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.

"HE'S A NICE horse," said Beecher. "He'd been running in England, and he came over her last year. He prepped at Green Spring Point-to-Point where he ran second. He's nominated for the Gold Cup, or maybe he'll go in the non-winners of two at Winterthur."

Neilson saddled Hard Game LLC's Hard Game, ridden by Freddie Procter, to win the $15,000 3 1/4 mile Benjamin H. Murray Allowance Timber by 8 1/2 lengths in 6:32 4/5 over The Butler Yates (Ire), trained by Young, and Rocket Star Red, trained by Beecher.

"Hard Game is by Hard Spun," said Neilson. He's the first horse for this syndicate. My daughter Skylar found him at Parx, and we claimed him. He's not particularly fast, but he can jump the big fences."

"The syndicate is made up of Justin Wiley, Mike Massie, David Perdue and Rob Farmer. Its a fun group of guys." said Neilson.

Neislon also saddled Armata Stables' Imperial Assassin, ridden by Dan Nevin, to win the $15,000, 3 mile Apprentice Rider Timber by 9 lengths in 6:17 4/5 over Fast Vision (Fr), trained by Young, and Storm Team, trained by Dowling.

"Armata Stables is Ben Griswold, and the race was run over his property, and he was there," said Neilson."Dan gave Imperial Assassin a good ride."