As Brittany Russell sees it, her breakthrough individual accomplishments reflect the strength of her team.
Two years ago, she became the first female trainer to lead Maryland’s year-end standings by wins. She maintained that position in 2024, a remarkable accomplishment for someone in her fifth full year as a trainer.
Russell quickly credits others for her back-to-back breakthrough seasons. “It’s a big deal and I’m really proud of the whole team,” said Russell, 35. “I always say that but it takes a lot, a lot, to make this happen, to keep it going. It requires a lot of good people.”
The list starts with her husband, Sheldon, an accomplished jockey who provides invaluable insight into the horses he works with each morning. The wife-and-husband team turn that information into afternoon success.
Then there is the handiwork of assistant trainers Luis Barajas and Emma Wolfe. The ever-reliable Barajas has been there from the beginning, long before the winning started, believing in a young woman with a strong background but much to prove. No task is too big or too small for him.
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Wolfe has been indispensable in her ability to get along with Post Time , the stable star with immense talent that allowed him to hit the board in all nine of his starts last year, including a runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). And let’s just say he has a lot of personality to go with it. The tempestuous Post Time is being freshened for his 5-year-old campaign in search of an elusive grade 1 triumph.
Then there is Russell’s mother-in-law, Alison. “She’s probably the most valuable person on our team,” Sheldon said.
Alison maintains an apartment in the Russells’ house and is a tremendous help in tending to the many needs of Edy, 5, and Rye, 3. Drop-offs. Pick-ups. Coughs. Runny noses. Alison is there, knowing the schedule will only become more hectic as the children grow older.
Russell family
Their contributions, and those of many others, help to explain why Russell ended Claudio Gonzalez’s six-year reign atop Maryland’s year-end trainer standings in 2023 before providing a rousing encore.
In 2024, she paced the state with 113 wins between Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, 16 more than runner-up Jamie Ness. She was seemingly unstoppable last autumn at Laurel, winning 54 times from 149 starts for a sizzling strike rate of 36%.
Russell also is making her mark nationally. According to Equibase, her 157 wins overall from 655 starters placed her ninth among all trainers. She also produced 104 second-place finishes and 89 third-place results for purse earnings of $7,672,690 that ranked 19th.
Russell barely allows herself a moment of satisfaction.
“Obviously, we had some good horses run well and we knew we were having a good year,” she said. “But we focus on kind of the next horse. That’s kind of our mentality. We have a job to do.”
As for her place as a woman making history, she said, “I haven’t been one to think a lot about that. But I know there are a lot of good women in the game, a lot of successful women. We obviously need to be proud of ourselves and how far women have come and all of those things.”
Before she plunged into the deep waters of the training game, Russell made sure she had the background to equip her for the challenge. She worked for such well-respected trainers as Brad Cox, Jimmy Jerkens, Ron Moquett, and the late Jonathan Sheppard.
“She’s taken a bit from each trainer she’s worked for and put it together and done it the right way,” Sheldon Russell said. “She had a lot of experience before she started training. She’s taken care of some good horses, so she knows what to expect.”
More than anything, Russell understands that taking proper care of the horse must come before everything. Horses must run only when they indicate their readiness and then they must be properly placed. She has a knack for running horses exactly where they belong.
Some of the sport’s most prominent owners—Sol Kumin, Mike Repole, and Robert LaPenta, among others—have become clients.
Russell is gratified to have their support.
“You need the horses in the barn. You need those people to have confidence in you and to give you opportunities,” she said. “That’s really what it comes down to.”
Yes, it comes down to that. It also is about her ability to deliver. She earned her first grade 1 victory when 17-1 Doppelganger , with Jevian Toledo aboard, rallied to win the Carter Handicap at Aqueduct in April 2023.
Doppelganger wins the 2023 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct
“I didn’t get that done last year,” she lamented. “I want to win grade 1s.”
She is at least equally driven to be the best mother she can be. When Rye recently became ill and required antibiotics, her top priority immediately became nursing him back to health. He was soon back to his energetic self. Edy has two ponies and takes weekly riding lessons. Truth be told, she has become a bit of a ham.
She likes nothing better than to be with mom and dad for winner’s circle photos. Now, that is quality time!
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