The Week in Review: Back-of-Van Ride to Victory for Trainer Kirby in Claiming Crown

Tom Van Berg won two Claiming Crown races on Saturday. John Timothy Kirby, 25, saddled his first starter to a victory in his debut race at Churchill Downs. He is a third-generation horseman with strong roots in New England.

John T. Kirby won the claiming Crown at Churchill on Saturday. His father, John F. began training in 1991 and died in 2011. The family farm was downsized and the bloodstock business in New England dried up. He has won 14 races from 98 starts this year. He's won one race each at Saratoga and Belmont in 2021 and 22. In June he upset a $45,000 claiming turfer. On Sept. 4 he dropped a claim slip for Hero Tiger at the Spa on behalf of owner Gregg O'Donnell. Saturday's claiming crown win returned $56,00 on that investment.