Manor House, Colt From First Crop By Upstart, Runs Away From Laurel Park Foes In Debut

Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Manor House, a juvenile colt from the first crop by multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Upstart, was never threatened romping by 12 ¼ lengths in his career debut Saturday at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

Ridden by Victor Carrasco for trainer Michael Stidham, Manor House ($10.80) ran one mile in 1:38.31 over a fast main track in the maiden special weight for 2-year-olds. Dream Big Dreams, the 6-5 favorite also making his first start for meet-leading trainer Brittany Russell, edged Rippolino by a neck for a distant second.

Manor House, out of the Dixie Union mare Cascina, outran 25-1 longshot Camp Pendleton for the lead and went the opening quarter-mile in 24.10 and a half in 47.50, when Camp Pendleton moved within a half-length of the front-runner. Manor House got his cue on the turn and opened up with ease on his rivals, galloping to the wire under a hand ride.

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Laurel Park: Comebacking Jonathan Joyce Rides First Winner In Nearly Seven Years

Six weeks into his comeback and nearly seven years since his last victory, journeyman jockey Jonathan Joyce visited the winner's circle aboard Mary Jones and Robin Graham's Grace Isabella Saturday at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

Also trained by Graham, Grace Isabella ($12.60) ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:18.35 over a fast main track in the claiming event for fillies and mares 3 and up. It was the first win for the 35-year-old Joyce since Bouquet Babe Jan. 30, 2014, also at Laurel.

“Just a lot of gratitude pretty much for Maryland racing and the trainers and the stewards and the jocks, everybody, just for accepting me back and helping me along the way to get to where I am today,” Joyce said. “It's been a long journey but this what I do it for, this feeling.

“It's been tough, knocking on the door,” he added. “Robin stuck by me for so long, as long as many others, but I've been working this filly in the morning and it all panned out today.”

Based in the Mid-Atlantic, primarily in Maryland, Joyce compiled 564 wins and $11.6 million in purse earnings between 2004 and 2014. He won the 2009 Maryland Million Distaff, 2009 Day Lilly, 2009 Skipat and 2008 Alma North on Maryland-bred All Giving.

Other stakes wins came with Ah Day in the 2006 Deputed Testamony and 2006 Red Legend, and Pocket Patch in the 2011 Henry S. Clark and 2010 Maryland Million Turf. Ah Day would go on to place in six graded-stakes including a third in the 2007 Carter Handicap (G1) and win in the 2009 Toboggan (G3).

Last having ridden Feb. 6, 2014, when he ran fourth aboard Catular at Laurel, Joyce returned to the irons Oct. 31, finishing ninth on R Awesome Rose at Laurel. Saturday's win was his first from 49 starts that included nine seconds and five thirds.

“Just finding myself again, visiting family, still stuck with horses and continued my passion,” Joyce said of his absence. “I just needed a little break to get my thoughts together and figure it all out again.

“I was riding in the mornings. I was at Fair Hill and I was at a farm in Kentucky, just kind of sticking with my roots as far as horses,” he added. “The fire inside never dulled. It just kind of went low for a little bit but here we are.”

Joyce settled Grace Isabella in third as Starting Tour and Nine Martinis alternated for the lead through a half-mile in 45.59 seconds. Joyce swung Grace Isabella to the outside on the turn and swept to the lead midstretch.

“I knew the filly. I worked her a couple times in the morning. We talked about it and figured we'd see if the speed can go and kind of track it,” Joyce said. “The main thing was to keep her comfortable and let her gather herself and get her air and everything. Turning for home I knew she was going to have a kick the way she went around the first half-mile or so. I said, 'Mama, take me from here.'”

Joyce won the 2006 Maryland State Fair meet at Timonium at age 21 in his second full year of riding. He broke his collarbone in an Oct. 4, 2006 spill at Laurel.

“I've got to be on my horse at 5:30 [a.m. Sunday]. I'm just going to enjoy with some family and friends,” Joyce said.

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Upstart Colt Crushes On Laurel Debut

5th-Laurel, $48,520, Msw, 12-12, 2yo, 1m, 1:38.31, ft, 12 1/4 lengths.
MANOR HOUSE (c, 2, Upstart–Cascina, by Dixie Union) could scarcely have been more impressive making his debut over Laurel’s one-turn mile Saturday, as he drew off through the final furlong to graduate by 12 1/4 lengths. The Florida-bred was away to an uneventful beginning from the two hole and made the lead with a minimum of fuss, covering the opening half in :47.50 while taking mild pressure. He began to widen approaching the quarter pole, kicked farther in front in upper stretch and was eased through the final 40 yards by Victor Carrasco. Manor House, who had trained with vigor at trainer Mike Stidham’s Fair Hill base ahead of this debut, is the 18th winner for his first-crop sire (by Flatter). Manor House is a half-brother to Bella Vincenza (Biondetti), SW, $246,043, and his dam was most recently covered by Army Mule from this same A.P. Indy sire line. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $22,800. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Newtown Anner Stud Farm; B-David Berman (FL); T-Michael Stidham.

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Jockey Sheldon Russell Scores Natural Hat Trick Friday At Laurel Park

Jockey Sheldon Russell reeled off three consecutive wins to open Friday's card at Laurel Park and further extend his lead atop the rider standings at the calendar year-ending fall meet.

Russell captured Friday's opener with 1-2 favorite Chloe Rose ($3), a 2-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy making her second career start. He followed up with 4-year-old filly Nana's Shoes ($4) in Race 2 and 2-year-old Bullsbay gelding Maythehorsebwithu ($5.40) in Race 3.

Among his remaining mounts Friday, Russell was third with Remain Anonymous in Race 6, second with Nomo Ron in Race 7.

“It's always nice to start the day off with a win, let alone the first three. It puts you on just such a high,” Russell said. “I knew coming into the day I had a couple of live mounts. You need good trips. We got off to a good start and to be fair all my horses ran well.”

Both Chloe Rose and Maythehorsebwithu, the latter runner-up in the First State Dash Sept. 26 at Delaware Park, are trained by Russell's wife, Brittany Russell, who is tied with Claudio Gonzalez for the fall meet lead with 21 wins.

“We have a great work ethic together. I know what she wants and she knows what she's doing. She keeps me busy in the morning and feel like we both understand her horses,” Sheldon Russell said. “We're both on the same page and we've got a great team behind us. You can just see the horses are well-spotted and they're running really well right now.”

Represented by agent Marty Leonard, Russell has 39 wins at the fall meet, 13 more than runner-up Jevian Toledo with Trevor McCarthy third at 25. McCarthy and his fiancé, jockey Katie Davis, have moved their tack to New York for the Aqueduct winter meet and plan to return to Maryland in the spring.

“I'm just very pleased, riding the right horses. Marty's doing a great job for me in the mornings,” Russell said. “Just want to ride this high out through the end of the month. We've had a fantastic last two months, really. I couldn't be happier.”

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