Virginia-breds had another solid weekend at tracks around the country, highlighted by a pair of victories at the competitive Belmont Park spring meet. Carbon Data and Max James connected on May 12th and 13th respectively — the former in a 1 1/4 miles, $90,000 maiden special weight test and the latter in a 1 1/16th miles, $41,000 maiden claimer.
Carbon Data battled head-to-head, literally, with runner-up Into the Breach from the top of the stretch to the wire. The Lazy Lane Farms bred colt was a half length better at the finish, crossing in 2:05.01. A four year old son of Birdstone, Carbon Data did not race a 2 or 3 year old, and was making just his third career start. He is trained Chad Brown, was ridden by Javier Castellano, and is out of the Sky Classic mare, Penney Marie. Owner Paul Pompa Jr. cashed in as well via the VTA/HBPA Mid-Atlantic bonus program. He received a $10,000 bonus (the 25% bonus is capped at $10,000) in addition to the winner’s share of the purse.
Max James also scored his first lifetime win against a field of ten competitors. The 3 year old Union rags colt took command with 5/16ths left and won by almost two lengths in 1:48.28. Bred by the Audley Farm Equine LLC, Max James is out of Pink Champagne by Awesome Again. He is owned by Al & Michelle Crawford Racing, who like Pompa Jr., received a 25% owners bonus for winning an overnite race in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Everything Magic won her third race from five starts May 4th at Laurel Park. The Larry Johnson owned and bred filly is trained by Mike Trombetta. Photo by Jim McCue.
Everything Magic is a lightly raced 4 year old Street Sense filly who earned a well spaced, third consecutive triumph earlier in the month. She won handily by six lengths in a $30,000 starter optional claiming race May 4th at Laurel, which followed a pair of wins nearly a year prior — last May in a Monmouth maiden claimer and last June in a Pimlico allowance race. The Mike Trombetta trainee is owned and bred by Larry Johnson, and is out of the More Than Ready mare, More Than Magic. She has won three of five lifetime starts, good for $53,010.
Johnson added another head to his stable a week later (May 12) at Pimlico, when he claimed a horse that he bred. Six year old Greek God, making his 47th lifetime start, trailed frontrunner Atascaderan throughout the 1 1/16th miles claimer until the bitter end. The Pleasantly Perfect gelding nipped leader at the wire by a neck and collected his 8th lifetime win. Johnson claimed the winner for $7500 and named Trombetta as the new trainer. Greek God is out of the Mr. Greeley mare, Grecian Wings.
Jockey Forest Boyce guides Isabella Rocks to victory at Laurel May 5th. Photo by Jim McCue.
Sadler’s Joy, shown here as a yearling at Woodslane Farm in The Plains, finished third in the Grade I Man O’ War Stakes May 13th as a 4 year old. Photo by Nick Hahn.