On September 12, Tiergan, a graduate of the Shuler Stables program in Orangeburg, SC, while racing wide, prevailed in a hard fought stretch duel to prove best in the Ashley T. Cole S. at Belmont Park winning by a head. In 8 starts in 2021, Tiergan has 4 wins and 4 second place finishes. This NY-bred has earned $332,777 during his career.

Art Collector won his third straight Stakes on October 2 capturing the Woodward S.-G1 at Belmont Park. In his previous 2 starts, Art Collector proved best in the Alydar S. and the Charles Town Classic. Travis Durr prepared Art Collector for his racing career at the Webb Carroll Training Center. This 4-year-old colt has career earnings totaling $1,535,305.

Ready to Purrform, who learned his early lessons under the watchful eye of Franklin “Goree” Smith at his Elloree Training Center, trailed the field for a half-mile. He then circled his competition during the next half-mile and ran away from them inside the 1/8^th pole to win the Laurel Futurity by 3 ½ lengths. This 2-year-old Kitten’s Joy colt has captured both of his career starts.

British Royalty faced a full field of 12 in the Breeders’ S. at Woodbine on October 3. Also a graduate of Durr’s program, British Royalty raced in midpack in this 1 ½ mile turf race before starting his rally with a half-mile to go. While racing in some traffic, he took over in the stretch and crossed the finish line 4 lengths clear of the rest.

Robbie and Cynthia Shuler had big smiles on their faces on the night of October 9. Four horses they broke won four Stakes in a row at Charles Town. Penguin Power took the lead soon after the start in the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Onion Juice Breeders’ Classic and never looked back. As the favorite, he showed he was the best trouncing the field by 3 ½ lengths.

Thirty minutes later, in the West Virginia Cavada Breeders’ Classic S., Star of Night broke a step slow before gradually overtaking the 9 in front of her. In a hard fought stretch duel, she came out on top by ¾’s of a length. This was her 8^th straight victory. In 12 career starts, Star of Night has recorded 10 wins and 2 second place finishes.

Muad’dib has been the best in all 8 of his career starts. He captured his second Stakes win, the West Virginia Breeders’ Classis S., after proving victorious in the Frank Gall Memorial S. also at Charles Town in August. He sat off the flank of the leader before moving up with 3/8’s of a mile to go. In the stretch, he proved best winning by 2 ¼ lengths.

Stowe Angel capped off the night for Shuler Stables breaking program being much the best in the West Virginia Roger Ramey Breeders’ Classic Distaff. She was 4^th while racing on the inside for the opening ¾’s of a mile before angling out and taking over the lead in the stretch. At the wire, she was 6 ¾ lengths clear of the field.

On October 12, Rock on Luke was a wire-to-wire winner of the M.P. Ballezzi Appreciation Mile S. at PARX. A graduate of Randy and Kala Rentz’s breaking program, he broke from the outside post position in a field of 10. He was able to scamper over to the rail and dictated the pace throughout drawing away in the stretch reaching the finish line 5 ½ lengths in front.

Seven races were held.  Five were 300 yard heats for Quarter horses.  On the thoroughbred front, two half-mile heats took place. In a very exciting race for 2-year-olds, Walker McCutchen’s Scootch and Frank Smith, Sr.’s Harper’s Do finished in a dead heat.  In the 3-year-old Trial, Carson Ann McCutchen’s Carson’s Kitten proved best.

While Aloha West may not have ever trained in South Carolina, SCTOBA members Tom and Sherrill Hall of Anderson, SC are members of the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners syndicate group and Eclipse maintains an office in Aiken.

It was a thrill of a lifetime to be at Del Mar for the race! Watching from ground level, I felt very good with Aloha West’s position going down the backside even though he was back in the rear of the pack. I did not feel as good when he was still way back at the top of the stretch! He then sprouted wings and came flying down the lane to win by a nose! The announcer, Larry Collmus, only called his name once during the stretch never thinking he was a factor until the field neared the wire!

Aloha West was brought to the race in peak condition by trainer Wayne Catalao and given a perfect ride by Jose Ortiz. What a small world the thoroughbred industry can be. Aloha West was bred in Maryland by my cousin, Katy Voss.

Aloha West is owned by a uniquely formed Eclipse partnership and to see the unbridled enthusiasm among the many members from coast to coast that were present was an unforgettable experience that I wish everyone someday has the opportunity to experience. Jack Sadler

“How does one react to watching a horse race in California from a very comfortable chair in Anderson, South Carolina ? It’s really quite simple except when it isn’t. This particular race was the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar and this gallant four-year old colt was Aloha West. Being at the back of the pack in a sprint race with some of the fastest horses in the world is not for the faint-hearted, be it the horse himself or one of his owners watching from afar. Aloha West never gave up and closed ground relentlessly to score the victory by a nostril. This is a thrill of a lifetime.”

Photo Credit: Horsephotos

The Steeplechase of Charleston will be held on November 14 at The Stono Ferry Racetrack in Hollywood, SC. The gates will open at 8:00 AM . Five races will be held with post time for the first being at 1:00 PM. Ticketing information can be found at www.steeplechaseofcharleston.com.

On October 16, Kate Dalton saddled Down Royal who won the $50,000 Peapack Filly and Mare Hurdle Stakes at the Far Hills Race Meeting. Bernie Dalton was the rider.

At The International Gold Cup held in The Plains,VA on October 23, Pierre Manigault’s Merry Maker proved best in a maiden hurdle event. Merry Maker is trained by Arch Kingsley, Jr. and was ridden by Gerard Galligan. Two weeks later at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga, the Kingsley-trained Boss Man was a winner for Bill and Carrington Price. Elizabeth Scully was in the saddle.

South Carolinians were very active at the Fasig-Tipton yearling auction that took place in Lexington, KY on October 25-27. Bobby and Jason McCutchen signed the tickets on eight between them. They bought colts by Jack Milton, Dominus, Gormley, Dialed In and fillies by Dominus , Alternation, Frosted and Speightstown back to their training center in Kingstree. Clients of theirs also made purchases earmarked for the McCutchen Training Center.

James Layden was active bringing home colts by Ransom the Moon, Speightstown, Funtastic, Bee Jersey and a filly by More Than Ready.

Kip Elser, owner of Kirkwood Stables in Camden, brought home a colt by Mendelssohn and a filly by Practical Joke. Cary Frommer signed the ticket for a Goldencents colt and Dean Keller brought a Tu Brutus filly back to South Carolina.