Riley J, a three-year-old bay filly under the guidance of trainer Lorne Kirlew, made an encouraging statement in the PW’s Choice Trophy held on July 13, 2025. A calculated change in her tack—ditching blinkers and the figure-8 in favour of cheek pieces—seemed to unlock her potential.
Guided by jockey Wesley Henry, Riley J sprang from the gates with purpose, keeping close tabs on early frontrunners Margarita (partnered with Raddesh Roman) and No Apology (ridden by Natalie Berger). As the pack turned for home, Henry angled Riley J to the outside, unleashing a burst of speed that left her competitors trailing. She galloped across the finish line with daylight to spare, posting a final time of 1:09.4 for the 5 ½ furlong sprint.
“I didn’t get to see the race, but I expected her to win based on the equipment change and her recent workouts. She’s a very nice horse, and I think she’ll win more races,” Kirlew commented.
Henry, reflecting on the race’s pivotal moment, highlighted the filly’s improvement from the gates: “I got a good start, and the trainer told me about her previous bad break. We worked on it in the mornings at the starting gates, and it paid off today. I just left them, Margarita and No Apology, on the headline a bit and came around them in deep stretch, and that was that.”
