Year in review: August’s top stories and photos
Racing at The Big T. Photo by The Racing Biz.
Starting December 25, we’ll be conducting our own “12 days of mid-Atlantic racing.” Each day we’ll revisit our most popular stories from a given month of the year, and we’ll highlight some of our favorite photographs.
Be sure to check in each day to review what 2017 brought us!
Jock-turned trainer Erin Wilkinson hoping to learn as she goes
Erin Wilkinson started her Thoroughbred career hoping to be a rider, but after about five mixed-bag years turned her efforts to training horses. In 2017 she won eight times from 59 starts, with purse earnings of $159,956. Doug McCoy profiled a young woman on the rise.
Jock-turned-trainer Erin Wilkinson hoping to learn as she goes – and grows
Kowboy Karma romps – and prompts big dreams
Kowboy Karma won the first two starts of his career in eye-catching fashion at Delaware Park, prompting trainer Larry Jones to compare him to Hard Spun and Eight Belles, both of whom ran second in the Kentucky Derby. Frank Vespe recounted his easy win in the Strike Your Colors Stakes in this piece.
Doug McCoy profiled Andy Simoff, a man who splits his time between running a horse transportation business and training horses, the latter something he did to career-best effect this year, with $354,219 in purse earnings.
Teresa Genaro visited with Keri Brion, assistant trainer for the great Jonathan Sheppard. Brion was excited about her first Saratoga mount, in a Grade 1 steeplechase event, and while it certainly didn’t go to plan, it was still a moment to remember.
With the brief Timonium meet kicking off in late August, Frank Vespe filed daily recaps, including this tale of Big T stalwart trainer Charlie Frock, who celebrated his 74th birthday with a win.
August’s photos
