At the finish Dakota Slew (Mark Beecher up in solid blue cap) holds off Drift Society (Connor Hankin) for a third consecutive Open Timber win at Piedmont. / Douglas Lees photo
The Open Timber course at Piedmont on Saturday, March 26th, was a happy hunting ground once again for Dakota Slew. Ridden this year by Mark Beecher, the brown gelding captured his third Open Timber Race in as many years over the Piedmont course for owner Magalen Bryant who took home the Rokeby Bowl yet again. He moved patiently up to first by the last fence and held off a hard challenge by Drift Society in the stretch to win by a neck. The Richard Valentine-trained Dakota Slew was the Leading Timber Horse in Virginia in 2015.
Amy Fullilove’s I’m Telling scampered home alone and unchallenged in a six-horse field in the Lady Rider Timber Race. / Douglas Lees photo
I’m Telling, owned, ridden, and trained by Emmy Fullilove has won both Lady Rider Timber Races offered this season in Virginia point-to-points. At Piedmont against a six-horse field as she did at Blue Ridge against five challengers, Fullilove gave her fifteen-year-old dark bay gelding his head to take a commanding lead and held it to the wire.
Annie Yeager rides Nationbuilder to the wire in the Amateur and Novice Rider Timber Race. / Douglas Lees photo
In the Amateur and Novice Rider Timber Race, Nationbuilder with Annie Yeager in the irons came from off the pace to advance through the eight-horse field and win going away. Nationbuilder is owned and trained by Jonathan Sheppard.
Top Man Michael and Gustav Dahl (far right) top the field in the Maiden Timber. / Douglas Lees photo
The first race on the day’s card was Maiden Timber. Irish-bred Top Man Michael led for most of the race and won by two-and-a-half lengths without serious challenge after Sillium and Woods Winants (far left above) parted company. Top Man is owned by Virginia’s 2015 Leading Owner Irvin Naylor and trained by Cyril Murphy.
The entire field makes for the wire in the VHBPA Flat Race. The winning horse, Willisville (Zoe Valvo, up), is at the far left. / Douglas Lees photo
Click for complete results of the day.
Posted April 6, 2016