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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Red-Hot Jonathan Thomas Sets Sights On Wood Memorial With Nicky The Vest

Nicky the Vest, trained by Jonathan Thomas for owner Robert LaPenta, matched a career-best 83 Beyer last out in a dominant 11 3/4-length score in the $100,000 Gander, a one-turn mile for New York-bred sophomores on Valentine's Day at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y.

In victory, Nicky the Vest, bred in the Empire State by Highclere, became the first stakes winner for his sire Runhappy. Purchased for $110,000 at the 2019 OBS Yearling Sale, Nicky the Vest is perfect through two starts which includes a 3 1/4-length score on debut in December going the one-turn mile at Aqueduct.

Nicky the Vest covered a half-mile in 49.95 seconds on the Belmont dirt training track on February 26 and Thomas said the bay colt will return to the work tab on Monday as preparations continue for the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 3.

“He's doing well. He'll breeze tomorrow and so far we're on target for the Wood,” said Thomas. “He came out of the Gander well and his energy level was good. The weather has been a little contentious the past couple weeks, so we didn't want to take having a nice track for granted and we went ahead and got him back a week earlier than we'd anticipated.”

Thomas said he will look to provide the lightly-raced Nicky the Vest with valuable experience in upcoming works.

“I might try next week to give him two horses as a target and give him the opportunity to take a little kickback,” said Thomas. “You never know if he might need to overcome a trip with that kind of scenario. But we'll also focus on some longer works so he doesn't come in too fresh and settles well.

“It's exciting. He's undefeated and he's done it by open lengths thus far,” added Thomas. “Every task from here on out is only going to get incrementally harder, but we like him a lot and we're going to give him every chance to succeed.”

Thomas, a multiple Grade 1-winning conditioner, is off to a flying start in 2021 with a record of 22-10-3-3 and purse earnings of $285,445. He credits that success to patient owners and being able to focus solely on training at Belmont.

“Our owners have been patient and have let these horses develop into their 3-year-old years,” said Thomas. “A lot of these horses have longer winded pedigree and that's something we don't have control over. You may want to debut them in August, but it's not the right thing to do and probably wouldn't run their best anyway. The barn is cycling in the right way and we've had a really good couple of months.”

Thomas sent out a pair of promising maiden winners for Augustin Stable at Turfway Park earlier in the week in Be Here and Siraneuse.

Be Here, a Kentucky homebred by Ghostzapper out of 2009 Champion Female Sprinter Informed Decision, earned a 62 Beyer for her 1 1/2-length score in a one-mile maiden special weight on March 4. The sophomore grey colt, who was prepared at Belmont, earned a 62 Beyer.

Thomas said the colt will likely be nominated to the Wood Memorial.

“The Wood offers some opportunity,” said Thomas. “He seems to be very stamina laden and going to a mile and an eighth off of that, I wouldn't be as worried. Obviously, you'd like a little more seasoning but it isn't out of the question.”

Siraneuse, a sophomore filly by Tapit, was purchased for $450,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Bred in Kentucky by Vegso Racing Stable and Tapit Syndicate, Siraneuse earned a 78 Beyer for a rallying five-length score in a one-mile maiden special weight on March 3.

Thomas said Turfway's Tapeta surface offered both young horses an alternative debut experience.

“Be Here doesn't act like a sprinter,” said Thomas. “The more ground he gets the better he will be. Also, after training here at Belmont, the verdict was out on whether or not he's a dirt horse. Obviously, we have no turf racing here on the immediate horizon, so I wanted to get him started.

“The same can be said of the filly, Siraneuse. Both horses were coming out of good works and those races were available,” continued Thomas. “I'm not certain they're dirt horses yet and I wanted to be careful and not debut them on the dirt and have a bad experience. There's a chance both will end up on the grass in New York.”

Last week's scores built on earlier Turfway success for Thomas with Augustin Stable sophomore filly homebreds Into Vanishing and Song of Innocence.

By Into Mischief and out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Vanishing, Into Vanishing graduated at third asking in December at Turfway and followed with a six-length optional-claiming win on January 15 at the Florence, Kentucky oval garnering a 70 Beyer in the one-mile trip.

Song of Innocence, by Munnings and out of the Pulpit mare Remember Then, rallied from seventh for a one-length score in a one-mile maiden special weight on January 29.

Thomas said Siraneuse, Into Vanishing and Song of Innocence will be nominated to the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle at nine furlongs on April 3 at the Big A offering 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers. The veteran conditioner also noted at least one is likely to enter the one-mile Bourbonette Oaks on March 14 at Turfway.

Thomas said Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert V. LaPenta's Gale has been retired following a 2 3/4-length score in the Geisha, a one-mile event for Maryland-bred or sired fillies and mares on January 16 at Laurel Park.

The 4-year-old Tonalist filly, who finished fifth in the Grade 3 Comely at the Big A in November, matched a career-best 86 Beyer for her first stakes score.

“She got really unlucky in the Comely,” said Thomas. “She went into that race as good as we've ever had her but it was an unfortunate trip and break. The whole thing was done before it got started.

“It was nice to get her a stakes win,” added Thomas. “She's a really pretty filly and from a talent perspective it was nice for her to go out a stakes winner. She has been retired and will be a broodmare. She's down in Kentucky at Gainesway.”

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Nicky The Vest Gives Runhappy Initial Stakes Winner In Gander

Robert LaPenta's Nicky the Vest rewarded his even-money favoritism in his stakes debut, taking command in the turn and drawing away from a seven-horse field to win by 11 3/4 lengths in Sunday's $100,000 Gander for New York-bred 3-year-olds at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

After Nicky the Vest won his first start on Dec. 18 in a one-turn mile at the Big A, trainer Jonathan Thomas saw him replicate that effort at the same track and distance, cruising in the stretch under meet-leading rider Kendrick Carmouche to easily outkick Lobsta. Nicky the Vest, a Runhappy colt, became his sire's first stakes winner.

Nicky the Vest broke sharply from post 5, staying in second position behind pace-setter Lobsta with the opening quarter-mile in 23.61 seconds and the half in 47.17 on the fast main track.

Carmouche urged Nicky the Vest outside of Lobsta to take command with three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.33. He continued to press on in the stretch, completing the course in a final time of 1:37.94 while geared down in the final 70 yards.

“He broke real sharp, had me in a good spot and the track has been good with forward positioning,” said Carmouche, who won his sixth stakes of the meet. “When I asked him, he responded very, very well. Jonathan Thomas and his assistant and their team did a good job of getting this horse back to the races after a couple months off.

“As long as I got my horse going at the pace he's going, I don't worry about the person next to me,” Carmouche added. “I figured once I asked him, he should respond and he got me to the winner's circle.”

Purchased for $110,000 at the 2019 OBS Yearling Sale, Nicky the Vest more than doubled his career earnings in improving to 2-for-2, upping his bankroll to $88,500.

“We were very pleased with him,” Thomas said. “He trained that way leading up to it and it's always nice to see what you're seeing in the morning replicated in the afternoon.

“We felt we needed to get him out of there,” he added. “His stamina is a key strength of his and we didn't want to get him in behind horses and have him take dirt. That's an unknown variable with him. We didn't want to do that today, so we planned on being aggressive.”

Nicky the Vest, bred by Highclere, returned $4.30 on a $2 win wager. Thomas said he could possibly target the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham going one mile on March 6 at Aqueduct in a race that offers 50-20-10-5 qualifying points to the top-four finishers towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

“Because we gave him 60 days between his maiden win and this start, I'd feel comfortable we could contemplate that,” Thomas said. “But we'll leave that up to the team.

“John Panagot [LaPenta's racing manager] will be a big barometer here,” he continued. “We'll digest the race and see how he comes out of it and keep a lot of options open. If we do step out [outside of New York-bred company], he's run well here on this track so it stands to reason we would stay here.”

Lobsta, making his first stakes appearance in his third career start for trainer Gary Sciacca, finished a half-length in front of Perfect Munnings for second.

“This horse is a really classy horse,” said Lobsta rider Eric Cancel, who notched four victories on the day in addition to his runner-up effort. “He likes to run on the lead and his brother [2020 Gander winner Chowda] was the same way, so I just figured to ride him the same way. He was in a perfect spot. As soon as they pushed the button on the other horse. He kept on for second and fought well the whole way.”

Dancing Buck, Horn of Plenty, Uno and Re Created completed the order of finish.

Live racing at Aqueduct will continue with a special eight-race Presidents Day holiday card on Monday, highlighted by the $100,000 Hollie Hughes for state-bred 4-years-old and up going six furlongs in Race 7 at 4:25 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:20 p.m.

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Nicky the Vest Becomes Runhappy’s First Stakes Winner With Gander Romp

Nicky the Vest, an impressive debut winner in December at Aqueduct, proved that no effort was no fluke with an authoritative romp in the New York-bred Gander S. Sunday at the Big A, becoming the first black-type winner for Claiborne Farm's Runhappy (by Super Saver) in the process.

Unveiled as an 11-2 proposition against Empire-bred foes over track and trip Dec. 18, the $110,000 OBS October grad shook off some early pace pressure and kicked away to a 3 1/4-length score. Hammered late to go off as the clear favorite here, the bay badgered frontrunning Lobsta through splits of :23.61 and :47.17 and poked his head in front passing the three-furlong pole. Creeping clear approaching the lane, he made a break for it three-sixteenths out and never faced an anxious moment from there, cruising home under wraps as a much-the-best winner. Lobsta, a full-brother to 2020 Gander winner Chowda, did well to hold the place in a three-way photo.

“We were very pleased with him. He trained that way leading up to it and it's always nice to see what you're seeing in the morning replicated in the afternoon,” said winning trainer Jonathan Thomas. “We felt we needed to get him out of there. His stamina is a key strength of his and we didn't want to get him in behind horses and have him take dirt. That's an unknown variable with him. We didn't want to do that today, so we planned on being aggressive.”

Asked about a potential start in the GIII Gotham S. Mar. 6 at Aqueduct, Thomas added, “Because we gave him 60 days between his maiden win and this start, I'd feel comfortable we could contemplate that. But we'll leave that up to the team.” Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

GANDER S., $100,000, Aqueduct, 2-14, (S), 3yo, 1m, 1:37.94, ft.
1–NICKY THE VEST, 118, c, 3, by Runhappy
1st Dam: Tazarine, by Cat Thief
2nd Dam: Doppio Espresso, by Java Gold
3rd Dam: Eastern Dawn, by Damascus
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($110,000 Ylg '19 OBSOCT). O-Robert V.
LaPenta; B-Highclere (NY); T-Jonathan Thomas; J-Kendrick
Carmouche. $55,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $93,500.
*1/2 to Moms Choice (Kitten's Joy), SP, $269,234. **First SW
for sophomore sire (by Super Saver).
2–Lobsta, 118, c, 3, Emcee–Salty Little Sis, by Chief Seattle.
O-Eddie F's Racing; B-Fedwell Farms (NY); T-Gary Sciacca.
$20,000.
3–Perfect Munnings, 123, c, 3, Munnings–Our Perfect Ten, by
Medaglia d'Oro. ($50,000 Ylg '19 SARAUG). O-JP Racing Stable;
B-Tammy & Robert Klimasewski (NY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$12,000.
Margins: 11 3/4, HF, NO. Odds: 1.15, 5.90, 2.65.
Also Ran: Dancing Buck, Horn of Plenty, Uno, Re Created.

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