A capacity crowd of fillies and mares, several of them making their first starts over fences, will line up Sunday for a co-featured $20,000 maiden hurdle race at the 37th annual Foxfield Fall Races in Charlottesville, Va.
The five-race program also will feature a $20,000 open maiden race that attracted eight entries. First post time is 1:30 p.m.
Middleburg-based trainer Doug Fout has a strong hand with two contenders who were bred by their owners, Magalen O. Bryant’s Flagrant Honor and Betsy B. Mead’s So Far Away. Flagrant Honor is a half sister to two steeplechase stakes winners, Quiet Flaine and champion Ptarmigan. Flagrant Honor most recently finished fifth in an open maiden hurdle at Fair Hill, Md., on May 24. Gerard Galligan will ride.
So Far Away also raced at Fair Hill and finished third in a maiden race for fillies and mares. Fout named current leading jockey Willie McCarthy to ride.
Also rating some attention will be E C’s Favorite, who is owned and trained by Racing Hall of Fame member Jonathan Sheppard. The four-year-old filly won a Delaware Park starter optional claimer earlier in September. Robbie Walsh has the call.
Manown Kisor’s Mercury Moon will be making her first trip over fences after four years on the flat. She won a Calder Race Course maiden race earlier this year. Trainer Michael Berryman named Mark Watts to ride.
Here is the field for the $20,000 maiden hurdle for fillies and mares at 2 1/8 miles:
Poignant. 2005 ch. m., Port Vila (Fr)—Proud Delight, by Proud Appeal. Owner-trainer: Jeremy Gillam. Jockey: Bernie Dalton. 2014 NSA record: No starts. 15-1 odds. Gillam homebred making first start over fences after brief and uneventful career on the flat.
Flagrant Honor. 2008 b. m., Congressional Honor—Flaine, by Chenin Blanc. Owner: Magalen O. Bryant. Trainer: Doug Fout. Jockey: Gerard Galligan. 2014 record: 3-0-0-0, $1,800. 2013 record: 5-0-3-1, $9,450. 5-1 odds. Homebred half sister to two stakes winners most recently finished fifth in an open maiden hurdle at Fair Hill, Md., on May 24. Distanced against top company in Margaret Currey Henley.
E C’s Favorite. 2010 ch. f., English Channel—Marie J, by Mr. Prospector. Owner-trainer: Jonathan Sheppard. Jockey: Robbie Walsh. 2014 NSA record: No starts. 6-1 odds. Making first start over fences after winning a starter optional claimer at Delaware Park on Sept. 10.
Fashion Princess. 2009 dk. b. or br. m., Bernstein—Fashion Fur, by Mr. Greeley. Owner: Ivy Hill Stable. Trainer: Alicia Murphy. Jockey: Kieran Norris. 2014 record: 12-1 odds. No starts. Making first start over fences after a layoff of more than a year. Won a maiden claimer at Suffolk Downs in 2012.
Forever Diva. 2006 b. m., Awad—Polly Everafter, by Polish Numbers. Owner: Welcome Here Farm. Trainer: Todd McKenna. Jockey: Annie Yeager. 2014 record: No starts. 10-1 odds. Making first start over fences after a nearly two-year layoff. Had win and second in Meadowlands claiming races before going to the sidelines after a Laurel Park race in November 2012.
Deep Run. 2007 dk. b. or br. m., Wheaton—Pass the Plate, by Aaron’s Gold. Owner: Gordonsdale Farm. Trainer: Christopher Kolb. Jockey: Open. 2014 record: 1-0-0-0, $0. 10-1 odds. Gordonsdale homebred was pulled up in Fair Hill maiden race for fillies and mares on May 24.
Mercury Moon. 2008 b. m., Malibu Moon—Valid Acquisition, by Valid Expectations. Owner: Manown Kisor Jr. Trainer: Michael Berryman. Jockey: Mark Watts. 2014 NSA record: No starts. 8-1 odds. Beginning jumping career after four years on the flat. This year had a win and second at Calder Race Course and a second at Belterra Downs, the former River Downs.
Imperious. 2006 dk. b. or br. m., Port Vila (Fr)—I Love to Dance, by Not For Love. Owner-trainer: Jeremy Gillam. Jockey: Harry Haynes. 2014 NSA record: No starts. 12-1 odds. Maiden on flat launches a career over fences for jumps-oriented owner. Most recently was fourth in a Colonial Downs maiden claimer in June 2013.
So Far Away. 2010 b. f., Skip Away—Hark the Sound (GB), by Robellino. Owner: Betsy B. Mead. Trainer: Doug Fout. Jockey: Willie McCarthy. 2014 record: 1-0-0-1, $2,000. 9-2 odds. In inaugural trip over fences, homebred finished third in a Fair Hill maiden race restricted to fillies and mares.
Bau Bai Gold. 2010 dk. b. or br. f., Sightseeing—Lynx of Gold, by Forest Wildcat. Owner: Jennifer H. Pitts. Trainer: Jazz Napravnik. Jockey: Ross Geraghty. 10-1 odds. Making first start over fences after lackluster career on flat. Her best finish was a fourth at the Fair Grounds in January when ridden by the trainer’s sister, top jockey Rosie Napravnik.