Keys Discount locks up timber title; Little Trilby surges late to take $100,000 Will Allison

©Tod Marks

Racing returned to Virginia for the third of four times this fall, and on a picture-perfect autumn afternoon, one of the sport’s rising superstars cemented his place as a champion.

At the International Gold Cup Races at Great Meadow Race Course in the Plains, Va., on Saturday, Dolly Fisher’s Keys Discount turned heads with another breath-taking performance in the eponymous $50,000 International Gold Cup timber stakes.

With leading rider Graham Watters aboard, the six-year-old Maryland-bred, trained by Dolly’s son, Jack, notched his fifth consecutive stakes victory of 2025.

It was a bit of a wild race early on with the entire field taking the wrong path, but when the dust settled and the stewards review was done, there was no denying the year’s top runner over post and rails was much the best. Simply put: Keys Discount was unstoppable.

The 3 1/2-mile adventure began with Keys Discount, the $1.90-1 favorite, assuming the lead, but the dark bay gelding lost his advantage when the seven-horse field went off course, taking the wrong jump. The jockeys quickly realized their error, regrouped, and went back to the prescribed route. The miscue proved little more than a minor blip for the favorite.

With Keystone Thoroughbreds’ Shootist (Luke Carberry) and Potter Group USA, Gaskells Waste Services, and Ashwell Stable’s Uco Valley (Freddie Procter) on top when the field got back on track, Keys Discount bided his time, reasserting himself at the beginning of the second circuit of the course. Running easily with Watters at the controls, Keys Discount led by a half length at the three-mile mark, extended his advantage to three lengths entering the stretch, and powered off effortlessly by 10 at the wire. Uco Valley (11-1) was second; Bruton Street-US’ Track and Trace (Dan Nevin) was another four lengths behind in third.

The win assures Keys Discount the title of leading timber runner, a championship based on earnings. In fact, Keys Discount with purses totaling $153,000, has earned more than any other NSA runner except for G1 Iroquois winner Abaan, who finished his season abbreviated by injury with $168,000. Keys Discount is not expected to race again this year.

 In other action:

Little Trilby rallies to take $100,000 William H. Allison

Del Rio Racing’s Little Trilby, who scored in the Michael G. Walsh novice stakes at Saratoga over the summer at 17-1, made back-to-back tallies with a powerful come-from-behind victory in the Grade 2 stakes at 2 1/8 miles.

With Conor Tierney riding for trainer Ricky Hendriks, the five-year-old son of Golden Horn raced in the back of the seven-horse field for most of the going. In fact, he was still fifth at the final fence, as Leipers Fork Steeplechase’s Rampoldi Plan (Jamie Bargary), winner of last year’s Commonwealth Cup at Great Meadow, duked it out with his pace-setting Leslie-Young-trained stablemate, Michael A. Smith’s Foxy Walk (Luke Carberry).  Riverdee Stable’s Welshman (Graham Watters) was in the fray, too.

Little Trilby, running closest to the outer rail, found another gear in midstretch to overtake a gutsy Foxy Walk, who had led throughout, for a half-length win. Rampoldi Plan, who had stalked in third for most of the trip, was third.

The British-bred five-year-old was a two-time hurdle winner overseas before coming stateside in the summer of 2024, finishing off-the-board when ambitiously placed in stakes company. He had his breakthrough moment in his third start, at Aiken in November, when he exploded to a 21-length victory in the $50,000 Holiday Cup stakes. He was a sharp second to precocious China Beach in his 2025 bow in the Carolina Cup, then had a couple of lackluster trips in the Green Pastures novice stakes at the Iroquois Races and G1 Beverly Steinman at Saratoga, before proving much the best in the Walsh.

Alpamayo makes impressive debut for Naylor

The Irv Naylor stable unwrapped European import Alpamayo in the opener at Great Meadow, a $45,000 maiden hurdle, and the four-year-old took to U.S. steeplechasing like a duck to water.

With Harry Beswick aboard for trainer Cyril Murphy, Alpamayo sat in third behind Bruton Street-US’ pacesetter Noble Speaker (Graham Watters), moved into second behind the new leader, Leipers Fork Steeplechase’s Yes Sir Jack (Jamie Bargary) heading into the stretch, and drew clear by 2 1/4 lengths. It was another 14 lengths back to the show horse, Noble Speaker.

The victory was the third in five career outings for Alpamayo, a Kentucky-bred who previously raced in France.

Anzio outduels I Can Only Imagine in thrilling Steeplethon renewal

Most races at 3 miles aren’t nailbiters. But the $20,000 Steeplethon over mixed obstacles turned out to be a real corker.

Gill Johnston’s Anzio, ridden by Freddie Procter for trainer Sandra Webb, sat in second behind Vivian Rall’s Icandothat (Sean McDermott) for the first two miles,and  took the lead with less than a mile to go. But his toughest challenge was yet to come. Coming off of a win in the Steeplethon at nearby Glenwood Park at the Virginia Fall Races two weeks earlier, South Branch Equine’sI Can Only Imagine and jockey Graham Watters moved up from third into contention, and the duo duked it out in a lengthy stretch battle with Anzio prevailing by a half length. Irv Naylor’s Sultan Pierji (Evan Dwan) closed nicely for third, another length or so behind.

The win was especially sweet since I Can Only Imagine got the better of Anzio by about five lengths in their Glenwood Park duel, which was three furlongs shorter in distance.

Two Past Edge repels Dynamite Dan to take $50,000 allowance

Silverton Hill gave trainer Leslie Young the first of two winners on Saturday’s card, leading from start to finish in the third race.

With Luke Carberry in the irons, the five-year-old British-bred broke on top, was stalked by Northwoods Stable’s Dynamite Dan (Evan Dwan), and withstood a determined bid from that foe through the lane. It looked like Two Past Eight might be caught as Dynamite Dan outjumped him over the last, but Carberry kept to his mount to score by a half length.

It was Two Past Eight’s second win of 2025. In April he took a 115 ratings handicap at Foxfield.

Take Your Seats takes second straight over jumps with score in $40,000 handicap

Butler Hall Racing Stables’ Take Your Seats followed up on maiden starter/optional claiming score at Virginia Fall two weeks ago with a scintillating romp in the sixth race, a handicap for horses rated at 115 or less.

With Evan Dwan riding for Tom Garner, the Irish-bred four-year-old was in control from the flag drop, opening up by five after the first mile, leading by 14 after 1 1/2 miles, then taking a breather before drawing off by 13. James Stainbrook, Vincent Bonanni, and PathFinder Racing’s Dante’s Fire (Graham Watters) was second, with Hard Game’s L’Avvocato (Freddie Procter) third.

Bred by Shadwell, the Irish-bred four-year-old switched from flat to jumps racing over the summer at Colonial Downs. He was a solid second in his maiden debut, regressed a bit in his second start, then returned to the flat for another go (finishing fifth) in the $50,000 turf race at Colonial for jumpers prior to his maiden score at Virginia Fall.

Starforce breaks maiden in front-running style

Fresh off a win in the $100,000 Allison stakes, the trainer-rider combination of Ricky Hendriks and Conor Tierney were ready to roll again with the son of Honor Code, winner of the Whitney Stakes and Met Mile on the NYRA circuit.

Starforce, a five-year-old owned by the Hendriks family, broke swiftly and was never headed in the first division of the $30,000 maiden race for runners entered for a $25,000 claiming tag or previously ran for that amount or less.

Irvin L. Crawford’s Lucky Prince (Teddy Davies), who stalked in second the entire trip, held the place spot, 3 3/4 lengths behind the winner. Paul and Molly Willis’ Love Shaq (Sean McDermott) closed well for third.

The win was the first in three tries over jumps for Starforce, who previously made 13 starts on the flat without a win.

King of Tsavo earns first win since 2020 in maiden finale

Sharon Sheppard’s King of Tsavo, a seven-year-old British-bred, made his first trip to the winner’s circle since he was a two-year-old at Kempton Park in the UK, with a narrow one-length score in the second division of the $30,000 maiden starter/optional claimer.

With Jamie Bargary riding for trainer Leslie Young, the son of Dubawi, like several other winners on the card, broke on top and never trailed.  However, he was briefly headed at the final fence by Commonwealth Racing’s British Royalty (Freddie Procter), but repelled the challenge. Louisa Stevenson and Achsah O’Donovan’s Gettin’downonit (Dan Nevin) closed well for third.