During the time frame of September 22 through October 19, four South Carolina training center graduates found their way to the winner’s circle at the end of Stakes races in New York, Maryland (twice), and Canada.

Hit the Post, developed for his racing career by Frank Wooten in Camden, SC, was last out of the gate, then quickly moved up to take the lead in the Ontario County Stakes at Finger Lakes on September 22. He was never threatened, continually increasing his lead and crossing the finish line 6 ½ lengths in front. Hit the Post is owned by Old Tavern Farm, LLC, trained by Melanie Giddings, and was ridden by Christopher Elliott. This 3-year-old New York-bred gelding by Kantheros has 2 wins and 2 seconds in 7 career starts. He finished second in the New York Derby and Albany Stakes this year and has $168,783 in earnings.

On Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park on October 11, Barbadian Runner proved best in the Maryland Million Classic Stakes. Racing in the third position from the start to the top of the stretch. In a hard-fought victory, Barbadian Runner outdueled Post Time in the race to the wire by ¾’s of a length. Barbadian Runner is a graduate of Bobby and Jason McCutchen’s training center in Kingstree, SC. This 3-year-old gelding by Barbados has run ten times this year, winning 5 of his starts and finishing second 3 times. All 5 of his victories have been in Stakes races. Barbadian Runner is owned by Win Stables, LLC, trained by Henry Walters, and was ridden by Forest Boyce. The second-place finisher, Post Time, is a graduate of Cary Frommer’s breaking program when she was in Aiken.

On the same day at Laurel Park, Coringa captured the Maryland Million Turf Stakes. This son of Practical Joke took the lead soon after the start and never looked back, cruising to a 1 ¼ length victory. After going through the breaking process at the Travis Durr Training Center, Coringa began his career in a Maiden Claiming race and has now become a Stakes winner. The Maryland Million Turf Classic was his first Stakes appearance in 14 career starts. He is owned by Clark Ohrstom, Gregory Kelka, Awestruck Racing, and Benjamin Gowans. He was saddled by Mike Trombetta and ridden by Mychal Sanchez.

Reload Raleigh, another graduate of Durr’s program, captured the Frost King Stakes at Woodbine in only his third career start on October 19. This 2-year-old son of Reload, after an awkward beginning, quickly advanced, taking the lead before long. He opened up a 3-length advantage, then had to hold off a challenger and would not be denied winning by a head. He is owned by Kevin Drew, trained by Barbara Minshall, and was ridden by Ryan Munger.

The Steeplechase of Charleston

On November 9, steeplechase racing will return to South Carolina with the Steeplechase of Charleston to be held at Stono Ferry in Hollywood, S.C. Five races

are scheduled to be run. Three Maiden races cover two miles and one sixteenth over national fences. The two other hurdle races will be run at the distance of two miles

and three furlongs. The featured race of the day will be the $35,000 Alston Cup, an Allowance hurdle event. Attendees will be able to watch Corgi races and shop at the Merchant Market.

Parking and ticketing information can be found at www.steeplechaseofcharleston.com.

Steeplechasing Returns to Aiken

On November 22, the 32nd Running of the Aiken Fall Steeplechase will be held at the Aiken Steeplechase Racecourse. Five races will be held at a distance of two miles and one furlong over national fences. The featured race of the day will be the $50,000 Holiday Cup. Events held during the day include a carriage parade, a parade of hounds, stick horse races for children, a children's playground, a hat contest, a crazy pants contest, and live music in the Village of Shops.

Gates will open at 8:00 A.M., and parking and ticketing information can be found at

www.aikensteeplechase.com

The 50th Colonial Cup

The final day of the 2025 National Steeplechase Association season will be held at the Springdale Race Course in Camden on November 23 with the 50th Running of the Colonial Cup. Five hurdle races will take place, covering distances ranging from two miles and one furlong and two miles and five furlongs over national fences. The day will conclude with a flat race covering 1.5 miles. Three of the races will be Stakes

events with the feature being the Grade I $150,000 Colonial Cup.

Along with the races, there will be a Kids’ Zone, hat contest, and paddock shoppes at the Vendor Village.

Gates will open at 9:15. Parking and ticketing information can be found at www.colonialcup.org. Photo credit: David Jensen

South Carolinians Active at Fasig-Tipton

South Carolina was well represented at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling

Sale held in Lexington, KY, on October 20-23.

Legion Bloodstock, of which Travis Durr is a founding member, purchased on their own

or as an agent, colts by Curlin, Maxfield, Global Campaign, and Good Magic. They

added fillies by Mystic Guide, Mind Control, and Good Magic.

Bobby, Jason, and Debby McCutchen brought home colts by Caracaro, Thousand

Words and Rock Your World and fillies by Instagrand and By My Standards.

On behalf of Aiken Racing, Warren Byrne signed tickets for a Blame colt and fillies by

Game Winner and Karakontie. Also coming to Aiken is a filly by Upstart purchased by

Marcus Ryan for Charlie Paul and Mason Springs.

The owner of the Camden Training Center, Stuart Grant, and The Elkstone Group LLC

bought fillies by Tacitus and Omaha Beach. Holly Hill Training Center signed the ticket

for a Thousand Words filly. On behalf of Kirkwood Advisory, Shannon Court signed the ticket for a Hard Spun filly.

Here and There

....Gossiper, winner of a Maiden Special Weight race the first time over jumps at the Foxfield Fall Steeplechase meet on October 5, has South Carolina connections. He is owned by Adam Newman, Thomas Rice, and James Stainbrook. All three are Aiken residents. Trainer SCTOBA member Arch Kingsley trains his stable in Camden. Gossiper won by 9 ½ lengths.

…. Two training flat races were run at the Foxfield meet, and both divisions were captured by horses owned by SCTOBA member Virginia Lazenby’s Del Rio Racing LLC. Passing By won by two lengths, and Rotterdam was a hard-fought neck winner. Both are trained by Ricky Hendriks and were ridden by Conor Tierny.

…. Puca, who was prepared for her racing career at Franklin “Goree” Smith’s Elloree Training Center, has established herself as one of the most accomplished broodmares of all time. A daughter of Big Brown out of Boat’s Ghost, Puca’s son, Mage, was the winner of the 2023 Kentucky Derby, and his full brother, Dornach, won the 2024 Belmont Stakes. This year, her son, Beaza, became her third Grade 1 winner, proving best in the Pennsylvania Derby on September 20. These are her first three foals! Puca sold at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale for $5 million.

…. Congratulations to SCTOBA member Stuart Grant and his The Elkstone Group LLC, the owner of Point Is Points, who won an Allowance race at Aqueduct on September 28. She is a product of Donna Freyer’s Custom Care Equine operation in Camden. Stuart is the owner of the Camden Training Center. The Elkstone Group is also the breeder of Splendora, the winner of the $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint-G1.

…. Also, congratulations to SCTOBA Board member Kip Elser, owner of Kirkwood Advisory. Cactus, a highly successful Kirkwood/Schumer yearling to two-year-old pinhook (purchased for $52,000 and sold for $300,000), was an Allowance winner at Laurel Park on October 18. He has won seven races during his career.

A Fine Chardonnay



On behalf of Double 22 Stables, Kip Elser’s Kirkwood Advisory picked out A Fine Chardonnay at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale at Timonium this past May. Selling for $85,000, she has won her first two starts. A daughter of Maclean’s Music out of Adele, she broke her maiden in her debut at Churchill Downs on September 11 and then was best in the Myrtlewood Stakes at Keeneland by a length on October 24. She is trained by Ian Wilkes and was ridden to victory by Tyler Gaffalione.

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