Five South Carolina training center graduates crossed the finish line first in Stakes races between November 27 and December 7.

Two Randy and Kala Rentz Training Center students won Stakes at PARX and Penn National on November 27. The 2-year-old gelding, Crab Daddy, proved best in the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes at PARX. Second early on, Crab Daddy had to steady for a moment before rallying in the stretch and drawing away late to win by 3 ¾ lengths. In his two career starts, he has a win and a second place finish. Tudox Opportunity captured his first Stakes victory in the Chocolate Town Stakes at Penn National on the same day. Tudox Opportunity battled for the lead for the first ½ mile. He then put his head in front in this one mile race and would not be denied proving best by ¾’s of a length. He has 6 wins in 11 career starts.

On December 1, Sacred Wish became a Grade 1 Stakes winner besting her opposition in the Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar. She is now a two-time Stakes winner. Sacred Wish stalked the leaders to the top of the stretch. She angled out and in a hard fought stretch run, Sacred Wish reached the finish line a neck in front. In 17 career starts, she has finished in the top three thirteen times, including 4 wins, and has accumulated $985,138 in career earnings. Sacred Wish was prepared for her racing career by Cary Frommer in Aiken.

On December 7, Donna Freyer saw two of her former students win Stakes. Get Smokin is a 6-time Stakes winner after capturing the Valedictory Stakes-G3 at Woodbine. Five of his Stakes wins have been Grade 2 or 3’s. In the Valedictory Stakes, Get Smokin broke on top and never looked back. He was in total command throughout the race and crossed the finish line 3 ¾ lengths in front. Get Smokin’s career earnings have now climbed to $2,131,484.

Tony Eclipse, bred and owned by Camden Training Center owner and SCTOBA member Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group LLC, pressed the leader to the top of the stretch before taking control and cruising to a 3 ¾ length victory in The Maryland Juvenile Stakes at Laurel Park. As a 2-year-old, Tony Eclipse has started 5 times recording 2 wins, a second and a third place finish.

Circle This Date

The South Carolina Owners and Breeders Association will hold its annual banquet at the National Steeplechase Museum in Camden on Saturday, February 15. This is a celebration of the South Carolina thoroughbred industry. We recognize the success of South Carolina-bred runners and breeders.

Our guest speaker this year will be Debbie Easter, president of the Virginia Equine Alliance. Debbie played a major role in helping Advance Deposit Wagering be introduced in Virginia. She also helped develop the Virginia Certified program. Passage of the South Carolina Equine Advancement Act would go a long way towards helping us develop similar programs in our state. We will all benefit hearing Debbie share her experiences. Please attend and bring a friend!!

Post Time: 2024 Aiken Trained Horse of the Year

Post Time, a two-time Graded Stakes winner this year, was named the 2024 Aiken Trained Horse of the Year. Post Time won the Carter Handicap-G2 at Aqueduct and the General George Stakes-G3 at Laurel Park. He ran nine times in 2024 recording 4 wins, 3 seconds and 2 third place finishes. In 2024 alone, he earned $975,000 bringing his career earnings to $1,227,910.

Post Time was purchased by Cary Frommer at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearling Sale in 2021 and shortly thereafter sold to Ellen Charles, owner of Hillwood Stable. Post Time is by Frosted out of Vielsalm by Fairbanks. He went through the breaking process in Cary Frommer’s program at the Aiken Training Track. He is now trained by Brittany Russell and his regular jockey is her husband, Sheldon.

The Aiken Trained Horse of the Year was first awarded in 2002. The honoree must have trained in Aiken County and have won at least one Graded Stakes during the year or exceeded $500,000 in career earnings.

Past winners include: Congaree (2002), Wando (2003), Limehouse (2005), Bob and John (2006), Country Star (2007), Midshipman (2008), Quality Road (2009-2010), It’s Tricky (2011), Alpha (2012), Palace Malice (2013) and 2014), Curalina (2015 and 2016), Dickinson (2017), Still Having Fun (2018), Concrete Rose (2019), Madone (2020) and Private Creed (2022 and 2023).

SC Connections in Cigar Mile

One of the premier handicap races run each year is the $500,000 Cigar Mile-G2 at Aqueduct. This year, three of the participants have South Carolina connections. The winner, Locked, is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm. In 2013, Aron Wellman, the founder of Eclipse, formed a merger with Cot Campbell’s Dogwood Stable. To this day, Eclipse maintains an office in Aiken. Due to a ligament strain behind his knee, Locked did not run from November 3, 2023 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile until winning an Allowance race at Aqueduct on October 19.

Post Time, recently named 2024 Aiken Trained Horse of the Year, finished a strong rallying third beaten only 2 ½ lengths. Post Time was purchased as a yearling by Cary Frommer of Aiken before being sold to Ellen Charles, owner of Hillwood Stable. He is a graduate of Frommer’s breaking program.

Book’em Danno, a five time Stakes winner, including the Woody Stephens-G1, finished fifth beaten 5 ½ lengths. Book’em Danno was developed for his racing career by Randy and Kala Rentz at their training center in Erhardt, SC.

All three of these horses plan to continue their racing careers in 2025.

Busy Month of March

Racing action returns to South Carolina in March. The 82nd Running of the Aiken Trials will take place on Saturday, March 15. The following Saturday will be action packed. The 60 th Running of the Elloree Trials will be held at Franklin “Goree” Smith’s Elloree Training Center.

The 2025 National Steeplechase season will begin on the same day with the 58th Running of the Aiken Spring Steeplechase. The following Saturday, March 29, the 91st Running of the Carolina Cup Steeplechase will be held at the Springdale Racecourse in Camden.

It's that time!

Time to renew your membership to SCTOBA. Please renew to keep our organization strong.

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