There's a budding local star shooting across Maryland racetracks. Post Time, a 4-year-old Maryland-bred son of Frosted , is 7-for-8 overall and has won all six of his career starts in his home state. His only loss came in Keeneland's Perryville Stakes last October.
Along for the ride is owner Ellen Charles of Hillwood Stable, who purchased Post Time because of a connection to her grandmother, the former owner of General Foods Marjorie Merriweather Post (1887-1973). Post Time has earned Charles $417,910.
After an impressive win at Laurel Park in the Feb. 17 General George Stakes (G3), his first graded stakes victory, Charles spoke with BloodHorse about her home state star and her enjoyment of racing in Maryland.
BloodHorse: How did you first get involved with horses?
Ellen Charles: I grew up with them, my mother had racehorses and always had them until she died, so it was a life. My father, after some years, became a steward at the Maryland tracks. I come from a family full of horse owners.
BH: Why did you decide to own your own racehorses?
EC: I watched my mother's horses and my sister's horses. After my mother died, I decided I would like racehorses. I chose Hillwood as the name. I also show dogs, and my kennel name is Hillwood. Originally, it was the home of my grandmother in Long Island. I decided the name of my stable would be Hillwood and it brought me a lot of luck.
BH: How many horses does Hillwood Stable have? Has it grown or shrunk over the years?
EC: I have a broodmare band and, as far as racehorses, I have probably about seven or eight right now. As everyone has, you start off with a certain number and that number whittles down as time goes on.
BH: You purchased Post Time for $85,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale. What drew you to him?
EC: Originally, I bought him to be a partner with Cary Frommer as a pinhooker. Then I discovered that in his pedigree, his second dam was a mare called Merriweather, which was my grandmother's middle name. I so wanted to have one of her yearlings in the years I was buying horses with (trainer) Rodney Jenkins, and he kept saying, 'Oh, we'll look at that later,' and of course, it never happened. I said, 'Cary, I just have to have this horse.' She tried to talk me out of it, but I said, 'No, I got to have it.' I stole something that probably would've made us both some money… now it's just making me the money.
BH: What does it mean to you that a horse you purchased for the connection to your grandmother has been as good as he's been?
EC: It's amazing. He looked like he had talent. Cary liked him because she'd seen him with a whole lot of other horses his age come out, come from nowhere, and lead the pack. He certainly had paddock speed, but you never know until they get to the racetrack. He's been an amazing horse from the beginning. I'm very fortunate to have Brittany (Russell). She's done a wonderful job training him, now with Sheldon (Russell) doing a wonderful job riding him. He's been a lovely horse to be part of; there are so many wonderful people attached to him. I'm enjoying it tremendously.
BH: Brittany has been a rising star training in Maryland. When did you meet her and why was she a great fit for Post Time?
EC: I met her when Rodney Jenkins, who trained for me for many years, his assistant asked if it was all right if Brittany came and had lunch with us. I said sure, we were at the races, and so Brittany came up, and we talked. I liked her a lot. She's a lovely person. You start looking at how she was succeeding and the number of nice wins she has. He seemed like a good choice for me to get started with her. It's been a very successful partnership. He's the only horse I have with her, and I have some horses in Rodney's barn.
BH: What are the goals with Post Time for the rest of the year? Will he stay in Maryland or venture outside of Maryland again?
EC: We're going to enter him in a stakes at Laurel, I think it's in another seven or eight weeks (Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes April 13) and see what happens there. If he's successful, I think we'll consider leaving Maryland. Not permanently, but we'll take our chances at a graded stakes race.
BH: Why is Maryland such a great spot to race?
EC: The most I know about racing, I learned in Maryland. My mother raced in Maryland. I love the state, and I love racing there. My father was a steward there. I have a lot of ties to Maryland. Certainly, Post Time likes Maryland, he's done extraordinarily well there.
BH: And he's not your first horse that has done well in Maryland, is he?
EC: I also had a wonderful horse, Bandbox, that won the General George for me (in 2014). And Cordmaker did (in 2022), too. It's lovely. And it's not hard to get to (the track) when you're my age.
BH: There are a lot of changes planned for Maryland racing in the next few years. What are you hoping comes out of these changes?
EC: I hope we have a safe and excellent track, a safe place for our horses. There has to be change sometimes. I've been very happy at Laurel, we've always been based there, but that's not going to work out. I'm all for the need for a change. It seems that we have a very good plan now, and we have to see how it all works out. I'm behind it.
BH: What are some of the career accomplishments you're most proud of?
EC: Winning the General George with Bandbox was amazing. It was my first big stakes, so that was exciting. Cordmaker was a wonderful horse to have. I've been very lucky with three really outstanding horses. It looks like this one (Post Time) maybe… you don't want to compare them, but he's certainly been remarkable in his short career. I love the state- breds that win. Horse racing is just a lovely part of my life.
BH: What have you learned the most from your time in horse racing?
EC: Prepare yourself. You always wish you win, and sometimes it surprises you, and that's exciting. The thing you learn is how to be a good loser, that often happens more. It's never hard to be a good winner. Losing's hard. There are so many hard things that can happen to you. Having good horses hurt themselves, and it is the end of their career. It's not a sport you ought to be in if you can't take the disappointments and the heartbreaks, and you move on. (The highs) are amazing. They keep you happy for quite a while. I always have anxiety in a race, worrying about what could go wrong, and then when you come out a winner, it's wonderful, just wonderful. One thing you learn in racing is to love the moment, because next time it might not be that moment. It's character-building.
