CT: Teachintherelease dominates Funkhouser Memorial
Ted Black
November 16, 2025
Saturday’s latest renewal of the $75,000 Randy Funkhouser Memorial for West Virginia-bred older runners traveling the three-turn distance of one mile and one-eighth looked like Teachintherelease and everyone else.
The five-year-old Teachintherelease, an impressive 14-length winner of the $300,000 West Virginia Sam Huff Breeders’ Classic in his previous start, arrived on an increasingly impressive four-race win streak.
This article contains affiliate links. If you click and buy, we may earn a commission at no extra charge to you.
Pick up reliable and rewarding tickets for major events!
In fact, Teachintherelease would go off as the overwhelming 1-9 favorite with only one other horse, the 2024 Sam Huff Classic hero Runaldo, in single digits at 7-1. Moreover, bridge jumpers were so fond of Teachintherelease that he attracted $196,530 in show wagers out of a total pool of $216,463.
His backers never had a moment’s worry.
When the gates opened in the latest renewal of the Randy Funkhouser, long shot Paymengold broke best of all to gain the early advantage through the far turn the first time with Teachintherelease just to his outside. But another long shot, Lord of Cork, swept past the odds-on choice entering the stretch the first time, while Bail Is Denied also got involved, prompting Teachintherelease’s rider Carlos Lopez to take back rather than get involved in a three-horse duel.
Paymengold maintained the advantage through the clubhouse turn and still owned a short lead after six furlongs went by in 1:14.94. But Teachinthelrelease easily moved past him with three furlongs remaining, opening up a decisive advantage in the blink of an eye.
Teachintherelease went seven lengths clear with a furlong to go and coasted home wrapped up to win by 5 ½ lengths in 1:55.28. The time was noticeably slower than his 1:52.67 performance at the same distance in the Classic.
“I knew the three [Paymengold] had speed and was going to go to the lead,” Lopez said. “But I was a little surprised when the eight [Denis of Cork] went past us. But I just let my horse relax and he settled in nicely. Then when I moved him passing the starting gate on the backside he did it easily. He was much the best.”
A five-year-old Windsor Castle gelding trained by Stephen Murdock for owner Robert Cole, Jr., Teachintherlease notched his third stakes tally on the year and now owns five wins from six seasonal tries and 15 wins and nearly $580,000 banked from 33 career outings. After finishing second in his seasonal debut in July, Teachintherelease has now reeled off five straight tallies and is clearly the favorite for postseason honors as champion West Virginia-bred older male and horse of the year.
“I don’t see how anyone can take it away from him now,” Cole said. “He’s won the last two big races here for older horses. He’s got speed and tonight he showed he can take back a little too.”
Next up? Most likely the $100,000 Robert Manfuso Memorial Stakes Dec. 20 at Laurel Park.
“This horse just does everything so easily,” Murdock said. “He’s got a lot of natural early speed, but he can move real quickly and do it easily. That’s how he trains as well. He’s a pleasure to train. I can’t wait to see how he does in Maryland. I think he might even be better on the big track.”
One race earlier in a one-turn allowance dash for state-breds, Pork Chop Pete (Arnaldo Bocachica) lived up to his role as the 3-5 favorite when he found his best stride down the backside, swept to command on the far turn then edged clear late from stablemate Pleasenthanku for a three-length score. A four-year-old Golden Years gelding trained by Javier Contreras for owner-breeders O’Sullivan Farms and Alex Kazdan, Pork Chop Pete notched his second win from five seasonal tries and now owns a 7-6-1 slate and nearly $195,000 banked from 16 career outings after getting the 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.28.
One race prior in a one-turn allowance/optional $20,000 claiming dash for state-breds, Little Roo Roo (Denis Araujo) forged a mild 5-2 upset when he broke well to duel with sophomore Moonlit Notion (Larry Reynolds) down the backside and through the far turn before outfighting his younger rival in the final 100 yards to score by three parts of a length. A five-year-old Limehouse gelding owned and trained by Mike Jones, Jr., Little Roo Roo notched his second win from 12 seasonal tries and now owns 12 wins and nearly $360,000 banked from 37 career outings after getting the 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.47 as the third choice in the compact, scratch-shortened field of four.
Pick up reliable and rewarding tickets for major events!
LATEST NEWS
