26-07-2025
Wondrwherecraigis? Meet Brittany Russell's New ‘Trainer Taxi'
Wondrwherecraigis? Meet Brittany Russell's New 'Trainer Taxi' originally appeared on Paulick Report.
There's a new celebrity on the backside at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., and he goes by Craig. His legal name is Wondrwherecraigis, and his latest role is acting as a 'trainer taxi' for trainer Brittany Russell.'He's only been working about a month and a half,' said Russell, who trained Wondrwherecraigis during his racing career. 'Everybody loves seeing him out there. He's like a celebrity, and the joke is that he could still outrun all of the barn.'The 8-year-old Munnings gelding retired from racing in October 2023, with a fourth-place finish in an allowance at Laurel Park.
Wondrwherecraigis' 20 career races from March 2020 until his retirement took Russell into the limelight for the first time. He provided her with her first career graded stakes win in the 2021 Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap, and took her across the world to run in the 2022 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan retired in 2023 after Russell and his ownership group, comprising Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group LLC, Madaket Stables LLC, and Michael Caruso, felt he had lost a step.'He wasn't quite that stakes caliber horse anymore. We decided to retire him healthy and sound,' explained Russell.
Post-retirement, Wondrwherecraigis was retained by Russell and began training for a show jumping career. Despite finishing 17th of 49 competitors in show jumping at The Thoroughbred Makeover last year, Russell felt Wondrwherecraigis wasn't at his happiest.'It went fine, but we just didn't feel like that was his thing,' she said. 'He did it, but we didn't think he loved it.'Russell pulled him out of show jumping training and returned him to the racetrack.'He's been awesome, I just feel like he wants to be in the racehorse barn,' said Russell.'He's more like a trainer taxi than a pony. He doesn't do a whole lot of ponying, but he is my taxi.'
Russell is married to jockey Sheldon Russell, and together they have two children: their daughter, Edy, and their son, Rye.'[Wondrwherecraigis] was the first horse that my daughter really clicked on to in the racing barn,' said Russell. 'It's hard for the kids to understand sometimes. They come in the barn and get to know a horse, and then maybe they get claimed, or they get retired.'The hope is that one day Wondrwherecraigis can be a mount for Edy, who is now five years old.'We're hoping Craig is with us for many years,' said Russell. 'I believe she'll be riding him one day.'
This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
