Paddy Young moved one step closer to his fifth title as champion jockey when he rode Rosbrian Farm’s Magical Moon to an easy 11-length victory in a conditioned claiming race at the 24th annual Aiken Fall Steeplechase on Saturday. The win was Young’s 20th of the season and moved him eight races ahead of Jack Doyle with four afternoons of racing still on tap in the 2015 season.
The Aiken meet created three new winners in its four jump races. Virginia Lazenby’s Dreamin Fool prevailed in a $20,000 open maiden hurdle to kick off the program, and Barbara’s Smile, owned by Lover Creek Stables, took the $20,000 maiden hurdle for fillies and mares. Owner-trainer Dave Washer sent out Takepointsandrun and jockey Bernie Dalton for a win in a $15,000 maiden claimer.
Both Young and Doyle, who leads the jockey standings by purse earnings, are scheduled to be in action for the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup on Sunday. Next weekend, the action swings to the Steeplechase at Callaway Gardens in Georgia and the Montpelier Hunt Races in Virginia, both of Saturday.