Sheldon Russell and Dane Kobiskie wrapped up year-end titles for the calendar
Russell captured the riding title at all three meets at Laurel Park and
“I am very happy with the way things have gone, it is the first year that I
“The Maryland Million Classic win with Eighttofasttocatch was one win that
Russell, who has been a regular rider in Maryland since the fall of 2007,
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“You always dream of getting the chance to ride in a Triple Crown race,”
Russell added. “It was an enjoyable time because it was a horse that I was very
comfortable riding and there was no pressure.”
Kobiskie saddled 58 winners at the major Maryland tracks during the campaign,
21 more than Dale Capuano. The 32-year-old former rider won races at an
impressive 28 percent rate and won the prestigious Laurel Futurity and Selima
Stakes for two-year-olds with Lemon Juice and Softly Lit, respectively.
“I am really pleased with the year,” said Kobiskie, who ranks in the top 30
nationally with a career-best 105 victories so far this year. “We really had
success with two-year-olds. We went to the Keeneland sale and actually made it a
point to buy yearlings and got to showcase them this year. Winning the Futurity
and Selima was special because my owners, PTK, were there which made it extra
special.”
Kobiskie finished runner-up in the fall standings with 29 wins, five fewer
than Jamie Ness.
On Laurel’s final day, a pair of stakes for Maryland-bred juveniles
Dark Hollow Farm’s Plum was up in the final jump to win the $75,000
Travis Dunkelberger was at the controls as the daughter of Pure Prize
“I thought I got there,” Dunkelberger said. “They were getting away
Plum, who now boasts a 3-1-0 mark from four outings and $86,070 in
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“This filly as done everything we’ve asked her,” remarked Jenkins, who won
last year’s running of the Juvenile Filly Championship with Love’s Reason. “It
gives you confidence when breeders like their own horses and care about them. We
haven’t seen the best of this filly. Wait until she goes a mile and an eighth or
a mile and a quarter. She is a nice filly and is dead honest. She has such a
natural stride. The rest of them looked like they were running their eye-balls
out and she is galloping along. She has a good mind, good size and will grow
into a better filly than she is now.”
Two races later, James A. Riccio’s King and Crusader made his first
Rick Dutrow trains the son of Lion Heart, who was ridden for the
“The assistant trainer told me now he was going from three-quarters
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King and Crusader improved his line to read 5-2-0-1 and has now banked
$64,300 in lifetime earnings.