Little Trilby, Keys Discount sparkle in major stakes
©Tod Marks
The competition on Saturday in The Plains was top class, as the Virginia Gold Cup began its second century with the 101st running of the second richest meet of the spring.
Seven races were on tap at Great Meadow Race Course including three stakes highlighted by the season’s first Grade 1, the $150,000 Commonwealth Cup, and the eponymous $75,000 Virginia Gold Cup timber stakes.
In the Commonwealth Cup, Del Rio Racing’s Little Trilby, ridden by Conor Tierney for trainer Ricky Hendriks, earned his fourth NSA stakes win and first Grade 1, with an emphatic 6 ¾-length score over a star-studded field featuring top-class runners Merry Maker, the 2023 Eclipse Award winner, 2025 Iroquois (G1) stakes winner Abaan, and Jimmy P, a two-time winner of the Jonathan Sheppard stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
In the Commonwealth Cup, the six-year-old Irish-bred son of the highly accomplished Golden Horn sat in fourth (of seven) during the first circuit, while Michael Smith’s Foxy Walk (Luke Carberry) predictably set the pace and Hurricana Farm’s Merry Maker (Freddie Procter) close behind. As Foxy Walk began to falter on the backside during the second circuit, Merry Maker, who was making his first start over jumps since October 2024, assumed the lead with Little Trilby edging up into second. The two were on even terms heading over the final fence, with Little Trilby having all the momentum, especially when Merry Maker had a slight bobble, and from there he outkicked his rival, opening up daylight with the rest of the field. Riverdee Stable’s Welshman, a hard-knocking eight-year-old who’s always a threat to hit the board in big races, closed stoutly under Jamie Bargary for second, a head in front of Merry Maker. The victory put Little Trilby over the quarter-million-dollar mark in career earnings. Suprisingly, Little Trilby was sent off at 8-1, the longest shot in the field.
In the co-featured $75,000 Virginia Gold Cup it was yet another tour de force for the sensational 2025 timber champion, Dolly Fisher’s Keys Discount. Making his second start of the year, Keys Discount again proved untouchable, motoring home by 17 lengths en route to his seventh straight (stakes) win for new jockey Jamie Bargary and trainer Jack Fisher.
The Maryland-bred, sent off as the odds-on choice, faced only four rivals in the Gold Cup. The number dwindled to three when Bogey’s Image went off course early, allowing Keys Discount to inherit the lead and control the pace. He was never headed, leading by two lengths at various calls, opening up by four entering the stretch, and drawing clear effortlessly by 16 ¾ widening lengths at the wire. Bruton Street-US’ Track and Trace (Dan Nevin) and Motley Crew Racing’s Marcel Magic (Freddie Procter) did their best to keep up, but Keys Discount was simply too much.
The victory was icing on the cake to another head-turning spring campaign for Keys Discount, who captured the Middleburg Hunt Cup two weeks ago by 34 lengths.
Keys Discount will take a break until the fall, where he’s expected to return to action at Shawan Downs in September.
In other action:
‘Mission’ accomplished
Trainer Neil Morris and Ballybristol Farm rolled out a nice one in Missionaire, who narrowly captured the opener, a $40,000 maiden hurdle, following a tough stretch battle.
With Graham Watters in the saddle, the six-year-old son of Noble Mission — a sire whose offspring always catch Morris’ attention — was well placed throughout and outkicked a solid field of up-and-comers to score by a half length, notably a trio of Paul and Molly Willis runners, who finished second, third, and fourth.
The runnerup, Anyoneforsnacks (Harry Beswick), ran a powerful race considering it was his first career start. The third place finisher, pacesetter Fleetfoot (Kevin Sexton), also performed well in his first NSA jump race. If the name Fleetfoot rings a bell, you might remember that the former European runner came stateside in October to capture the $150,000 John Forbes Memorial flat race at the Far Hills Races.
It was Missionaire’s second NSA start. In his debut, he finished third at the Old Dominion Hounds meet last month.
Anzio lands Steeplethon in exciting renewal
The $20,000 Steeplethon over mixed obstacles — timber, natural brush fences and, of course, Swan Lake — is always a crowd pleaser, and in this year’s contest, the finish was just as exciting as the race to get there.
Gill Johnston’s Anzio (Stephen Mulqueen) and Armata Stables’ Imperial Assassin (Freddie Procter) pretty much duked it out on the front for the entire three miles, and at the wire only three-quarters of a length separated them. Petticoats Loose Farm’s The Kid Rocks (Brett Owings) was close, too, only a half length back in third.
It was the second straight win in a Great Meadow steeplethon for the six-year-old son of Temple City, who captured the event at the International Gold Cup Races in October.
Sandra Webb trained the winner.
I’m A Rocket Man gets the best of stablemate in riveting allowance contest
Hudson River Farms’ I’m A Rocket Man ran his NSA record to a perfect two for two with a scintillating head-bob win over his Arch Kingsley-trained stablemate, Feeling Festive, in the third, the $50,000 David Semmes Memorial allowance contest for non-winners of two races.
With Freddie Procter aboard, the talented five-year-old Irish-bred son of millionaire multiple Group 1 winner Jukebox Jury raced unhurriedly in last (of 10) for the first mile as Irv Naylor’s Alpamayo (Harry Beswick) dictated the pace. He was still sixth with plenty of ground to make up at the 2-mile call, then moved up to third on the final turn and gained a narrow advantage over the last fence, as his stablemate mounted a rally of his own from ninth.
The determined duo dueled through the entire stretch with I’m a Rocket Man getting the nod. I’m A Rocket Man made his NSA debut in a maiden at Aiken in March, rallying late to get up for the win. Prior to coming stateside, he had made five starts (without a win), four in National Hunt flat races and a maiden hurdle in his native land.
7-1 Pudding Lane gets his just dessert in Speedy Smithwick
Riverdee Stable and Joseph Fowler’s Pudding Lane made the leap from maiden winner to stakes winner with a facile 2 1/4-length tally in the $50,000 Speedy Smithwick Memorial four-year-old stakes.
The Kentucky-bred son of English Channel had a brief and unremarkable career on the flat. But he took well to jumps and captured a maiden starter/optional claiming hurdle at Aiken in March. Saturday’s field was a lot tougher, however.
With Freddie Procter riding for trainer Kate Dalton, Pudding Lane stalked in third (of seven) for the first 1 3/4 miles, rallied to take the lead over the final fence and, despite an awkward jump at the last, recovered and powered home in a driving finish. Paul and Molly Willis and BJF Racing’s Bourbonator (Kevin Sexton), the 2-1 favorite, ran strongly for second. Gill Johnston’s Scorpius was a head farther back in third.
Drink up! Ten Bucks A Glass toasts his first win
Joseph Fowler and NBS Stable’s Ten Bucks A Glass took aim at longtime leader Beyond Reproach on the final turn, took command over the last fence, and roared home handily under Bernie Dalton to take the finale, a $25,000 maiden starter/optional claimer by eight lengths.
Irvin Crawford’s favored Lucky Prince (Teddy Davies) was second, four lengths ahead of Theresa Haupt’s Boffo Kid (Luke Carberry).
Sent off at a generous 6-1, the Kentucky-bred four-year-old son of Vino Rosso, had finished second, third, and fourth in three previous NSA outings following eight trips to the post on the flat, mostly at Tampa Bay Downs. The victory was the first of his career.
Kate Dalton trained the winner.