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 saddled Happenstance's Awesome Strike (On), ridden by Dan Nevin to win the $35,000 Maiden Claiming Hurdle in 4:18 4/5 by 6 length over Beyond Reproach, trained by Arch Kingsley, and Sliabh Aughty, trained by Morris.
Kingsley saddled Mark Buyck Jr.'s Memento (Fr) to win the $30,000 Maiden Hurdle in 4:12 by 8 lengths over Blueflagflyinghigh, trained by Richard Valentine, and Scoop the Pot, trained by Dalton.
Keri Brion saddled Upland Flats Racing's Moonshine Time (Ire) to win the #0,000 Maiden Hurdle in 4:09 4/5 by 5 3/4 lengths over Ready for the Lady, trained by Kingsley, and Harrenhal (Ire), trained by Hendriks.
Tom Garner saddled Noble Anthem (Ire) to win the $35,000 Ratings Handicap Hurdle in 4:03 4/5 by 2 1/2 lengths over Hold Hard (Ire), trained by Doug Fout, and He'll Do, trained by Parker Hendriks.
Lillith Boucher saddled Kevin Conto's Pickford to win the Training Flat in 2:37 2/5over Safe at Home, trained by Fout, and Kilkerran, trained by Kingsley.
