Keeping up with the Russells: Laurel Park’s first couple

When trainer Dale Capuano sees Sheldon Russell and his wife, Brittany, together in the winner’s circle at Laurel Park, he refers to them as “Double the Fun.”

That is because Sheldon takes home 10 percent of the purse as the winning rider while Brittany contributes an equal amount to the household as her reward for a training job well done. And they have been having an incredible amount of fun during the Laurel fall meet.

Sheldon, 33, is well on his way to the riding title with just two racing days left before the stand that began Oct. 8 concludes next Thursday. According to Equibase, he owned 42 wins, nine more than runner-up Jevian Toledo, with $1,372,546 in earnings.

Brittany, 31, was tied with well-established Claudio González for the training crown. Remarkably, she had reached the winner’s circle with 22 of 45 starters, a sizzling 49 percent clip, for $693,438 in purses. Her runners have hit the board 82 percent of the time. González had won with 22 of 116 starters, or 19 percent, and has been in the top three 49 percent of the time. His earnings stood at $794,790.

Now that’s a whole lot of fun for a husband-and-wife team who feed off each other as well as any tandem could.

“The support is just never ending,” Brittany said. “I want to see him do as well as he wants to see me do. That really goes far.”

Sheldon and Brittany were married on Aug. 26, 2018. Their daughter, Edy, was born on Aug. 25, 2019. They have their home in Ellicott City, Md., but some might argue that they live at the barn while overseeing a rapidly growing outfit of 40 horses.

Brittany started her own operation three years ago after soaking up all of the knowledge that she could while working for such well-respected trainers as Brad Cox and Jimmy Jerkens.

“We’re so determined,” she said. “If it didn’t work out, it didn’t work out. But I wouldn’t be happy unless we tried it.”

Brittany refers to Sheldon as her “secret weapon.” His ability to read horses means as much during training hours in the morning as it does when the starting gate snaps open in the afternoon.

“He’s in the barn, and he’s giving me feedback I wouldn’t get anywhere else, and I think it shows,” Brittany said. “He’s not just sitting on horses. He’s coming back and giving me things a lot of people couldn’t.”

Among other activities he works with 2-year-olds at the starting gate, and his evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each horse helps to ensure that they are placed in races where they can be highly competitive.

In a sport where the slightest edge means a lot, Sheldon’s insight can make all the difference when money is on the line. “When it comes to running, you know their quirks and what these horses are sort of good at and what they dislike,” he said.

His horsemanship and riding ability have never been in question. His health has been. He has come on strong during the current meet after recovering from a broken wrist. That is only the latest in a litany of injuries that include a torn labrum, fractured shoulder, punctured lung, broken foot, fractured vertebrae and broken ribs (twice).

He has endured so much idle time that he has been able to tally it all. By his count, he has endured 29 breaks of one kind or another, sidelining him for a combined three years.

“It’s nice to see him back on top,” said Marty Leonard, his agent for the last 11 years. “Before all of the injuries he was on his way. He was winning meets. He was winning big races. Who knows what could have happened?”

Who knows what might still happen?

Brittany’s business is expanding so rapidly that she intends to gradually expand beyond Laurel.

“Brittany does a fabulous job. When she first came in, you could see she was going to be good,” Leonard said. “She wants to be good. She’s on top of everything. She runs a great barn. She has great people helping her. It really is a team environment over there.”

Brittany is quick to credit the great work of exercise riders Jenn Brasser and Chloe Lavarre. She referred to Luis Barajas as “man number two in my life.”

High praise, indeed, considering who is number one.