Kosta Hronis played a bit coy earlier in the week about Stellar Wind‘s chances in her second try against Beholder.

He gushed about the honor of being able to run against the three-time champion in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch (gr. I), but showed no interest in ducking her on their home turf. The owner also made sure to stress one point.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Hronis said. “We like our horse.”

Now everyone knows why.… Continue reading →

Nyquist vs. Exaggerated and Beholder vs. Virginia-bred Stellar Wind. Four of the biggest names in horse racing will compete in two of the biggest stakes races of the weekend — the $1,000,000 Haskell Invitational (Monmouth) and $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes (Del Mar), both Grade I events. And, two more horses with Virginia ties — Rapid Rhythm and Disco Barbie — are entered into weekend stakes. If you don’t have an on line betting account yet … Continue reading →

Two of the three Virginia-bred stakes winners from the inaugural Mid-Atlantic Day racing event at Pimlico June 25th returned to action this past weekend and got a first and second place finish. Queen Caroline, who captured the $60,000 Nellie Mae Cox Stakes that day, won the $100,000 TaWee Stakes at Indiana Grand July 20th while 9-year-old Two Notch Road, winner of the $60,000 White Oak Farm Stakes a month ago, finished second in a $47,000 allowance optional… Continue reading →

Three owners of Virginia-bred horses collected a 25% bonus in addition to their purse earnings this past weekend courtesy of a new HBPA/VTA bonus incentive program, which is still in its first month. Respective wins by Service for Ten, Lime House Louie and Money Tree gave owners Mark Lapidus, LLC, the Wildcard Stables and Stoneybrook Thoroughbreds Inc. the extra bonus.

Service for Ten captured a $45,000 allowance optional claiming race Sunday at Laurel with a last to first second… Continue reading →

VIRGINIA RACING COMMISSION APPOINTS DAVID LERMOND AS ITS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

(RICHMOND, VA—7/22/16)—-The Virginia Racing Commission (VRC) announced today that it has appointed Dave Lermond to serve as its Executive Secretary, effective June 25th.

Lermond had been the Acting Executive Secretary since early March, when former Executive Secretary Bernard Hettel stepped down from that position. Lermond had previously been the VRC’s Deputy Executive Secretary and Fiscal Officer since 2008 and currently serves on the Model Rules Committee for the Association of… Continue reading →

Virginia-bred horses Ghost Is Fine and Explore each won a claiming race at Mountaineer Park Monday night, each got the winner’s share of identical $6,300 purses, and each earned a 25% bonus for their respective owners as part of the new HPBA/VTA Virginia-bred owner’s bonus program.

SECOND CASE OF EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS IN A VIRGINIA HORSE THIS YEAR

~ Disease has a 80 to 90 percent mortality so prevention is key ~

 The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) today announced the second case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in a Virginia horse this year. The horse, a thoroughbred, was from Suffolk. The horse had been vaccinated and is recovering. Without vaccination the mortality rate is 80 to 90 percent.

VDACS received confirmation… Continue reading →

On line betting handle in Virginia continued a recent upward trend during the month of June as the three licensed Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) companies combined to handle 6% more than they did in June, 2015.

TVG, which has consistently led the way in handle figures every month since Colonial Downs’ EZ Horseplay went out of business last April, handled $3,014,242 in June wagers. Twin Spires was next with $2,689,609 and XPressBet was third with… Continue reading →