Brittany Russell

Laurel Park's fall meet ended with a tie for leading rider between journeyman Angel Cruz and 19-year-old apprentice Jeiron Barbosa. In addition, trainer Brittany Russell topped the trainer standings for a third time this year. It was the first riding title for Cruz, who deadheated with Barbosa with 44 wins apiece. Cruz won two races Saturday to secure the tie with Barbosa. The latter is among the contenders for champion apprentice jockey of 2022 and had won both Laurel's spring meet and Pimlico's fall meet titles. Both riders are from...

The Week In Review, By Bill Finley When Eric Camacho retired from riding in 2016, he thought he knew what his future would be. He'd work as an exercise rider in the mornings and step aside in the afternoons and let someone else get all the glory and the big paychecks. Never did he imagine he'd win another race, let alone get the mount on an undefeated 2-year-old who might just be good enough to be pointed toward the GI Kentucky Derby. But after Post Time (Frosted) won Saturday's Maryland...

Surrounded by her family, Brittany Russell celebrated Mother's Day in style by winning with her only two starters Sunday at Laurel Park and clinching her first career training title. Russell, 32, ended the 22-day spring meet with a flourish, winning five races from nine starters over the final weekend to edge Jamie Ness, 14-13 and snap Claudio Gonzalez's streak at nine consecutive meet titles in Maryland. Gonzalez wound up third with 10 wins. "It's a huge accomplishment. My team, just how far we've come in a short time, it's going...

GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Knicks Go (Paynter) was honored as 2021 Maryland-bred Horse of the Year during the fifth annual Renaissance Awards held virtually throughout the week of Feb. 28. The awards, which are a collaborative effort between the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and Maryland Jockey Club, were presented through the MHBA's social media accounts. Also honored were champion 2-year-old male Joe (Declaration of War), champion 2-year-old filly Luna Belle (Great Notion), champion 3-year-old male Jaxon Traveler (Munnings), champion 3-year-old filly Street Lute (Street Magician),...

Hello Hot Rod (Mosler), fresh off a gritty score in the Jimmy Winkfield S. at Aqueduct last Sunday, will make his next appearance in the sales ring during Tuesday's second session of the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale. The 3-year-old (hip 672), owned by Dark Horse Racing and Brittany Russell and trained by Russell, was a late supplement to the two-day auction and will be consigned by Elite. Russell and Dark Horse Racing's Jodi Quinn already had a favorable impression of the son of Mosler before they purchased him for $10,000...

Brittany Russell had every reason to expect that she was going to have a good run at Laurel when the current meet began Oct. 8. She is a high-percentage trainer and knew that several of her horses were sitting on winning races. But the 31-year-old, who has been on her own for less than three years, never could have expected what was about to unfold. No one could have. Through Dec. 17, Russell has won 22 of her 42 starts at Laurel, putting her winning percentage at 52% for the...

5th-Laurel, $46,000, Msw, 10-29, 2yo, f, 1m (off turf), 1:41.41, sy, 5 1/2 lengths. GHERARDINI (f, 2, Bernardini--Brush Hour, by Broad Brush) was sent off the 3-2 choice in this maiden rained off the grass and onto a Zeta-affected main track at Laurel and sustained a rally for the better part of 3 1/2 furlongs to graduate by an impressive 5 1/2 lengths. Away clearly last beneath Sheldon Russell, the $150,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase was ridden quietly from about third last before being asked to improve a long way...

The GoFundMe account set up to support jockey Rosario Montanez, injured in a spill at Laurel, surpassed its goal of $20,000 less than 24 hours after it was created. Montanez, 28, suffered multiple fractures to his back in a first-race spill at the Maryland track July 17, and underwent successful surgery the following morning at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Agent Joe Rocco, Sr. said Montanez also injured his neck in the accident. Laurel trainer Brittany Russell launched the fundraiser the same day to help with medical...