Like Father, Like Son: Servises Make It A Family Affair At Parx

Family plays an integral part in both the human and equine history in racing. Like Thoroughbreds, countless horsemen are born into the sport and are descendants of a family filled with a trade and tradition.

Thursday morning, John and Tyler Servis, father and son, stood along the outer rail on the backside of Parx, waiting for their horses to train. Tyler, with his arm draped around his dad's shoulders, talked about their horses.

Saturday, the veteran Parx-based trainer, will be joined by his son, now also a trainer, as they send their horses to the gate amid a stakes-filled program highlighted by the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx.

John has five horses entered on the day including stakes runners Precious (Plum Pretty), Leader of the Band (Cotillion G1) and Irish Cork (Alphabet Soup).

Tyler will send two, led by Shooger Ray Too in the Grade 3, $200,000 Greenwood Cup. It will be just his third time saddling a horse in a graded stakes in his short time as a trainer.

Tyler, 30, went out on his own two years ago after spending the majority of his young life in the shadow of his dad among the 10,744 starts, 1,306 victories and $52 million in earnings. He was about 14 years old with a front row seat when the ever-popular Smarty Jones made a bid for the Triple Crown in 2004, sweeping the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness before falling short as the runner-up in the Belmont Stakes.

Together they worked side-by-side amid the long hours, through good days and bad. The elder horseman, a master at his craft, teaching his son through hands-on experience in the hope that he could one day follow in his footsteps. Now Tyler has 18 horses stabled in the barn alongside his father on the backstretch.

“I started galloping for him when I was 14 at Oaklawn,” Tyler said. “I got on my first horse at the track and then when I turned 16, I was able to get a license and I'd gallop for him before school. I did that for a couple of years, and I'd say probably during my junior year of high school I became his foreman. Then in my senior year when I graduated, I became his assistant. Then two years ago I decided to go out on my own.”

The decision to embark on a training career can happen too soon, too late or not at all as many have failed over the years. For the Servis' the decision for Tyler to remain with his dad or try his own hand wasn't easy decision.

“It was both ways,” Tyler said. “He was pushing me a little bit to try to go out and do my own thing and see what I could do, and I was getting to the point where I think I was ready for that change and that type of task at hand.”

John, the proud dad, recalled one dream his son had over a decade ago. Tyler dreamt about being a jockey when he grew up. As a high school freshman, he was 5-feet-7 and weighed 90 pounds. By his senior year, he was 6-feet tall, and doubled his weight. Now, as they train separately for different clients, the bond still remains.

“He was going to be a jockey, John said. “He was 16. I have pictures of him breezing horses and his mother was so upset, saying 'I don't want him to be a jockey. I said, 'honey, trust me, when he grows into those feet, he's not going to be a jockey.”

“It's fun and it's exciting”, John said. “Every time he runs a horse, he'll call me five minutes after the race and ask, “what did you think?' If he doesn't call it's because the horse won, and he's basking in the glory. So, then I'll call him and say, 'hey, you never called me!' He'll say, 'oh, I was so busy, I didn't have time.'

“We're right next to each other here (on the backside). After a horse runs or after they work, I'll bring them outside the next day and go over them and jog them down the road and stuff like that. He does the same thing, but it's funny that now when we do that, just one of us, the other will come out and look at them too so it's neat. He does it for me and I do it for him,” John said.

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When Tyler saddles Shooger Ray Too in the Greenwood Cup, he will be hoping the third time is the charm after saddling Wentz to a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Stakes in his first year on his own. He then shipped to Aqueduct and finished fifth in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap.

Tyler will need to win 33 graded stakes if he wants to match his dad's mark, but for now he's focused on Saturday, and he likes his horse's chance in the 1 1/2-mile race.

“He is doing very well,” Tyler said. “He came out of his race really well from Saratoga (2nd in the Birdstone, Aug. 5). We have been pointing to this race all year, so obviously, we have high hopes for him. This is his home track, and he will relish the distance in this race and hopefully we'll come out with good results.”

“I'll be taking ten to New York for the winter,” Tyler said. “My first time up there. I want to try and branch out a little bit and generate some business. New face, new opportunity and maybe attract some new people. The experience won't hurt. At least I can say I tried if it doesn't work out.”

Win or lose this Saturday, the future is bright for the young horseman. From great lineage comes great opportunity with hopes of a promising career for years to come.

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Pennsylvania-Breds Spotlighted Monday At Parx; Chub Wagon Defeated By Don’t Call Me Mary

Hurricane Henri brought significant rainfall to Pennsylvania but could not dampen the 21st renewal of Pennsylvania's Day at the Races. The Pennsylvania breeding program took center stage with five $100,000 stakes for state-breds. All five races were contested over the sloppy main track.

In the $100,000 Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial Stakes, Chub Wagon's undefeated streak came to an end as she was caught late by Don't Call Me Mary and jockey Paco Lopez. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the four-year-old daughter of El Padrino notched her fifth victory from ten career starts. Chub Wagon finished second and Cinnabunny rounded out the trifecta.

The $100,000 Mrs. Penny Stakes, taken off the turf and run at one mile and a sixteenth on the main track, was won by Precious and jockey Frankie Pennington. The front-running victress is a homebred daughter of Fed Biz for Newell Thoroughbreds LTD and is trained by John Servis.

In the $100,000 Storm Cat Stakes, sophomore I Am Redeemed earned his first stakes victory. The three-year-old son of Redeemed contested the early pace under jockey Abner Adorno and collared the front-running Lord Winsalot at the top of the stretch to prevail by 3 1/2 lengths for trainer Penny Pearce.

The $100,000 Marshall Jenney Handicap, taken off the turf and run at five furlongs on the sloppy main track, went to Admiral Abe. Admiral Abe, a five-year-old son of Midshipman, continued to dominate the state-bred ranks and delivered as the heavy favorite under Silvestre Gonzalez. Trained by Robert Mosco for Stefcon Racing, LLC, he earned his fifth win of the season.

The $100,000 Banjo Picker Stakes concluded the day and the favorite Fortheluvofbourbon gave jockey Paco Lopez his second win of the day. Trained by Michael Pino, the four-year-old gelded son of Bourbon Courage showed speed out of the gate and battled on gamely in the stretch to prevail by a neck over a fast-closing Golden Candy.

Live Racing resumes Tuesday

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Russell Rides Hello Beautiful To Alma North Victory, Gets 1,500th Winner

Jockey Sheldon Russell celebrated his 1,500th career victory in style Saturday, guiding Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables, and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful to a popular 3 ¾-length score in the $100,000 Alma North at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

The fifth running of the Alma North for fillies and mares 3 and older was the first of three $100,000 stakes on the final program of July, followed by the Challedon, also sprinting six furlongs, and 1 1/8-mile Deputed Testamony, both for 3-year-olds and up.

All three races are part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

It was the eighth career win and sixth in a stakes for Hello Beautiful ($2.20), who is trained by Russell's wife, Brittany. The final time of 1:09.63 was the fastest of two runnings at the current distance.

“It's always anxious because she means so much to us and she's been so good,” Sheldon Russell said. “As soon as she got the first quarter, I knew that she was in her happy place and it was cruise control from there. The final time was extremely impressive. She's a good filly.

“I'm just very happy that we got it out of the way, and for it to happen on Hello Beautiful. She's been a great filly throughout my career, she's given me some great wins,” he added. “She was mine and Brittany's first stakes winner together, so for me to reach a milestone on one of our favorite fillies, it's something I'll never forget.”

To commemorate the milestone, Russell teamed with agent Marty Leonard to gift Hello Beautiful's groom, Luis Barajas, with $1,500. It was a gesture Russell began with $1,000 for his 1,000th winner on March 7, 2015, with Shayjolie in the Cat Cay at Aqueduct.

“Luis has been with us for about a year now. He's a key role behind the scenes at the barn and he takes care of some really, really nice fillies,” Russell said. “He's got years of experience, so when they come with that kind of background, straight away when he came into Brittany's barn she gave him the best five horses pretty much that she has.

“It's good that the money's coming home. I see these guys on a daily basis and for them to make the extra money is always great,” he added. “Just finally to have gotten the 1,500, we can start moving forward now. I was starting to feel the pressure there. I had a couple of close finishes [Friday] and then today. It takes the pressure off.”

Beaten at the wire in his first mount of the day, 3-5 favorite Make It a Double in Race 2 for trainer Anthony Farrior, Russell and Hello Beautiful quickly established command as the 1-9 choice in a field of five. They rolled through a quarter-mile in :23.41 and a half in :45.84 with mild pressure from Call On Mischief.

Hello Beautiful straightened for home in front and shook loose through the stretch from Call On Mischief, who stayed up for second by a neck over Precious, followed by Bluefield and Paisley Singing. Club Car was scratched.

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It was the first win in three tries at Pimlico for Hello Beautiful, having run third in her May 10, 2019 unveiling and second by a neck to undefeated Chub Wagon in the June 13 Shine Again. Bred in Maryland by Ellen Charles' Hillwood Stable, Hello Beautiful was picked out and purchased by Brittany Russell for $6,500 at Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic December 2018 mixed sale.

“The question was always is she a horse for the course at Laurel and she's run two big races at Pimlico now so it's good that she can run on a different surface, as well. It feels great,” Brittany Russell said.

Hello Beautiful won the Jan. 16 What A Summer, 2020 Safely Kept and Maryland Million Distaff, and 2019 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship and Maryland Million Lassie, all with Sheldon Russell aboard at Laurel Park. She now has earnings of $464,610 from 16 lifetime starts and a milestone win for husband and wife, who are parents to daughter, Edy, who turns 2 next month, and are expecting a second child in November.

“It's really incredible it worked out that way, especially because [Sheldon] was on a very live horse of Farrior's in the second race and they're very good friends of ours,” she added. “I would have been just as happy to see him do it on his horse, but then when the horse got nailed on the line, selfishly I thought, 'Ok. It's going to be the big filly.' She means so much to us. It's very special.”

Russell was Maryland's overall leading rider in 2011 and has won eight career meet titles, the most recent coming at Laurel Park's calendar year-ending 2020 fall stand. He has battled various injuries over the course of his career and currently ranks second to Charlie Marquez for the state's most wins in 2021.

“In this game, you've got to stay healthy. The wins will always come. Knock on wood, we've been on a bit of a roll here and not been injured for a while,” Sheldon Russell said. “Just very fortunate. I'm happy to get to this milestone; hopefully, we can get to 2,000.”

The Alma North is named for the Maryland-bred champion 3-year-old filly and Horse of the Year in 1971 and Maryland-bred champion older filly of 1972. Owned by the late Eugene Mori's East Acres Stable, Alma North won 23 of 78 career starts with $513,597 in purse earnings from 1970-74. Her victories included graded-stakes scores in the Grade 1 Matchmaker and Grade 2 Vineland, Grade 3 Margate, and Grade 3 Betsy Ross handicaps in 1973.

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