Daltons make it back-to-back wins in Carolina Cup; China Beach stamps himself as rising novice star
©Tod Marks
St. Rita Racing’s China Beach went from relative unknown to formidable foe with a dominant performance in the 90th running of the $75,000 Carolina Cup novice stakes at Springdale Race Course in Camden, S.C., on Saturday.
Making his first stakes start – and only fourth career try over jumps following a long career on the flat – the seven-year-old Florida-bred son of Treasure Beach kept pace with the leaders in the field of seven, sitting in third behind Paul and Molly Willis’ Carloun and Del Rio Racing’s Little Trilby through the first nine fences. He took charge heading over the last jump, had a slight advantage through the stretch, and extended it to 5 ½ lengths at the wire. For trainer Kate Dalton and her husband, jockey Bernie Dalton, it was their second straight Cup win, having scored with Abaan in the 2024 edition.
Del Rio Racing’s Little Trilby, coming off a stakes tally in the Holiday Cup at Aiken to close out 2024, ran well for second after pressing the pace for the first mile under Gerard Galligan. He took the lead after the eighth fence, but relinquished it before the last jump. Shannon Hill Farm’s Evie’s Prince, winner of last year’s Michael G. Walsh novice stakes at Saratoga, rallied approaching the final hurdle and narrowed the gap to get up for the show spot.
The win was particularly sweet for owners Rita and Ted Thompson, who maintain a small stable based in Tennessee and recently took on partners including Beth and Marek McCallum, who were on hand to celebrate the victory.
On the flat, China Beach achieved limited success in three seasons of competition mostly in the claiming ranks and mostly at Colonial Downs, Gulfstream Park, and Tampa Bay Downs, making 25 starts, with five wins, four seconds, and two thirds, and earnings of around $90,000.
In other action:
Awesome Strike soars in NSA debut
Happenstance Stable’s Awesome Strike, coming off the flat track after 24 starts mostly at Laurel, made a successful transition to jump racing in his very first try, scoring in the opener, a $25,000 maiden claiming hurdle.
With Dan Nevin aboard for trainer Mark Beecher, the six-year-old son of Awesome Again was always in striking distance, launched his bid before the final fence, grabbed the lead in the stretch and extended it to 6 lengths at the wire. Atsamy Racing Club’s Beyond Reproach (Freddie Procter), the early pacesetter, was second and Shannon Hill Farm’s Sliabh Aughty (Graham Watters), third.
Memento breaks maiden in front-running style
Owner Mark Buyck, whose Grade 1 winner Show Court captured the Carolina Cup in 2017, sent out another good one in Memento, a lightly raced seven-year-old who broke his maiden by eight lengths in the second at Springdale, a $30,000 special weight contest.
Trained by Arch Kingsley — who also saddled Show Court — the French-bred took command shortly after the start and never looked back under jockey Gerard Galligan. It was the first score in six NSA outings for Memento, who had previously finished third in the McDynamo maiden stakes at Far Hills last October.
Moonshine Time throttles field in $30,000 maiden
Like Memento one race earlier, Upland Flats Racing’s Moonshine Time went wire to wire to take the third race on the card, the second division of the split hurdle.
Trained by Keri Brion and ridden by her go-to jockey, Stephen Mulqueen, who teamed up with the conditioner to take three Grade 1s in 2024, the six-year-old Irish-bred took the lead early, held off his challengers before the final fence, and drew clear by 5 3/4 lengths. The victory was the first in eight career tries for Moonshine Time, who finished a close second in the McDynamo maiden stakes last fall. Gill Johnston’s Ready for the Lady was second; Del Rio Racing’s Harrenhal gained ground for third.
Noble Anthem debuts a winner in 115 handicap
Ballybristol Farm’s Noble Anthem, making his first NSA start after 22 runs in England, came from off the pace to win going away by 2 1/2 lengths in the $35,000 handicap for horses rated at 115 or less.
Ridden by Evan Dwan for jockey-turned-trainer Tom Garner, the six-year-old was content to sit toward the back of the full field of 12 for most of the race, made his move at the ninth fence, and drew even with Rolling Tide’s Hold Hard at the final jump before drawing clear through the lane. Hold Hard was second best, while Sanna Neilson and John Huganir’s He’ll Do put in a strong effort to finish third under Virginia Korrell.
Pickford outduels Safe at Home in flat finale
Kevin Conto’s Pickford, a 10-year-old veteran of 53 starts at 14 tracks, added another notch to his lengthy resume with a hard-fought victory over Betsy Mead’s Safe At Home in the finale, a training flat race at 1 1/2 miles.
With Richard Boucher in the saddle for trainer-wife Lilith, the Kentucky-bred son of Hat Trick sat near the back of the tightly bunched field. He made his move on the outside with less than a half mile remaining, while Safe At Home, under Bernie Dalton, advanced along the rail. The pair pulled away from the field in deep stretch, with Pickford prevailing by a nose at the wire. Over the course of his lengthy career, Pickford has nine wins, eight seconds, and six thirds, with total earnings of a quarter-million dollars.
And at Cheshire…
On Sunday, racing resumed in Unionville, Pa., in Chester County for the 78th Cheshire Races at Plantation Field. The day’s activities included a mix of pony races, a parade of Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds, flat races and side-saddle races highlighted by four NSA sanctioned timber races at 3 miles: a $20,000 allowance, a $15,000 allowance restricted to apprentice riders; and two $15,000 maidens.
Trainers Leslie Young, who finished 2024 in a tie for championship honors with Jack Fisher, and Kathy Neilson, co-chair of the event, each had two winners. Young took the $20,000 Joseph Walker III Memorial with Leipers Fork Steeplechase’s Court Ruler, ridden by Jamie Bargary, and the $15,000 Louis Neilson III (for apprentice riders) with Michael A. Smith’s Wrestlingwithrae (Jordan Canavan).
Neilson took the final two sanctioned races with Armata Stable’s Imperial Assassin (Gerard Galligan) in the $15,000 Ashwell Maiden and Irv Naylor’s Macheeda (Conor Tierney) in the Rainbows for Luck Maiden.
Court Ruler has been a remarkable model of consistency – and money in the bank – since he emerged on the scene in 2019. In 25 NSA starts he has failed to pick up a check only four times. His stellar record includes a dozen wins, seven seconds, and three thirds, with total earnings of $199,000. On Sunday, the 11-year-old, took the lead after a few fences, and was headed by Armata Stables’ hard-knocking Fashion Line at the second to last jump, then fought back to prevail by a head. Theda’s Boy was third.
Young’s other winner, Wrestlingwithrae, a lightly raced seven-year-old, was slightly less dramatic. With Irish newcomer Jordan Canavan aboard, Wrestlingwithrae stalked in second, advanced to the front three fences from home, and drew clear by two lengths with two to go. Riverdee Stable’s Include It was second; Upland Partners’ Shootist, third. The victory was the second straight for Wrestlingwithrae, who broke his maiden at Callaway Gardens in the fall.
Gerard Galligan, who has eight top three finishes in 11 mounts during the first two weekends of the spring season, gave Neilson her first winner at Cheshire with Armata Stables’ Imperial Assassin, a seven-year-old Irish bred. Sitting in second (of seven) most of the way, Imperial Assassin took a clear lead two fences out and drew off handily by 11 lengths. Neilson also trained the runner up, Hey Teacher, who rallied through the stretch. Lightning Ridge, the pacesetter, was third for trainer Sanna Neilson, Kathy’s sister.
In the finale, Kathy Neilson again saddled the first two finishers, with Irv Naylor’s Macheeda edging Hard Game by a nose. Quid was another nose back in third under Zach Miller. For Macheeda, a seven-year-old, it was only his third career start.