We are on the board. Riverdee launched into the 2024 season with a win and a second last weekend. Include It returned to the races with a gallant win at the Cheshire Hunt Races for Todd and Blair Wyatt and jockey Elizabeth Scully. Snow Geese just missed for Bernie and Kate Dalton in the Sport of Kings maiden at the Carolina Cup.
Include It shrugged off a two-year layoff to continue his six-race win streak (NSA and point-to-points) with a triumph over three rivals in the Louis Neilson III Memorial in Unionville, Pa. Settled way off the pace set by Chosen Mate, the 9-year-old gradually wore down the deficit, maneuvered around a loose horse nearing the last and won by a geared-down 4 ¼-lengths.
“He was really good, he felt like he never missed a beat. The horse I remember to sum it up,” Scully said. “I was worried a little bit. Going down the hill the last time when Conor (Tierney) came past me on Awesome Adrian, I was like, ‘I don’t really want to go yet, but maybe I’m done, I don’t know.’ When we turned to go back up the hill, I could feel them coming back to me a little bit, I gave him a smack on the shoulder, and he just picked right up. He always finds it.”
Scully deftly guided Include It to the right when the loose Rhythmia went to the left before the last fence.
“It was hairy,” the apprentice said. “I thought if I headed him, it would be OK, and I had him headed. Then I looked over and saw the look in his eye and was like, ‘He’s going out.’ Include It was so good about it. At home, I think he would have run out because he’s cheeky at home. He didn’t even think about it. He was so good about it.”
Wyatt nominated Include It to the My Lady’s Manor April 13.
Snow Geese finished second in his 4-year-old debut at the Carolina Cup. Trained by Kate Dalton and ridden by Bernie Dalton, the son of Tourist settled in the back of the compact field, roared to the lead leaving the backside and battled through the stretch to just miss by a half-length.
“His race was great. At the first fence down the backstretch, he was last and at the last fence down the backstretch he was in front. Bernie’s beating himself up for hitting the front too soon, but the horse jumped his way to the front. What do you do?” Kate Dalton said. “The winner had missile lock on him from behind. He tried; he stuck his neck out. It was a great race. He jumped beautifully.”
Snow Geese could return in the Speedy Smithwick Stakes at Virginia Gold Cup May 4 or the maiden at the Iroquois May 13.
“He looked like a really nice horse,” Kate Dalton said. “I was thinking 4-year-old stake at Gold Cup because there’s a lot of jumping or the maiden at the Iroquois. I don’t think he would run before that.”
We were pleased with all the horses at Green Spring Point-to-Point Sunday.
Potus finished second in his timber debut. He jumped well and handled the new career with aplomb. The son of Lemon Drop Kid will aim at My Lady’s Manor next weekend.
Queens Empire finished third in his return. As always, the son of Empire Maker loped along easily and jumped well. He’ll join Potus at My Lady’s Manor.
Cool Jet, Rocket One, Zabeel Champion, Awakened, Pietrelcina and Gordon’s Jet revved their engines with flat spins. All good, bigger things ahead.
As for this weekend’s action, it all centers around education at the Old Dominion Hounds Point-to-Point in Ben Venue, Virginia.
Tiz A Giant and Jimmy Dan make their hurdle debuts for Hall of Famer Jack Fisher.
We bought Tiz A Giant in September after stalking him for two years during his flat career. Trainer Michael Trombetta (Include It!) received and replied to a flurry of texts from us. “Not yet,” was the answer. Until it wasn’t. The son of Tiznow won two races going long on the turf before joining Riverdee. Aptly named, the 5-year-old trains aggressively in the morning and we’re hoping we can temper that in the afternoon. Apprentice Whitney Schweizer takes the call.
We followed Jimmy Dan during his flat career as well, trying to buy the two-time winner several times from several different trainers before Ten Strike Racing claimed him in March 2023. We quickly sent a text to our man Marshall Graham. “You claimed Jimmy Dan…!? I love that horse. If he’s sound, he’s a slam-dunk jumper.” Jimmy Dan knocked on the door for Ten Strike before joining the steeplechase division of Riverdee/Ten Strike (Awakened, Rocket One) in the fall. Two-time champion jockey Graham Watters rides the son of Kitten’s Joy.
Completing Fisher’s trio for Riverdee and an eight-strong attack in the maiden, Penicillin Success returns from a nearly two-year layoff in the Saturday opener. The son of Vancouver won twice on the flat before joining Riverdee. A tendon injury curtailed his career after two starts over hurdles. Apprentice Virginia Korrell rides the 6-year-old.
World Factor and King Tsunami make their hurdle debuts for Todd and Blair Wyatt.
World Factor racked up two seconds, a third and a fourth on the turf in 2023. We toyed with running him over hurdles in the fall but opted to wait for his 4-year-old season. The Maryland-bred is bigger and stronger this year. Apprentice Ben French Davis, fresh over from Great Britain, rides the son of The Factor.
King Tsunami, another graduate from Trombetta Academy, broke his maiden for Riverdee going 1 ½ miles on the Delaware turf last summer. Same as World Factor, the son of Into Mischief (who stands for $250,000) nearly ran over hurdles last year but we decided to wait for his 5-year-old season. French Davis takes the assignment.
“I’m happy with our pair. They had real good schools this week and actually have been schooling well all winter. They’ve been jumping a long time now and are ready to get started with their hurdle careers,” Todd Wyatt said. “Like we always talk about, it’s not important where they finish at the point-to-points, it’s how they do it. I’m excited to get them started and I’m excited to have Ben ride them.”
Post time is 12:00. The race should split three ways. If not, we might need to add a white cap to the first-call red and the second-call blue. Not sure that’s ever happened.
Fits The Jill and Tuddenham Green return to the races in the Meeting House Mountain Open Hurdle.
Fits The Jill won over the course last year for Watters and Fisher. The daughter of Empire Maker pulled up in the Margaret Currey Henley at the Iroquois in May and missed the summer and fall seasons with an injury. Whitney Schweizer rides the 6-year-old mare.
Watch Fits The Jill win at Old Dominion last year.
Tuddenham Green landed in Maryland last fall and hit the nominations page at Far Hills. He told us that was too much, too soon, so we turned him out for rest of the fall off before bringing him back into training in January. The son of Nathaniel won twice over hurdles in England while with Alan King (Gibralfaro, City Dreamer, etc.). He’s rated 119. With a smooth trip Saturday, the 5-year-old could go to the 120 handicap at Tryon next week. Graham Watters rides for Jack Fisher.
Post time is 2:55.
Opening pitch of Miles baseball game at Highland is at 3:30. Look out for an Audi streaking between Ben Venue and Warrenton Saturday afternoon!
• Download Saturday’s program.
• As always, the TIHR Handicappers get back on the parapet with picks and preview of the sanctioned races at Old Dominion.
• One thing we’ve learned on busy Saturdays. Create a schedule of all the races you want to watch. Print it, put it in your pocket, take it with you. Here’s the Saturday Special from France to Louisiana.
