Thanks in part to the two-day Breeders’ Cup Championships, account wagering handle in Virginia for October was solid, and turned out to be the fourth best month of 2015. All three partner providers — TVG, Twin Spires and XPressBet — saw handle improve dramatically from September, which traditionally is one of the slowest months of the year.

TVG, which has been the biggest handle generator in the state since EZ Horseplay went out of business in early April, handled $2,976,157 last month, up from $2,385,567 in September. Twin Spires, which took in $2,397,731 in bets, saw business jump from $1,923,633 the month prior while XPressBet handled $1,041,255 compared with $865,359 in September. Combined, the three took in $6,415,144 in wagers versus $5,174,860 the previous month.

The Breeders’ Cup Championships were held at Keeneland October 30 & 31

For the year, TVG is up 27.34%, with $28,564,228 in betting handle. Twin Spires is next with a 25.77% increase from $22,774.555 in wagers, and XPressbet is third, up 10.22%, with a $10,101,693 handle. The entire 2015 total is off 11.93% from last year — $69,827,328 versus $79,283,272 from 2014 — due to the absence of EZ Horseplay since early spring, which had been the top handle producer of the four.

The three most prolific months this year have been May (when the Derby & Preakness took place), August (Saratoga & Del Mar meets, plus American Pharoah ran twice) and June (when  American Pharoah won the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes).

 

Seven Virginia-breds got to the winners circle last week including three steeplechase horses, a 34-1 upset bomb, and an eight length winner at Churchill Downs that got claimed out of the race.

Dream Voyage, Monstaleur and Class Cherokee all won jump events in varying fashion. The first pair scored impressive romps at Charleston and the Pine Mountain Callaway Garden respectively while the latter connected in a stalking come from behind trip at Montpelier to win by a close half length margin.

A day after collecting four riding wins at Montpelier, Darren Nagle guided Dream Voyage to a 10 1/4 length wire-to-wire triumph Sunday in a $15,000 maiden claimer at 2 1/4 miles. The 4 year old Mizzen Mast gelding was best in a five horse field and crossed in 5:02.00 for trainer Michael Berryman. Bred by Mr. & Mrs. Bertram Firestone, Dream Voyage is out of the Theatrical mare, Stage Dream.

Monstaleur competed at the 3 1/8 miles distance against seven others, was second at the two mile mark, took control of the field by five heading into the stretch and crossed nine lengths over the closest foe. Forrest Kelly directed the 8 year old Meadow Monster gelding in the $15,000 maiden special weight marathon. Bred by Dr. James Bryant and Linda Davis, Monstaleur finished in 6:54.60 for trainer Blythe Davies. He is out of the Stalwars mare, Taleur.

Class Cherokee (R), winner of the maiden hurdle. Photo courtesy Douglas Lees.

Class Cherokee was solid at Montpelier again, making it back to back years in Orange, Virginia that the 5 year old has scored November victories at the estate of James Madison.  This was the first of Nagle’s four wins, and he chose a stalking type journey after breaking well in the large ten horse field. Class Cherokee came outside from fifth in the second circuit and steadily advanced to edge Powerofone by one half length at the wire. The Richard Valentine trainee was bred by the Mede Cahaba Stable and is a Cherokee Boy’s gelding out Class Excells, by Class Secret. The victor finished the 2 3/8th miles route in 4:44.60.

It’s not often a horse goes off at 34-1 in a six horse field and prevails, but that’s exactly what True Cost did at Penn National last Thursday in a $20,900 six furlong race for ladies. Bred by Anne Tucker, the 5 year old Aisle mare led by 3 1/2 at the top of the stretch, but had to fend off a fast closing trio at the wire  She crossed a neck better than Wild For Love in 1:11.28, and less than a length separated the top four. Out of the Is It True mare, Truly Extravagant, True Cost paid $70.80 for a $2 win bet.

True Cost, bred by Anne Tucker, won November 5th at Penn National after being sent off at 34-1

Unassailable faced the biggest field of this week’s Commonwealth-bred winners and dominated by eight lengths courtesy of a big four wide move in the final turn. The $24,000, 1 1/16 miles test came at Churchill and featured a dozen maiden claiming competitors. The 3 year old Warrior’s Reward gelding made his move before the three-quarters mark and powered by the frontrunners early in the stretch to win going away. Bred by Carolyn Nicewonder Beverly, Unassailable was one of three horses claimed from the race. Out of the Private Account mare, Gone Private, he was claimed for $30,000 by the Midwest Thoroughbreds.

Joe Tess captured a 5 furlong claiming race at Penn National November 5th. The 5 year old Macho Uno gelding was bred by Edward Evans.

Money Tree and Joe Tess, a pair of 5 year old geldings, each won respective six furlong sprints this past week at Turf Paradise and Penn National. The former, by Lawyer Ron out of So Generous by Fly So Free, scored a dominant 7 1/2 length triumph in 1:10.14. Bred by the Morgan’s Ford Farm and trained by Carl O’Callaghan, Money Tree earned the winner’s share of a $8,300 purse courtesy of a five wide move in the turn. The latter, by Macho Uno out of the Gold Fever mare, Forty Moves, went gate-to-wire in his $19,000 race. Bred by Edward Evans, Joe Tess won by three lengths in.1:10.45.

Penn National photos are courtesy of B & D Photography.

The Montpelier Hunt Races are this Saturday November 7th in Orange, Virginia and two of the races are training flat events while the other five are steeplechase races.

The kickoff race, at 12:30 PM, features a field of five Virginia-breds including Pride of the Fleet, a 9 year old son of Parker’s Storm Cat that was bred by the Run Aweigh Stable. He has career earnings of $140,581 and despite 8th and 9th place finishes at Great Meadow this year, did win a fall race there during the 2014 International Gold Cup program. Also in the field are Malibu Dreamer (James Carter), Ritual Way (Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin III), Leith Lane (Mr. & Mrs. Bertram Firestone) and Marvey Marley (James Walters & Teresa Myers), who is a 7 year old daughter of Victory Gallop. The group of five will compete one mile and vie for a $5,000 award, to be spread among the top three finishers in varying percentages.

The Montpelier Hunt Races are always held the first Saturday in November.

Virginia-breds Hooping and Class Cherokee will be among a field of 12 in the $15,000 Madison Plate Hurdle Handicap at 2 3/8ths miles. The former, bred by the Hickory Tree Farms, has a pair of seconds at recent Virginia Equine Alliance events at Great Meadow— Virginia Downs (September 20) and at the Gold Cup card (October 24). The latter, bred by the Mede Cahaba Stable, won at Montpelier last November.

The $15,000 Battleship is a maiden claiming hurdle race featuring Virginia-bred Prima Facie (James Faulk Sr.) and the $25,000 Montpelier Cup, a filly/mare allowance hurdle, includes Ivy Mills (Lazy Lane Farms) in the six horse field. The $20,000 Constitution Hurdle (maiden) and $40,000 Noel Laing Hurdle Handicap round out the steeplechase portion at 2 3/8ths and 2 1/2 miles respectively.

The afternoon concludes with a training flat called the Liberty Cup Allowance at 1 1/2 miles. Virginia-bred Curve Of Stones, bred by the Audley farm, is among a field of ten. Interestingly, 2014 Eclipse Award winner Demonstrative will compete as well. He won as top steeplechase horse last year after rolling to three consecutive Grade I scores. Demonstrative, who races for Virginian Jacqueline Ohrstrom, has amassed over $952,000 in purse earnings. Also in the field are Bob le Beau and Alajmal, who have earned $523,000 and $185,000 respectively.

Demonstrative is the 2014 Eclipse Award winning Steeplechase Horse of the Year – photo courtesy of Twin Spires

The last day to purchase on line tickets to the races is on Friday November 6. More details are at www.montpelierraces.org.

Not to be overshadowed by the Breeders’ Cup Championships last weekend, a pair of Virginia-breds scored impressive wins at Belmont — Just Call Kenny on Halloween Day in an $85,000 allowance race, and Invite in a $75,000 maiden special weight score on October 29th.

The former was bred by Althea Richards and is a 4 year old Jump Start colt out of the Green Dancer mare, Green Jeans. Just Call Kenny rallied from fifth at the half to beat a handful of foes in the 1 1/16 miles race and crossed in 1:41.87, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Day of Fury. Abel Castellano rode for conditioner Patrick McBurney.

Bred by Robin Richards, Just Call Kenny was the Grand Champion of the 2012 Virginia-bred Yearling Futurity.

The latter, a 2 year old Include filly, came four wide from fourth with one quarter to go, got to the front then held off Majesticconfection at the wire by a half length. Invite, who was bred by The Morgan’s Ford Farm and is trained by Bill Mott, finished in 1:42.34 and collected $45,000 for the upset victory. She is out of the Tobasco Cat mare, Cat Alert.

The Morgan’s Ford Farm collected another win the day prior, when 2 year old filly Occasionally was victorious in a one mile, $28,500 maiden special weight race at Penn National. Bred in partnership with the Tiznow Syndicate, Occasionally raced second in the five horse field and surged down the stretch to just edge Miss Coco by one-half length in 1:42.72. The Michael Trombetta trainee is by Tiznow out of the Kris S mare, Never a No Hitter.

Two horses bred by the Lazy Lane Farms had scores this past week. Hunterwood connected in a $10,000 claiming race at Zia Park on Tuesday while Born to Serve won a $17,000 maiden claimer at Del Mar’s fall meet last Thursday. Hunterwood completed the one mile and 70 yard race in 1:43.80, winning by two lengths as betting choice in a large ten horse field.  The 4 year old gelding is by Hansel out of Rixa, by Polish Navy. Born to Serve went gate to wire, and after leading by only a head at the top of the stretch, fought back to win by 1 1/4 lengths lover a stubborn Dirt in Your Face. The 4 year old Colonel John gelding is out of the Two Punch mare, Night Breeze.

Other Virginia-breds to reach the winners circle were Dancing Wish in a $14,000 seven furlong claimer at Charles Town (bred by Darlene Bowlin), Just Funnin’ Ya in a $10,000, 4 1/2 furlong filly/mare claimer at Charles Town (bred by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin) and an aptly named  4 year old colt named Voter Turnout that won during “Election Day” week in a $14,000, 5 1/2 furlong sprint at Gulfstream Park West (bred by Carlos S.E. Moore & Gillian Gordon-Moore.

Stellar Wind (outside) duels with Stopchargingmaria in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. The Virginia-bred was a neck shy at the wire.

Besides Virginia-breds Stellar Wind (2nd in the $2,000,000 Distaff) and Valid (5th in the $1,000,000 Dirt Mile) that ran in last weekend’s Breeders’ Cup Championships, honorable mentions go to a pair that ran at Keeneland on “Cup” weekend — Code West, who was 8th in the Grade II Hagyard Fayette Stakes, and One Go All Go, who finished 4th in a $100,000 under card stakes.

Bred by Albert Coppola, One Go All Go returns to the winners circle at Laurel September 19th after winning the 2015 Grade II, Commonwealth Derby. Jockey Ron Higsby directed the effort.

The 2015 Breeders’ Cup is at Keeneland on Oct. 30 & 31

Here’s a Breeders’ Cup update from Friday’s trio of races that featured horses with Virginia ties!

After a thrilling two horse stretch duel and a five minute steward’s review, Stopchargingmaria’s half length win over Virginia-bred Stellar Wind in the $2 million Longines Distaff held up. Both horses went off at 7-1 and shook free from a crowded 14 horse field in the stretch. The eventual winner, who was inside, bumped the runner-up three times before the finish but not enough in the steward’s minds to overturn the order. Stellar Wind, who has 4 graded stakes wins this year, is a 3-year-old daughter of Curlin and was bred by Peggy Augustus’ Keswick Stables & Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings. The winner, a Todd Pletcher trainee, paid $16.20 and the $2 superfecta combo of 4-9-8-14 paid $9,249.40.

It doesn’t qualify as an “American Trilogy”, but Diplomat got to the winners circle for the third time in the U.S. this year and second since being claimed by the Flying Elvis Stable, in last Saturday’s $50,000 David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial Steeplechase Stakes (Gr. III) at Great Meadow. The 2 1/8 miles stakes highlighted the under card of the annual fall International Gold Cup Day of five steeplechase and four flat events.

Diplomat, sent off as the 2-1 second favorite in a field of seven, was making his 7th start this year since being imported from England after his 2014 campaign. The 6 year old son of Kitten’s Joy, who was bred by Ken & Sarah Ramsey, didn’t come on until the stretch when rider Bernald Dalton led a late surge past four frontrunners. Diplomat crossed six lengths ahead of the consistent runner-up Gustavian in 4:11.0.

Diplomat wins 2015 Zeke Ferguson NSA Stakes

This is the running style our horse needs to duplicate every race now,” said Diplomat’s co-owner Adam Newman who claimed the horse three starts ago. “He was last through most of it today, saved some energy and just came home big. In his last three starts, he’s got to the front and did win the race we claimed him in at Saratoga, but tired late in the other two. We had our eye on him through the whole Saratoga meet and were really surprised he was in for a tag” (on September 2nd).

Newman, who with his younger brother makes up the Flying Elvis Stable, collected his first ever graded stakes win. “My father was into thoroughbred racing with his brother for decades as an owner, so we grew up in the business,” said Newman. “With Diplomat, my brother and I purchased our first steeplechase horse and as it turns out, it’s probably the best bred horse we’ve ever owned. I know this doesn’t happen often,” added Newman when referencing the big victory so soon after purchasing his first steeplechase horse. “I’m not a big fan of claiming, and it doesn’t seem to be a big part of the steeplechase game, but we waited for the right moment and got the right horse.”

Diplomat is trained by Kate Dalton and with the win, sports a 2015 bankroll of $125,000. The name of Newman’s stable came about through random brainstorming with his brother. “With a steeplechase horse, we wanted something with the word soaring, jumping or flying in it. And one of my favorite movies is “Honeymoon In Vegas”, where a bunch of Elvis impersonators end up skydiving.” And that’s how the Flying Elvis Stable came to be.

Gustavian, a 9 year old Giant’s Causeway gelding, earned his 21st “in the money finish” by finishing second and Able Duty, who was making his first start since winning the 2014 “Zeke” Ferguson Stakes, was third.

Grinding Speed wrote another chapter in his storied career at Great Meadow when he captured his third International Gold Cup victory this past Saturday to complement a pair of spring Gold Cup triumphs.

The 9 year old Grindstone gelding charged to the top spot in the 3 1/2 mile marathon contested over timber fences with only four jumps to go. Personal Brew set the pace early, mid and in the near late going with a front running journey over nine other contenders. After catching a brief breather mid race, Grinding Speed and Dakota Slew came on with a rush with a mile left to pass the fading leader and waged a three horse battle with Straight To It to the wire.

Personal Brew leads the 2015 International Gold Cup as the field encounters an obstacle

The annual Breeders’ Cup Championships will be held this Friday & Saturday, October 30 & 31 at Keeneland and there are 7 horses entered that have ties to Virginia! If you haven’t yet done so, open an on line betting account and wager all the action with any of our partners — TVG, XpressBet and Twin Spires. A piece of every dollar bet goes toward the purses Virginia horses compete for throughout the year.

Here is the “Cup” television broadcast schedule:

*Friday October 30 – NBC Sports Network from 3-6 PM
*Saturday October 31 – NBC Sports Network from 1-4 PM
*Saturday October 31 – NBC from 4-6 PM

Highland Sky, bred by Virginia Thoroughbred Association member and Manassas, VA resident Bonner Young, is a long shot at 30-1 in the $2,000,000 Juvenile Turf, which will go to post Friday at 3:30 PM. This “Cup” race is the first of 13 which will be contested over the two days. Out of Kristi With a K, a grade 3 placed mare bred and raced by Young, the 2 year old daughter of Sky Mesa has only two life starts — a win at Saratoga Labor Day weekend and a fourth most recently in the Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont September 26th. She was bred and raised in Kentucky. Cornelio Velasquez will ride for trainer Barclay Tagg. 

Wicked Strong is 5-1 in the $1,000,000 Las Vegas Dirt Mile, which is scheduled for Friday at 4:10 PM, and can be seen on the NBC Sports Network. The 4 year old is by Hard Spun out of Mayne Abbey, by Charismatic. Owned by a Centennial Farms Partnership that includes Maggie Bryant, Wicked Strong received his early training from Paula Parsons at Centennial’s facility in Middleburg. He beat 2014 Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist in the 2014 Jim Dandy Stakes (Gr. II) at Saratoga. John Velazquez will ride Friday for trainer James Jerkens. In 18 career starts, Wicked Strong has 3 wins, 4 seconds and 3 thirds, good for $1,934,460 in earnings. 

Virginia-bred Valid is 10-1 in the Dirt Mile. A 5 year old son of Medaglia d’Oro, Valid was a $500,000 yearling from the next to last crop of Ned Evans’s homebreds. He is out of the Grand Slam mare Grand Prayer. This year, Valid won the Grade III Iselin Stakes August 30th at Monmouth (shown above – photo courtesy of Bill Denver)and the Fred W. Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream February 7th. From 31 career outs, he has 10 wins, 7 runner-up finishes and 6 thirds. Nick Juarez will ride Friday for trainer Marcus Vitali.

Red Vine, at 6-1, will challenge the above duo in the Dirt Mile. The 4 year old son of Candy Ride was purchased by Virginia Equine Alliance President Debbie Easter at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Florida two year old sale for Californian’s Jon and Sarah Kelly, and is coming into the race fresh off a pair of nice efforts. He was third in the Grade I Pacific Classic at Del Mar August 22nd and was a solid second in the Grade II Kelso Handicap at Belmont prior. Joel Rosario will be in the irons for trainer Christophe Clement. The consistent Red Vine has bankrolled $565,715 from 17 “in the money” finishes in 19 starts.

Hronis Racing’s Stellar Wind and jockey Victor Espinoza win the Grade I $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks Saturday, April 4, 2015 at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA.
©Benoit Photo

Virginia-bred Stellar Wind will compete in the $2,000,000 Longines Distaff, which highlights the card Friday at 5:35 PM. The 3-year-old daughter of Curlin is 12-1 early and competes in a large field of 14 — Curlin of course was the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner. Stellar Wind was bred by Peggy Augustus’ Keswick Stables & Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, and is out of the Malibu Moon mare Evening Star. She was sold as a yearling for $40,000 at the Fasig-Tipton fall auction in Maryland. Two months later, she was resold to Barbara Houck for $86,000. After breaking her maiden impressively at Laurel Park, she was sold privately by Houck and trainer Donald Barr to current owner Kosta Hronis. After winning the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes and Santa Anita Oaks (Gr. I) this spring, Stellar Wind was the favorite in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks, but ended up finishing fourth. Since, she has added another pair of graded stakes wins to her resume. Victor Espinosa will ride for trainer John Sadler.

The stellar Breeders’ Cup $5,000,000 Classic field is the showcase of Saturday’s card and ten elite horses will go to post at 5:35 PM. Two of the entrants have Virginia ties and both are early co-third choices at 6-1. Tonalist, the 2014 Belmont Stakes winner, was bred in Kentucky by Lauren & Rene Woolcott but raised at their Woodslane Farm in The Plains. The 4 year old son of Tapit, who has bankrolled $3.1 million from only 14 starts, will be ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Christophe Clement. Tonalist has earned $1,145,000 this year alone. He is shown above winning the 2014 Jim Dandy Stakes (photo courtesy of Chelsea Durand)

Honor Code (shown below, photo courtesy of Kenny Martin), winner of the 2015 Grade I Whitney Stakes and the Metropolitan Handicap, will get the services of jockey Javier Castellano.  A son of A.P. Indy, Honor Code has earned over $2 million in his career and has finished in the top three in 9 of his 10 career outs. Honor Code was bed by the Dell Ridge Farm,which also co-owns the horse with Lane’s End Racing. Sarge Reynolds, who is the Virginia Racing Commission Chairman, is a partner in Lane’s End Racing.

The star studded “Classic” field includes 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, 5-year-old mare Beholder who beat the boys in the Pacific Classic, and Travers winner Keen Ice among others.

Complete St. and Renown, two horses that captured Virginia Equine Association (VEA) events in September, rolled to victories on the flat at Great Meadow Saturday afternoon during the 78th running of the International Gold Cup program.

The $35,000 Old Dominion Turf Championship has drawn a full field of 12 Virginia-breds, and will close out the International Gold Cup card at Great Meadow this Saturday. The 9 race program features pari-mutuel wagering and tailgating with 35,000 of your closest friends!

Horses race for the finish at the Virginia Downs event at Great Meadow September 20th

Lilith Boucher’s Complete St. (shown below) is early “Turf” favorite at 3-1. Fresh off a victory in the $60,000 Brookmeade Stakes September 26th at Laurel, the 5 year old St. Averil mare brings a hefty bankroll of $173,000 into the race. Second choice at 4-1 is a Susan Cooney trainer named Gumper. The 4 year old Even The Score gelding finished 5th in last month’s Bert Allen Stakes, but captured a turf claimer at Delaware Park in his start prior. Third early pick is Silver Frame at 6-1 for trainer Jonathan Sheppard. The 5 year old Northern Afleet mare was 6th in the Brookemeade Stakes, but only finished 2 1/2 lengths behind Complete St. The trio of early contenders were bred respectively by the Mede Cahaba Stable, Quest Realty and William Backer.

Complete St. wins the 2015 Brookemeade Stakes with all time Virginia leading rider Horacio Karamanos up

Several other horses from recent Virginia Equine Association (VEA) sponsored events will compete, including two others from Boucher’s stable — Mushroom King and Jump Ship — who will vie in different $40,000 allowance races. Both competed at the VEA’s Virginia Downs event at Great Meadow on September 20th and took respective 1st & 2nd place finishes in maiden special weight company that day.

Trainer Elizabeth Voss, who scored a big allowance win with Renown at the same Virginia Downs event, returns to Great Meadow Saturday where her 4 year old Champs Elysees gelding (Great Britain-bred) competes in the $45,000 Open Flat Allowance. Despite his win in Virginia a month ago, Renown is 8-1 early in a field of 12. Jonathan Sheppard’s Rum Rum Tugger is early choice at 3-1.

Post time Saturday is at 12 Noon. The first 5 races are steeplechase events and the final 4 are flat ones that filled completely with fields of 12 each. Featured jump races are the $50,000 David “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial (Gr. III) at 2 1/4 miles (4th race) and the 78th running of the $75,000 International Gold Cup Timber Stakes at 3 1/2 miles (5th race).

More details are at www.virginiaequinealliance.com

(Photos courtesy of Jim McCue and Kurtis Coady)