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Twenty-Three Graded Stakes Winners
In 2018, twenty-three graduates from South Carolina farms and training centers won Graded Stakes. This is an achievement we can all be proud of.
Travis Durr's Webb Carroll Training Center led the way with nine.
Abel Tasman, a finalist for Older Dirt Filly earned two Grade 1 victories - the Ogden Phipps S. at Belmont Park and the Personal Ensign at Saratoga.
Spring Quality was also a Grade 1 winner capturing the Woodford Reserve S. on the grass at Belmont Park. Grade 2 winners include
Backyard Heaven (Alysheba S. at Churchill Downs),
Sue's Fortune (Adirondack S. at Saratoga) and
Hembree (Nearctic S. at Woodbine). Grade 3 Stakes winners include
Irish War Cry (Pimlico Special),
Gamble's Ghost (Trillium S. and Ontario Matron S. both at Woodbine),
Harlan Punch (Philip H. Iselin S. at Monmouth Park) and
Firenze Fire (Dywer S. at Belmont Park and Gallant Bob S. at PARX).
Franklin "Goree" Smith's Elloree Training Center had six Graded Stakes winners emerge from his operation. The leader of the pack was
Promises Fulfilled who captured four Graded Stakes. He was the best in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkins S. at Saratoga.
Promises Fulfilled also captured two Grade 2's - the Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream and the Phoenix S. at Keeneland . This colt also won the Grade 3 Amsterdam at Saratoga.
Another Grade 1 winner was
Carrick who crossed the finish line first in the Secretariat S. at Arlington Park.
Two Grade 2 winners include
Are You Kidding Me in the Eclipse S. at Woodbine and
Liora in the Golden Rod S. at Churchill Downs.
Also from out of Elloree were
Mr. Freeze who captured the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park and
Farrell who proved best in the Grade 3 Shuvee S. at Saratoga.
An alumnus of Jane Dunn's Holly Hill program is
Synchrony. He starred in four Graded Stakes in 2018 - the Grade 1 Red Bank S. at Monmouth Park, the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds, the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Handicap and the Grade 3 Oceanport S. also at Monmouth Park.
Cary Frommer conducts a very successful pinhooking operation out of Aiken. She had four graduates win Graded Stakes in 2018.
Still Having Fun (Woody Stephens S. at Belmont Park),
Concrete Rose (Jessamine S. at Keeneland),
Princess Warrior (Mrs. Revere at Churchill Downs) and
Maximus Mischief (Remsen S. at Aqueduct) were all Grade 2 winners.
Berned Photo Credit: Bloodhorse
On the jump scene,
Show Court, owned by South Carolina resident Mark Byck and trained in Camden by Arch Kingsley, won the Grade 1 A.P Smithwick Memorial at Saratoga. Another Grade 1 winner over jumps was
Balance the Budget trained by South Carolina-based Julie Gomena.
Balance the Budget captured the Marion DuPont Colonial Cup in Camden.
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South Carolina Department of Agriculture Equine Specialist Marsha Hewitt joined thoroughbred owners December 19 at the iconic Green Boundary Club in Aiken to meet with House of Representatives Bill Taylor and Bill Hixon. Discussion centered on
Eclipse Award Finalists
