Brittany Russell | Horse Racing Free Tips

Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Russell Family ‘Lucky’ To Have Each Other

It seems like some things are just meant to be.

Then-assistant trainer Brittany Trimble Russell first met and dated the man who is now her husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, in 2012. Then, Brittany's boss at the time, Tim Ritchey, offered her the chance to travel the country working at different racetracks, and she couldn't pass up the opportunity.

As Brittany spent the next several years working for trainers like Jimmy Jerkens, Jonathan Thomas, Ron Moquett, and Brad Cox all across the Eastern half of the United States, she and Sheldon remained long-distance friends.

Eventually, the racing game brought them back together again.

“I think everything just worked out the way it was meant to,” Brittany said simply. “It was like I'd never left.”

Each made their way back to Maryland in 2017, and things picked up almost where they'd left off. Today, the couple has built both a relationship and a successful Thoroughbred training business at Laurel Park.

They were married in August of 2018, and their daughter, Edy, was born a year later.

“She is our why; she's why we work so hard,” said Brittany. “I love that I'm able to enjoy this game with my family. It's 24-7 and a lot of dedication and can be a lot to handle, but the fact that Sheldon can ride for us and we can enjoy it together, it's so special.”

Sheldon helps out at the barn and breezes horses in the mornings, while their daughter stays with either his mother or the mother of Brittany's top assistant, Luis Barajas.

“Their family is like our family now,” Brittany said.

Edy is young yet, but she's already fearless with the horses.

“She struts down the shed row like she owns the place,” Brittany laughed. “She has no fear, and you have to watch her or she'll duck right under the webbings. She does have a pony, of course. Sheldon says she's not going to be a jockey, but you know she already loves to ride!”

Both Brittany and Sheldon's careers have been booming over the past four years. Sheldon, a four-time leading rider in Maryland, has won 80 or more starts each season, and Brittany has increased her number of winners each year she's been in business.

She began with 11 wins in 2018, improved to 17 in 2019, and built up to 46 wins and over $1.6 million in earnings in 2020. With 13 wins thus far in 2021, Brittany is on target for her best year yet.

Five-time stakes winner Hello Beautiful has played the starring role in Brittany's career thus far. The Maryland-bred 4-year-old has won seven of her 14 lifetime starts to earn $384,610, well out-performing her $6,500 purchase price.

“She's special for many reasons, and she's really done a lot for us,” Brittany said.

Brittany has come a long way from her beginnings in Peach Bottom, Pa., where her family didn't have anything to do with horses.

“We lived in Amish country, and they're farmers, but not horse farmers,” Brittany quipped. “As a young girl, I always wanted to be able to do everything, right? First I wanted to be a ballerina, then to play softball, then to learn an instrument. … It was always something new. But when I started riding horses, that was the one thing that stuck.”

Her primary equine learning came at nearby Breakaway Farm. She was cleaning stalls on weekends by the age of 12, and by 14 she started to learn how to break and gallop the babies.

“It was a good way to learn how to gallop, the babies and I kind of learned together,” Brittany said. “I didn't really have any formal riding lessons.”

She rode a few amateur jockey races along the way, but Brittany learned she preferred puzzling out the horses from the training side of the industry.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens was the biggest influence on that part of her horse racing education. Learning from the veteran master horseman taught Brittany what questions she needed to be asking to understand her equine charges.

“I still have the 'Jerkens text hotline,'” she joked. “If I ever have a question or wonder what to do in a specific situation, he's always willing to help. He's wonderful.”

Working for Brad Cox in Saratoga sealed the deal in terms of Brittany's career choice.

“He really intrigued me when he offered me a job, even though I wasn't sure about making the move up to Saratoga at the time,” said Brittany. “That was the job that made me realize I want to do it, to be a trainer. He left me on my own, he trusted me. He was a good teacher, he's a good horseman, and he knows how to win races. He's really good to people, you see so much of his staff stays with him. In this game that says a lot about a person.”

In turn, the thing that says a lot about Brittany is her enduring positive attitude. She doesn't acknowledge the industry treating her any differently due to her gender, and she is grateful for all the time spent as a nomad assistant trainer traveling around the country.

“Being away from family when I was younger, that's sort of what molded me into the person I am today,” Brittany said. “It gave me that education I needed to go out on my own. I missed holidays and things with my family, and they don't quite understand because they're not horse people. But I wouldn't trade it.”

In addition, she and Sheldon have learned to work together in harmony, win or lose.

“At the end of the day you have to realize that the rider doesn't want to mess up,” Brittany explained. “Sheldon will be the first one to say, 'I'm sorry,' and he's done way more good for us than bad. It's one of those things where I'm lucky to have him.”

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Enhanced Purses Attract New Trainers To Belmont’s Spring/Summer Meet

Trainers Jim Chapman, Saffie Joseph, Jr. and Brittany Russell are among a number of conditioners that will have a presence at Belmont Park for the first time at the upcoming 48-day Belmont Park spring/summer meet that runs from Thursday, April 22 through Sunday, July 11.

The spring/summer meet will offer its highest ever overnight purse schedule supported by significant monetary increases across most race categories, including maiden special weight races featuring a purse of $90,000, while horsemen participating in the claiming ranks will compete for purse money ranging up to $100,000.

A total of 59 stakes races worth $16.95 million in purses will highlight the meet, including the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes set for June 5.

The 49-year-old Chapman, currently based in Kentucky, said he will have 12 stalls at Belmont and will focus on 2-year-old maiden races.

“If I can take down one of those $90,000 purses with one of my $10,000 horses, that's a homerun to me,” said Chapman. “I'm going up there to sell horses, too. I'm taking my best horses to New York.”

A multiple graded stakes-winning trainer, Chapman sports a ledger of 1,960-294-268-239 with more than $8.8 million in purse earnings. A former rider, Chapman is best known as the trainer of Caller One, who took back-to-back editions of the Group 1 Golden Shaheen in 2001-02 in Dubai.

An astute judge of young racing stock, Chapman's best sales success came at the 2002 March Barretts Equine Limited Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale with the eventual multiple graded stakes winner Atlantic Ocean, a Stormy Atlantic mare campaigned by Bob Baffert.

“I bought Atlantic Ocean for $31,000 at Keeneland and she brought $1.9 million at the sale,” said Chapman.

Chapman said he will look to capitalize on a bumper crop of yearling sale purchases now gearing up in Kentucky for their juvenile debuts this spring.

“I have 56 juveniles. I buy everything at Keeneland. Whether I buy in November and keep some and then flip some back in September as yearlings, I just try to keep the wheel turning,” said Chapman. “I have some Frosted 2-year-olds that are really nice. I have a Fast Anna colt that will come to New York. There are some by Gun Runner and Empire Maker that will be ready later on.”

The Fast Anna colt, Actualize, has already posted a pair of works at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Kentucky. Out of the Hard Spun mare Beijos Do Brasil, Actualize was purchased for $12,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

“You never know when they're that big and good looking if they're going to be big and slow or big and fast. But he is big and fast,” said Chapman.

Chapman said he has the right stock to be competitive in the New York market and looks forward to the opportunity.

“This year I've bought a different caliber of horse and I have a lot of them,” said Chapman. “I have horses that will fit up there and the money is a little bit better, so I'll bring my better horses. I love being up there in New York.”

Chapman said he will look to win early at the Belmont meet and get the jump on some of the higher-priced yearling sale purchases who tend to debut later in the summer, at Belmont or Saratoga.

“It's not always the best horse that wins those early races. It's often the well-schooled ones,” said Chapman. “I have enough 2-year-olds that I can see who does and doesn't want to do it. It may be a different story at Saratoga when the bigger horses start popping up, but maybe I can stir up some dust before those ones start going. And maybe I have some that will keep up and can go to Saratoga.”

Chapman said he will ship to New York following opening weekend at Keeneland, which kicks off April 2.

“It's a different surface up there and you want to get a couple works over it,” said Chapman. “The starting gate is a little roomier than the gates they'll have used in Kentucky. When I go up there, I want to make it count when we run.”

The veteran conditioner said owners Stuart Tsujimoto, along with Vanessa Camperlengo, co-founder of Classic Legacy Thoroughbred Aftercare, made the New York venture possible.

“They've really helped me this year. Stuart has been the backbone of my deal since I stopped riding and started training in California,” said Chapman. “Vanessa has got more involved and has 25 horses with me. They trust me with their horses and it makes it easier. They're the reason that I'm able to do this.”

Joseph, Jr. attracted national attention when Math Wizard scored an upset victory in the 2019 Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. A native of Barbados who began training in south Florida in 2011, Joseph, Jr. enjoyed success in his home country, conditioning 2009 Barbados Triple Crown-champion Areyoutalkintome.

The veteran conditioner will have a notable presence on the Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino card on April 3 at Aqueduct Racetrack, with four possible starters, led by Mischevious Alex in the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter for older sprinters and Drain the Clock in the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore for sophomore sprinters.

Joseph, Jr. said Grade 1-placed New York-bred Ny Traffic and New York-bred maiden claimer Michael's Bad Boy are in line for a return on the Wood Memorial card, while he will also saddle Gibberish in the Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff Handicap for older filly and mare sprinters on April 2.

“He's at his best at one turn,” said Joseph, Jr. of Mischevious Alex, who won the 2020 Grade 3 Gotham at the Big A. “At six furlongs he's really lethal because he has speed and stays strongly. But he's won at seven furlongs and I don't think that will be a problem for him.”

Joseph, Jr. will look to fill 12 stalls at the Belmont spring/summer meet. The multiple graded stakes-winning conditioner said he is also hoping to take advantage of a “Ship & Win” program for horses based at Oaklawn Park who ship to compete at Aqueduct and Belmont Park.

Horses that made their previous start at Oaklawn may be able to take advantage of the program, which includes a 30 percent purse bonus for their first start for horses who last ran at Oaklawn in 2021 before shipping to New York. NYRA will also provide a $1,500 stipend for a start during either the Aqueduct spring or Belmont spring/summer meets, excluding stakes races, for eligible horses.

“We'll bring a variety of horses from claimers to stakes horses. We want to be active in all the divisions there,” said Joseph, Jr. “We'll be much more active in New York this year from Belmont on through Saratoga. The [ship and win] incentive for Oaklawn is enticing. Our claiming owners are interested in that. We're looking for horses to bring back to New York. In general, we're going to hopefully run a lot of horses starting from the Wood.”

Joseph, Jr. won a pair of races last summer at Saratoga and said he is planning on bringing stronger stock to the Spa this year in search of a first NYRA circuit stakes win. The 40-day Saratoga summer meet, which will feature 76 stakes worth $21.5 million in total purses, runs from July 15 through September 6.

“Saratoga is a perfect place to have a horse. The weather is brilliant,” said Joseph, Jr. “Last year, we just got our feet wet and learned what type of horses we need to bring. It was good to get off the mark. I think this year we'll have a pretty good Saratoga all being well.”

Joseph, Jr. said maintaining a New York presence is important as he looks to build his stable and attract new owners.

“The spring and summer meets in New York have the best outfits,” said Joseph, Jr. “You have Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher and all the biggest names. To win among them and do well will attract a different kind of clientele. Plus, the owners we have now already want to race their horses in New York.”

The Maryland-based Russell is currently fifth in the Laurel Park trainer standings with a record of 32-11-8-5 and purse earnings of $422,259.

Russell, who will have 10 Belmont stalls, earned her first win with her first career starter – Oh My – in February 2018 at Laurel Park. She previously worked for trainers Ron Moquett, Jimmy Jerkens, and Brad Cox before going out on her own.

“We're hoping to improve the quality of the horses coming in at the beginning of the year here and it seemed like a good time to take a shot,” said Russell. “We ran a few in New York last year but always shipped, so maybe this will be a better way to do it.”

Russell enjoyed stakes success at the Big A in January when Maryland-bred Hello Hot Rod shipped to win the Jimmy Winkfield. The up-and-coming conditioner, who has worked hard to grow her stable to 40 horses, also notched a pair of wins last summer at Saratoga, including an allowance score with So Gracious.

“That's why we do this – to win at the bigger race tracks and especially in New York,” said Russell. “That's where the owners want to be racing, with the bigger purses and at the big meets. Just shipping up and having some luck in the small portions that we have so far, people notice that. It's big for my career.”

Russell said upgrades to the top-class facilities at both Belmont and Saratoga made the decision for her to bring stock full time to New York easier. Her Belmont barn will be overseen by assistant Amanda Olds, while Russell said she will shuttle back and forth between Maryland and New York.

“I spent time in New York when I worked for Brad Cox and I really enjoyed training there,” said Russell. “It's a nice place to train horses and my assistant is really familiar with New York as well. The whole thing just works for the plans we have right now.”

Belmont provides numerous options for trainers to exercise their horses. In addition to the historic main track, the 430-acre facility boasts a one-mile training track, two covered jogging barns featuring a synthetic surface and a quarter-mile pony track.

Russell said if all goes well at the Belmont spring/summer meet, she will look to extend her stay in the Empire State to Saratoga.

“We'll take it one step at a time and hopefully we can win a few races at Belmont. I'd love to go to Saratoga but I want to make sure we have the right horses to go,” said Russell. “I got some better younger horses last year. Laurel is a great place for a lot of these horses, but it's also really nice to have the New York option because it's not far from Maryland. If the horses don't fit up there, we still have Maryland and hopefully, we'll have another one to take its place in New York.”

NYRA made a significant capital investment at Saratoga ahead of last year's summer meet to enhance safety and upgrade the heavily-trafficked main track, including the addition of a rider safety rail, and a modernized drainage system creating a more consistent surface for horses and riders.

Capital improvements are continuing at Saratoga in advance of the 2021 summer meet with work taking place at the Oklahoma Training Track to renovate the track base layer and cushion, and add modernized drainage and a rider safety rail.

Russell said the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale in August could also provide an opportunity to look for horses outside of her current Maryland focus.

“I have a few New York-breds in the barn and I think being there will make it more attractive for us to look,” said Russell. “I'm still programmed to look for Maryland-breds but when we go to the sale now, it will give us a reason to look outside that and see what New York-breds are there.”

Her husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, sits second in the Laurel jockey standings with a record of 122-30-26-11.

“Sheldon will be based in Maryland but hopefully as COVID restrictions lift there will be a few that he can come up and ride,” said Russell.

On Sunday at Laurel Park, the Russell family trainer/jockey combo combined to win an open maiden special weight with Cash is King and LC Racing's Dream Big Dreams. The colt was named by Cash is King's managing partner Chuck Zacney.

“Chuck said he wanted to use that name for one that we liked,” said Russell. “It's fitting that it was that colt that won because we think he has a future ahead of him. Maybe that's one that Sheldon can come up to New York and ride.”

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Shackled Love, Maythehorsebwithu Could Have Rematch In Federico Tesio

Shackled Love and Maythehorsebwithu, separated by half a length in Saturday's $100,000 Private Terms at Laurel Park, could wind up meeting again for their next starts in the April 17 $125,000 Federico Tesio at the Laurel, Md., racetrack.

The 1 1/8-mile Tesio, headlining a program of seven stakes worth $750,000 in purses, once again serves as a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the $1 million Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 at Pimlico Race Course.

Neither Shackled Love nor Maythehorsebwithu were among the 326 horses nominated to the Triple Crown for $300 by the initial Jan. 23 deadline. Horses can be nominated again by Monday, March 29 for a $6,000 fee.

Trainer Gary Capuano said that ZWP Stable, Inc. and Non Stop Stable's Maryland homebred Shackled Love, a son of 2011 Preakness winner Shackleford, emerged from the race well. It was the first stakes attempt for the bay gelding, who was the second-longest shot in the seven-horse Private Terms at odds of 21-1.

“He's good. He came out of the race good. It was a good race, a good effort,” Capuano said. “He's a good-feeling, nice kind of horse. He's definitely been improving quite a bit.

“It's amazing how things sometimes work out,” he added. “We stuck him in and looked at the race. His numbers fit with the race and he's been improving, so it was worth taking a shot. He had a good post position, the whole thing. It looked like he could be competitive in there if he ran his race.”

After winning in debut last fall at Delaware Park, Shackled Love had lost four straight races with back-to-back seconds entering the Private Terms. He pressed pacesetting even-money favorite Maythehorsebwithu from the gate, took a narrow lead in mid-stretch and dug in to the wire.

“He had been training good. It was a solid field and his numbers had been improving each race even though he's been beat,” Capuano said. “He got beat by a couple of those but he's been improving and training well, so it was worth taking a shot at it. We would have liked going through another condition first, but it works out better this way. If you're going to lose your condition you might as well lose it in a stake for $100,000. It's all good.”

Next up for Shackled Love is the Tesio, a race Capuano won in 2003 with Cherokee's Boy, also bred and owned by ZWP Stable. Cherokee's Boy won 19 times, 14 in stakes including the 2005 Salvator Mile Handicap (G3), from 48 starts and more than $1 million in purse earnings, and ran eighth in the Preakness.

“I would think so, as long as he comes out of race good and trains good. I don't see why we wouldn't,” Capuano said. “There's no other races for 3-year-olds, you have to run in a stake anyway. He's in the same boat as Shackqueenking and Brittany's horse. You have to run in the stake or you don't run for a while.”

Pocket 3's Racing's Shackqueenking, nose winner of the 1 1/16-mile Howard County to cap his juvenile season, moved into a contending position on the far turn but was unable to gain any ground and wound up fourth, beaten a total of 3 ½ lengths.

“He ran good. He just hung there the last part. He had every opportunity turning for home, but the other two they were just running comfortable,” Capuano said. “He's got a tendency to hang a little bit the last eight of a mile anyway, so we tried to get him moving so we could get some momentum and he did that but then he just kind of hung there the last part. He got beat three or four lengths which wasn't terrible.”

Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu was making his two-turn debut in the about 1 1/16-mile Private Terms off a dominant four-length score over multiple stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion – trained by Capuano's older brother, Dale – in the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 20.

Ridden by Sheldon Russell, Maythehorsebwithu set a pace of 23.97 and 47.44 seconds before grudgingly yielding the lead, then came back on again after being passed.

“I thought he had him and then you see Gary's horse like, 'No, not now. I've got you.' It was a good horse race. You have to give them both a lot of credit. They both ran big,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “Absolutely, we're delighted. Another big effort. He's consistent and he runs hard every time, so what's not to be happy about?”

Maythehorsebwithu has done his best running at Laurel, with two wins and two seconds from four starts. He was beaten a neck by Kenny Had a Notion in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid Jan. 16 to kick off his sophomore season and is also headed toward the Tesio.

“More than likely. We'll get him back to the track and see how he is. I'm definitely going to give him an easy couple weeks here, if he allows it,” Brittany Russell said. “This morning, he was laying down in his stall. He was exhausted. That's probably the first time I've noticed him do that after a run. We'll just let him kind of catch his breath and make a plan, but why wouldn't we try? He's doing nothing wrong in the afternoon.”

Russell reported that Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and Black Cloud Racing Stable's Whereshetoldmetogo was doing well after opening his 6-year-old campaign with a victory in Saturday's $75,000 Not For Love for Maryland-bred/sired horses that marked his third consecutive win, all in stakes.

Despite never switching over to his right lead, Whereshetoldmetogo ran six furlongs in 1:09.82 to win the Not For Love by 2 ½ lengths as the 1-5 favorite in a field of seven.

“He's the greatest. We love him. He ran so good. It's tough because you watch these races sometimes where you're the heavy favorite like that and it just seems like you're not a lock,” Russell said. “Things can happen. Regardless, he steps up and gets the job done. Left lead and all, he did it.”

Next up for local sprinters is the $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley going seven furlongs on the Tesio undercard April 17. Whereshetoldmetogo won the Whiteley, contested at six furlongs and rescheduled to Nov. 28 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“I haven't spoken to anybody yet but I would love to keep him home,” Russell said. “He obviously likes it here, and keep a good thing going.”

Joel Politi's Littlestitious, a determined half-length winner of Saturday's $100,000 Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies, remains at Laurel after shipping in from Louisiana for trainer Tom Amoss to earn her second career stakes victory.

Laurel has been under restrictions after a horse tested positive for the equine herpesvirus March 8, but no additional cases of EHV1 have been identified by the Maryland Jockey Club.

“She came out of the race in good shape. I spoke to the barn early this morning. We're trying to determine what stage we're in with the herpes [virus],” Amoss said. “That's going to have a lot to do with what our plans are. We know that we're there for another week, minimum with the horse, but that's just a logistics thing.

“Other than that, she came out of the race in good shape. We're really pleased with the way she ran. We think that there's a real future there as the races go a little further in distance and she transitions back to two turns, which is what we're going to do in the next start.”

The next local race for 3-year-old fillies is the $125,000 Weber City Miss, contested around two turns at about 1 1/16 miles April 17 and an automatic qualifier to the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 14 at Pimlico.

Littlestitious, under Sheldon Russell, came with a steady run down the center of the track after tracking pacesetting favorites Street Lute and Fraudulent Charge, and edged the latter in the final sixteenth of a mile to win by a half-length. Street Lute, a six-time stakes winner including five in a row, wound up third as the 3-5 favorite in her first race beyond seven furlongs.

“I had great respect for the favorite in that race. I mean, what a record she had going in. I did not know how the race was going to play out [but was] confident in the sense that I thought our horse would run her race, but whether it was good enough against the other horses there, that was unclear,” Amoss said. “Watching the race unfold and watching the way she ran, I give a great deal of credit to the rider. He rode her really, really well.”

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Laurel’s Saturday Card Features Five Stakes Races Worth $450,000

Live racing returns to Laurel Park Saturday with a nine-race program featuring five stakes worth $450,000 in purses led by the $100,000 Private Terms for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies.

First race post time is 12:25 p.m.

The Private Terms, carded as Race 8 and run around two turns at about 1 1/16 miles, drew a field of seven led by 2-1 program favorite Maythehorsebwithu, four-length winner of the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 20 at Laurel. Royal Number, an impressive Laurel allowance winner Jan. 9 at Laurel and exiting a fourth in the Withers (G3) Feb. 6 at Aqueduct, is second choice at 5-2.

Video of Trainer Brittany Russell (Maythehorsebwithu):

The one-mile Beyond the Wire kicks off the stakes action in Race 3. Favored at even money on the morning line is Street Lute, stretching out beyond seven furlongs in search of her sixth consecutive stakes victory and eighth overall. Among her rivals is Fraudulent Charge, second to Street Lute in the Dec. 26 Gin Talking and Feb. 20 Wide Country at Laurel.

Also on the card are the $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles (Race 6), and a pair of $75,000 stakes restricted to Maryland-bred/sired horses – the Not For Love for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs (Race 5) and Conniver for fillies and mares 3 and older at seven furlongs (Race 7).

Starting Saturday, following executive orders from both Gov. Larry Hogan and Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, Laurel will increase its building capacity to allow up to 400 spectators. Current restrictions and physical distancing guidelines remain in place.

Beginning Sunday, March 14, post time moves to 12:40 p.m. for the duration of Laurel's 2021 winter meet, which runs through Sunday, March 28.

Sunday's feature comes in Race 8, a second-level optional claiming allowance for older females sprinting 5 ½ furlongs led by 5-2 program favorite Trunk of Money. Race 7 is a starter optional claimer that includes new gelding Mine Not Mine, second in the Miracle Wood and third in the Private Terms last year.

Eight 3-year-olds will go one mile in Race 3, a maiden special weight where Imagine Hongkong is the lukewarm 3-1 morning-line favorite. The field of eight also includes Pharoah's Fury, a second-time starter by 2015 Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, and Dream Big Dreams, a $115,000 2-year-old in training purchase last May trained by Brittany Russell.

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