Picks & Preview: The Carolina Cup

Week two.

At Aiken, Stephen Mulqueen doubled, steering St James The Great for Keri Brion to win the Imperial Cup and guiding first-time starter Claramente for Todd McKenna to win the filly/mare maiden hurdle. Mulqueen finished in a three-way tie for second in last year’s standings. Bernie Dalton and Freddie Procter, tied with Mulqueen in 2025, countered with a win each. Dalton guided Pudding Lane for his wife Kate while Procter continued his successful partnership with Arch Kingsley, winning a maiden aboard import I’m A Rocket Man. Evan Dwan rounded out the winner’s board with L’Avvocato for Kathy Neilson. The French-bred picked up his third career jump win and first since the Colonial Cup meet in 2023.

St James The Great wins the Imperial Cup. Tod Marks Photo.

As for predictions last week, the handicappers hit mid-season form as Sean picked three winners (Fil Dor, Pudding Lane, I’m A Rocket Man), Joe unearthed three (Fil Dor, Pudding Lane, I’m A Rocket Man), Tom selected three (Fil Dor, Pudding Lane, Claramente) and Miles tabbed two (Claramente, I’m A Rocket Man).

Now, back to work with nine races, nine opportunities. Time for separation.

Watch all the races live.

The 91st running of the Carolina Cup. Camden, South Carolina.

Race. 1. The National Steeplechase Museum. Presented by Woodford Reserve. Maiden claiming hurdle. $25,000. 2 1/8 miles. 1:30 p.m.

Bernie and Kate Dalton put one on the board with a 4-year-old winner at Aiken and could come right back to win another with Ten Bucks A Glass, second and fourth in two tries against 3-year-olds in the fall. Beyond Reproach made a promising debut over the course a year ago but hasn’t been seen since. The 5-year-old will be ready for locally-based Arch Kingsley. Jamestown could be promising in his hurdle debut.

Race 2. The C.P. and Edith Wills DuBose Cup. Presented by The Health Services District of Kershaw County. Maiden hurdle. $40,000. 2 1/8 miles. 2:10 p.m.

Verbal earned checks in three out of four starts last year and rolls into this with an experience edge for Leslie Young and apprentice Ben Mulligan. Gray’s Fable, a $670,568 earner on the flat, makes his hurdle debut at the age of 11. Ready For The Lady ran well over the course a year ago.

Race 3. The Kirkover-Woodward Cup. Presented by the City of Camden and Kershaw County. 115 handicap hurdle. $35,000. 2 1/8 miles. 2:50 p.m.

Competitive handicap here. Four mares against five geldings and tough to separate any of them. Irish-bred Encosta won her only start at Aiken in the fall, surely she should benefit with more time to acclimate. Anador, Anoint and Forever Hopeful always show up. Bright Eyed Eagle makes his 20th career start. Throw a dart. Or, maybe not, looks like the tipsters are all over Encosta.

Race 4. The Carolina Cup. Presented by MUSC Health. Novice hurdle stakes. $75,000. 2 1/8 miles. 3:30 p.m.

It’s been a timber race. An open hurdle stakes over the big fences. And most recently a novice hurdle stakes. This year, it’s simply a good race. Eclipse Award finalist Swore gets back to work for Keri Brion, Stephen Mulqueen, Stone Farm and Upland Flats Racing. A Grade 1 winner in his third start last season, the son of Broken Vow gets a slight nod over a deep and competitive group. Chortal burst on the scene at Far Hills but disappointed (slightly) at Aiken, a winter of acclimation can only help. Two Past Eight sports four wins and four seconds in 14 tries. Naturally Nimble looked strong in two fall starts. Batman Girac should improve with four-time champion Graham Watters. Scoop The Pot danced the handicap tune last year. Coutach was awesome in two starts in the fall. Rampoldi Plan is a Grade 1 winer still eligible for the novice condition. See what we were saying?

Swore soars over a fence in the Lonesome Glory last season. Tod Marks Photo.

Race 5. The Camden Plate. Presented by Lugoff Automotive. Training flat. 1 ½ miles. 4:10 p.m.

Good to see champion Merry Maker back in the entry box for Hurricana Farm and Arch Kingsley. The trainer adds Sweet Will and Shiv to the five-horse field. Carloun tries to the right the ship after miscues over hurdles last season.

Sunday. March 29.

The Cheshire Races. Unionville, Pa.

Four NSA races and nine point-to-point races comprise a something-for-everyone card at the hybrid meet, a perfect way to spend a Sunday in Pennsylvania. Maryland Hunt Cup winner Withoutmoreado returns in the Mrs. P. F. N. Fanning Memorial while Imogen Weaver and Quick Draw McGraw look strong in the opening small pony race.

Race 1. The Joseph Walker III Memorial Cheshire Bowl. Open timber. $20,000. 3 miles. 12:30 p.m.

Who remembers Kilkea Castle? The Delaware Valley stalwart and the race’s namesake made six consecutive appearances at Cheshire. The mainstay racked up four our seconds and two thirds in the heavyweight timber division. Four veterans square off in the opener. Hard to look past Uco Valley, who has an early Maryland Hunt Cup nomination this year. Fashion Line shows up and goes to work every day. The likeable Anzio won twice last season. Marcel Magic has talent if he breaks kindly from the start.

Race 2. The Louis Neilson III Memorial. Apprentice rider timber. $15,000. 3 miles. 1:00 p.m.

Nobody could forget Paddy Neilson. One of the greats. His daughter sends out a pair. Imperial Assassin and Recoup. There’s no race she’d rather win. Oh, maybe, the Maryland Hunt Cup again, but this is right up there.

Race 3. The Ashwell Timber. Maiden timber. $15,000. 3 miles. 1:30 p.m.

Novice stakes winner Total Joy looks for his first timber win in his second season over the sticks. Lightning Ridge won his prep over Saratoga winner Evie’s Prince at Warrenton. Pavoni won his prep at Warrenton as well. Joe takes a flyer with Auction Kingdom, last seen finishing sixth in the Beverly R. Steinman at Saratoga.

Race 4. The Rainbows For Luck. Maiden timber. $15,000. 3 miles. 2:00 p.m.

For The Parish, third in the Grade 3 Noel Laing in November, makes his timber debut for Leslie Young. Irelands Call, fifth in the maiden hurdle at the Iroquois in 2024 in his most recent start, makes his timber debut as well. The Red Fox posted two thirds in the fall. The Ballybreen Fox finished third in his only timber start, way back at the Grand National in 2024.