEN, S.C.--Keri Brion saddled Blue Creek to win the featured $40,000 Hurdle Handicap and Porte Jeune (Fr) to win a $25,000 Maiden race at Aiken Spring Steeplechase on Saturday, March 22.

Blue Creek left outduels Kiyomori to wire in 6th 8 Blue Creek, left, outduels Kiyomori to the wire i(Photo by Tod Marks)Upland Flats Racing's Blue Creek, ridden by Stephen Mulqueen, won the Handicap in 3:58 /5 and by 1/2 length over Kiyomori, trained by Todd Wyatt, with L'Avvocato,, trained by Kathy Neilson, another 1 1/2 lengths back in third.

The livestream of the race ended abruptly as the horses turned into the stretch, with one fence left to jump and Kiyomori leading Blue Creek, leaving racing fans wondering who won.

"My owner call me, saying `Did we win? Did we win?'" said Brion.

"I picked him out as a yearling," said Brion. "He was stakes placed on the flat as a 2-year-old, but then he seemed to be losing interest in running, so we started jumping him. We think he's a budding star."

Blue Creek ran third in both the Laurel Futurity and the Awad Stakes at Belmont in 2023.

He won his first race over fences, a maiden race at Shawan Downs, and the ran second and third in allowance races over fences last year.

"He went into the lead in the stretch," said Brion. "Todd's horse fought back, but Stephen had him covered. He didn't want to win by too much and get his ratings up."

"The Novice race at Nashville is a possibility for him," she said.

Williie Mullins was Leading Trainer at Cheltenham

Details: March 14, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

CHELTENHAM, England--In front of jam packed huge stands at Cheltenham, Inothewayurthinkin (Ire), trained by Gavin Cromwelll and ridden by Mark Walsh ,won the $808, 500, 3 1/4 mile Cheltenham Gold Cup to deny Galopin des Champs (Fr) his historic third victory in the G1 Stakes race.

th 1 Willie Mullins, Cheltenham Leading TrainerInothewayurhinkin won by 6 lengths over Galopin de Champs, trained by Williie Mullns, with Gentlemansgame third.

Walsh stalked the defending champion on the eventual winner and his mount produced an impressive turn of foot to power clear.

"I'm dancing inside, it's brilliant. I can't believe it," he said in The Irish Times.

"I'm absolutely speechless. He was hanging in all the time that he was flat out, he's such a good horse.

"He has grown up in the last year. Gavin is a genius to have him spot on for today.

"He is a homebred too which makes it extra special."

It was a second win of the week for Cromwell after Stumptown's victory in Wednesday's Cross Country Chase.

"I never thought I would have a horse good enough to run in the Gold Cup, let alone win," he said.

"A huge thank you to JP and Noreen - to have horses like this is unbelievable. Thanks to them for having the confidence to supplement him."

Irish trainers dominated the four day meet, with Willie Mullins saddling 10 winners to be Leading Trainer, and his chief jockey Paul Townend was the Leading Jockey with four wins and a second.

Gordon Elliott had a frustrating week that finally ended with a win with Wodhooh in the very last race of the meet, Martin Pipe - his fourth winner in the race.

Cheltenham Festival opened with three wins for Willie Mullins

Details: March 12, 2025; By Staff Writers

CHESHIRE, England--The Cheltenham Festival, which runs Wednesday, March 12 through Sunday, March 16, is the pinnacle of National Hunt jumps racing and a week that all racing fans look forward to.

Marine Nationale Ire Marine Nationale (Ire)The prestige of the Cheltenham Festival is unrivaled with 28 top class races spread across four days showcasing many of the sport’s best horses.

There are 14 Grade 1 contests including the feature race on each day, the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers Hurdle and The Gold Cup.

Cheltenham has three courses, the New Course, the Old Course and the Cross Country Course. The first two days of the Festival are run on the Old Course, before switching to the New course for the final two days.

The Cross Country Chase on Wednesday is the only race to be run over the cross country fences, a figure-of-eight course set in the centre of Cheltenham racecourse that crosses both the Old and New courses.

On opening day, champion trainer Willie Mullins saddled three winners, including Lecky Watson (Ire), ridden by Sean O'Keefe, who won the G1, $250,000 Brown Advisory Novice Chase.

Barry Connell saddled Marine Nationale (Ire), ridden by S. Flanagan, to win the $500,000 G1 Queen Mother Chase.

Billy Meister saddled his own Peace Out to win at Penn National, while Keri Brion, Graham Motion, Michael Matz and Ricky Hendriks also had winners.

Details: March 8, 2025; By Staff Writers

MONKTON, Md,--Billy Meister, known for many years as a top rider and trainer of steeplechase horses, a few years ago switched to training mainly flat horses, and he saddled his own Peace Out to win a $12,000 Claiming race for fillies and mares four and up at Penn National on March 7.

This was Meister's second flat race win in eight days as he had won another $13,000, 1 mile Claiming race for fillies and mares four at up at Penn National on Feb. 27 with Mary Haire's Happybirthdaycorey, who won by a neck.

Peace out Bill Denver Peace out (Photo by Bill Denver)Meister's homebred Peace Out won the 6 furlong race by 1 1/4 lengths after making a four wide move around the turn.

"I bred her," said Meister. "She's always trying. She's had a few bad rides."

Peace Out, an allowance winner, has a first and a second from four starts this year.

Meister won 102 races from 1973 to 2014 as a jockey, including winning the Maryland Hunt Cup three times, in 1988 on Freeman's Hill, in 1990 on The Hard Word and in 1997 on Hello Hal.

He also was a multiple stakes winning trainer of 140 winners of over $2 million, four of them Maryland Hunt Cup winners, including Twill Do, who won twice, in 2010 ans 2012, and was Leading Trainer of the Delaware Valley Point-to-Point Association a number of times.

A few years ago, Meister switched to mainly training flat horses, although he still has some steeplechase runners.

"I've switched gears around horses a number of time, from show horses to steeplechase horse and flat horses," he said. "It's supply and demand."

"I have 13 horses now, seven flat, four steeplechase and two looking for homes that I think I''v e found for them,"said Meister. "I'm looking for more owners now."

"I've kept myself alive by having nice show horses, both hunter and jumper, that I buy, remake and sell," he said. "I just sent two show horses to Florida to sell. They'd make either hunters or jumpers. They're both very good jumpers."

Ricky Hendriks had three winners at Rappahanock Point-to-Point

Details: March 4, 2025; By SARA CAVANAGH

BOSTON, Va.--Ricky Hendriks saddled three winners at Rappahanock Hunt Point-to-Point on Saturday, March 1, steeplechasing's first meet of the spring season.

Ricky HendriksAfter such a cold and icy winter, this first jumping meet of the year is a welcome sign of spring.

"It was a rough winter," said Hendriks of Unionville, Pa. "The team did a great job of keeping the horses going. If Greg Bentley hadn't allowed up to use his track we never could have gotten the horses fit."

"We had a very good day," said Hendriks of his three wins and two seconds..

Armata Stables' Chosen Mate trained by Hendriks and ridden by Virginia Korrell, won the 3 mile Open Timber by 10 lengths over Zy, trained by Larry Levy.

Pleasecallmeback, trained by Billy Meister, pulled up at the 18th fence.

"Chosen Mate is a lovely older horse," said Hendriks of the12 year old gelding.. "He's been coming along nicely."

Hendriks had both the first and second placed horses in the two open flat races.

In the 1 1/2 mile Open Flat, Little Triby (GB), ridden by Gerard Galligan, won by 3/4 length over Set Point, (Ire), both owned by Del Rio Racing.

"Little Trilby won his last race over hurdles last fall at Aiken, and he's heading to the Carolina Cap," said Hendriks.