Monthly Archives: January 2021

Virginia-Bred Stakes Winner Largent Is Second Favorite in Saturday’s $1 Million Pegasus World Cup Turf

Virginia-bred Largent, winner of the Edward P. Evans stakes last summer at Colonial Downs, will compete in Saturday’s (January 23) prestigious Grade I, Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes, which has a purse of $1 Million. The stakes will be held on the same card as the $3 Million Pegasus World Cup Invitational and five additional graded stakes at Miami’s Gulfstream Park.

Largent (#1) en route to a tight victory in the Bert Allen Stakes. Photo by Jim McCue.

The 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding is the second early favorite at 9-2, behind only Colonel Liam, another Pletcher trainee, who is 7-2. A total of 12 horses will compete 1 3/16th miles in Gulfstream’s 11th race, scheduled for 4:59 PM.

Largent is a Todd Pletcher trainee and was bred by Lazy Lane Farms in Upperville, Virginia. After breaking his maiden in 2019 and winning two allowance races at Gulfstream early in 2020, Largent captured the stakes win on Colonial’s Secretariat Turf Course last summer. He followed that with another Virginia-bred stakes triumph in the Bert Allen Stakes at Laurel last October and most recently, authored a come from behind win in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream after being sent off at odds of nearly 17-1.

Largent wins the 2020 Edward P. Evans Stakes at Colonial Downs July 29. Photo by Coady Photography.

Overall, Largent has six wins and three runner-up finishes from nine career starts, good for purse earnings of $314,470. He is owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and was purchased for $460,000 at the 2017 Keeneland Yearling Sale. He is out of the Unbridled mare, Life in Seattle.

Fans can wager the race at any Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in Richmond, Hampton, New Kent, Vinton and Dumfries, at any VA-Horseplay OTB in Henrico (Breakers Sports Grille), Chesapeake (Buckets Bar & Grill) and Collinsville (Windmill OTB Sports Grill), and online at TVG.com, Xpressbet.com, Twinspires.com and NYRAbets.com. Both Pegasus stakes can be seen on NBC between 4:30 – 6:00 PM.

Largent is shown after winning the Bert Allen Stakes at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Colonial Downs opens its third season of pari-mutuel thoroughbred racing under the ownership of the Colonial Downs Group on July 19, and will continue a seven week meet every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday through September 1. The track’s signature race — the Grade 3 Virginia Derby — will be held on August 31.

Central Virginia Horse Farms Continue to Thrive In Cold Weather Months

Here are pictures from a recent tour of thoroughbred horse farms in Central Virginia while checking on horses in the VTA’s lucrative Certified Residency program. Meet the farm owners below and check out their surroundings. This trip was made on a recent January day, probably the coldest of the season so far. The farms are located in Free Union (Ruxton Farm), Charlottesville (Big Lick Farm), Crozet (Braeburn Training Center), Somerset, New Canton (Southwoods Farm) and Palmyra (Byrd Hill Farm). A complete list of farms in the Certified program is available at vabred.org.

Ruxton Farm is in Free Union, about 15 miles north of Charlottesville.

Ruxton Farm owner Raleigh Minor with her “go-to” assistant Wilson Steppe.

Raleigh Minor with a 2020 Munnings colt at Ruxton Farm.

Horse owner William Dove II is based in Somerset and shares barn space with trainer David Bourke.

Attorney and horse owner William Dove II is with a 2020 colt by Palace Malice out of Southern Belle, who he nicknamed “Pigpen”.

Big Lick Farm is located in Charlottesville and currently houses 27 horses.

Virginia-Certified horses Graft and Lothario enjoy time at Big Lick Farm. The 2020 colts are by Gun Runner and The Factor respectively.

Big Lick Farm, owned by Reid & Sarah Nagle, features beautifully manicured grounds.

Braeburn Training Center in Crozet is owned by Patrick Nuesch.

Braeburn features a training track, two large barns and plenty of turnout areas nestled at the base of the Blue Ridge mountains.

Patrick Nuesch stays busy tending to 25-plus horses at Braeburn.

Owner Jeanette Reck and her son, trainer Chris Reck at Southwoods Farm in New Canton with Virginia-Certified Zitrone and Sara The Great.

Chris Reck comes back from Penn National to spend winters at the family farm in New Canton to help with upkeep. It is located just south of Fork Union Military Academy.  

A view looking out from the barn at Southwoods Farm.

Polly Bance of Byrd Hill Farm in Palmyra has four Certified horses on her grounds for Howard Brown of Brown Dog Racing.

The entrance to 350 acre Byrd Hill Farm in Palmyra. There is plenty of room on site to accommodate more horses in the Virginia-Certified program.

A 2019 Uncle Lino gelding, 2020 Hoppertunity colt and 2020 Hoppertunity filly enjoy a meal at Byrd Hill Farm.

‘Favorable Setup’ Allows Virginia-Bred Bella Aurora To Prevail In Aqueduct’s Interborough Stakes

by  | 01.18.2021 | 5:06pm

Congratulations to Virginia-Bred Bella Aurora, who won the $100,000 Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct on January 18 after being sent off at odds of 37-1! The 4-year-old Carpe Diem filly was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm and got her second stakes victory — she previously won the 2019 Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel. Overall, she has earnings of $223,140 from 12  career starts and four wins. The following recap appeared in The Paulick Report.

Bella Aurora captured the Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct Jan. 18. Photo by Alysse Jacobs.

Country Life Farm’s Bella Aurora made her first start in New York a memorable one, surging up the rail in the stretch and finishing a one-length winner as a 37-1 longshot in Monday’s $100,000 Interborough for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Bella Aurora, a mainstay at Laurel Park in Maryland, hit the wire first for the first time in 13 months, notching her second career stakes score.

Making her 4-year-old debut, the Michael Trombetta trainee rallied from last-of-six, as Alisio led the six-horse field through a contested opening quarter-mile in 22.78 seconds and the half in 46.50 on the fast main track.

Interborough Stakes winner Bella Aurora was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm. Photo by Joe Labozzetta.

Out of the turn, jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr. altered his initial plans to tip-out wide and instead capitalized on an open seam inside. His charge thrived with running room in front, powering down the lane to overtake a bunched-up field. Vargas, Jr. kept Bella Aurora to task as she completed the seven-furlong sprint in 1:25.63 for her first victory since the Gin Talking in December 2019 at Laurel.

“I just tried to get her relaxed and make one move,” Vargas, Jr. said. “By the turn, she was taking me places and I thought if she kept doing that well we’ll be all right. When the rail opened up, she went through there and just went for it.

“At the turn, I was trying to save some ground and then work my way out,” he added. “But the hole opened up so big I just went straight in there and got the job done.”

Bella Aurora, the longest shot on the board, returned $76.50 on a $2 win wager. Bred in Virginia by Morgan’s Ford Farm, the Carpe Diem filly increased her career earnings to $223,140.

“Today, she got a favorable set up,” Trombetta said. “Jorge did such a good job with her. He saved ground and was patient enough that when the opportunity along the rail became available, he had enough horse to grab it.”

Bella Aurora has $223,140 in earnings after winning her second career stakes. Photo by Chelsea Durand.

Bella Aurora improved to 4-1-4 in 12 career starts.

“This was such a nice surprise,” Trombetta said. “We’re going to have to figure out what the new plan looks like.”

Needs Supervision, an 8-1 choice, bested Saguaro Row by a neck to complete the high-priced exacta [$195.50] in her first start at the Big A since finishing fourth in the 2019 Grade 3 Go for Wand.

“I thought I was in a good spot, but they got me pinched there around the turn and I lost my momentum a little bit,” Needs Supervision jockey Manny Franco said. “When I came out, my filly started running.”

Portal Creek, the 4-5 favorite, Call On Mischief and Alisio completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

Virginia-Certified Street Lute, Virginia-Bred Kenny Had a Notion, Both Win Laurel Stakes

Congratulations to Virginia-Certified Street Lute and Virginia-Bred Kenny Had a Notion, who both had $100,000 stakes wins at Laurel on January 16! The former collected her 6th win from 7 career starts — and 4th stakes win in a row — while the latter earned his 4th win from 7 starts. Three-year-old Street Lute, whose Virginia residency was spent at at Diana McClure’s DMC Carousel Racing Stable in Berryville, increased her bankroll to $350,000 by winning the Xtra Heat Stakes. Kenny Had a Notion, who was bred by Althea Richards, increased his lifetime earnings to $211,175 with a victory in the Spectacular Bid Stakes. The following recap appeared in The Racing Biz and came from a Laurel press release.

Street Lute cruised in the Xtra Heat. Photo by Jerry Dzierwinski.

Lucky 7 Stables’ Street Lute, cutting back to six furlongs for the first time in two months, ran her win streak to four races, all in stakes, with a dominant five-length triumph in the $100,000 Xtra Heat.

A neck shy of being undefeated in seven career starts, Street Lute ($2.80) ran six furlongs in 1:10.31 over a fast main track under regular rider Xavier Perez in her 3-year-old season opener.

“The horses, they all improve after they win and she’s done nothing but win, so she expects to win,” winning trainer John ‘Jerry’ Robb said. “I think that helps.”

Perez and Street Lute were outrun for the early lead by Trip to Freedom, the Maryland Million Lassie show finisher who went the first quarter-mile in 22.51 seconds. Street Lute, racing in the clear two wide, eased up to take over the top spot following a half in 45.64 and kept rolling, opening up by five lengths heading for home.

“It’s easy to say now, but I kept looking for the fractions to make sure [Perez] was going easy and apparently he was,” Robb said. “I was confident coming into today but after watching the races today and all the closers were winning every race, I was a little nervous from that.”

Miss Leslie, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Ann Arundel County in her previous start, ran second to snap her three-race win streak. It was 3 ¾ lengths back to 30-1 long shot Breeze Off the Bay, who edged Whiskey and Rye by a neck for third. It Can, Plane Drunk, Trip to Freedom and Incomparable completed the order of finish.

Street Lute overcame an eye injury and subsequent surgery to win her debut, delayed to September at Delaware Park. The Street Magician filly won the Small Wonder in her second start and got caught at the wire in the Maryland Million Lassie before reeling off consecutive wins in the Smart Halo, Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship and Gin Talking, the latter Dec. 26.

Robb tied Mike Trombetta for second overall among all trainers with 43 wins in Maryland last year. It was Trombetta’s Miss Nondescript that edged Street Lute in the Lassie.

Kenny Had a Notion proved narrowly best in the Spectacular Bid. Photo by Jerry Dzierwinski.

“The whole barn’s been doing good, not just her,” Robb said. “We’ve been having a great meet, thanks to everyone.”

Last run at Pimlico in 2007, the Xtra Heat honors the Maryland-based Hall of Fame mare and champion 3-year-old filly of 2001 that won 26 of 35 career starts, captured 25 stakes including the Prioress (G1), and was second against the boys in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), both during her championship season.

In the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid, for sophomores, Kenny Had a Notion gutted out a neck victory over favored Maythehorsebewithu. It was the Virginia-bred Great Notion gelding’s third stakes win.

“He’s just gotten better,” winning trainer Dale Capuano said. “His first race when he won at Delaware, he ran a decent race but not that fast. Then the next time was on an off track and he didn’t run well. Then he won on the turf and in the Maryland Million. The turf race seemed to turn him around.”

 

2020 Online Betting Handle On Horse Racing In Virginia Rose 56% Over Prior Year

Handle figures from Virginia’s four partner Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) companies — TVG, Xpressbet, Twinspires and NYRABets — began to grow markedly in early spring then continued to surge throughout the rest of the year as more tracks came on board. Even when Virginia OTBs and simulcast centers in Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums reopened in early July, online wagering continued to blossom. By year’s end, online handle had grown by 56.4% over 2019’s figures with $135,486,989 in wagers placed, versus $86,629,347 the year prior.

A ribbon cutting was held January 8 to usher the newest Rosie’s is Dumfries.

Top handle producer of the ADWs was TVG, whose $70,827,157 handle represented a 70.80% gain over last year’s $41,468,459. Despite the fact that all three legs of the Triple Crown were delayed — including the Kentucky Derby and Preakness which are normally held in May — TVG’s biggest handle producing month was May with $8,362,852. TVG averaged $193,487 in bets per day, highest of the four ADWs.

Twinspires was next with $39,771,460, a 32.69% increase over last year’s $29,972,433. They had their best month in July, handling $4,812,192 in wagers. On average, Twinspires took in wagers of $108,661 per day.

Up to 20 tracks per day are available to wager in every OTB/simulcast center.

Xpressbet, third in overall handle, experienced a 53.07% boost while accepting $18,209,171 in wagers compared with $11,896,242 in 2019. Their most successful month was July as well when they handled $2,022,934. Xpressbet’s daily average take was $49,771.

NYRABets, newest of the four online partners, had a triple digit business increase over 2019. Their 2020 handle of $6,679,199 was 102.8% better than last year’s $3,292,212. Their biggest producing month on thoroughbreds came in August ($815,413) when the annual Saratoga meet was in full swing and major graded stakes were scheduled there each weekend.

Turning to brick and mortar sites, $2,089,784 million was wagered in December on horse racing action at Virginia’s seven OTBs — the four at Rosie’s Gaming Centers in New Kent, Vinton, Richmond and Hampton, and the three VA-Horseplay sites in Henrico (Breakers), Chesapeake (Buckets) and Collinsville (The Windmill). Breakers was the top handle producing venue with $486,010 and for the year, handled $5,048,467. Buckets was next with $494,526 and for the year, handled $4,824,197. The Rosie’s in Hampton was third with $318,604 and overall, handled $3,641,887 in 2020.

Breakers is located in the Ollie’s Shopping Center in Henrico, at 9127 W. Broad Street between Parham and Gaskins Roads.

Heading into mid-January, wagering should continue to remain strong with winter’s biggest stake race coming up and Kentucky Derby prep race season about to hit full stride.

The $3 Million Pegasus World Cup (Gr. I) is slated for Gulfstream Park on Saturday January 23. The stakes-filled card also includes the $1 Million Pegasus World Cup Turf (Gr. I), $200,000 Inside Information Stakes (Gr. 2), $150,000 William McKnight (Gr. 2), $150,000 Marshua’s River (Gr. 3), $150,000 La Prevoyante (Gr. 3) and $150,000 Fred Hooper (Gr. 3).

Major upcoming Derby preps include the Holy Bull and Robert Lewis (Jan. 30), Withers and Sam Davis (Feb. 6), San Vicente (Feb. 7), Risen Star and El Camino Real Derby (Feb. 13), Southwest (Feb. 15) and Fountain of Youth (Feb. 27).

2020 Virginia Breeders Fund Awards Pay 40% For Wins at Tracks in North America

Virginia-bred Largent’s three stakes and two allowance wins in 2020 triggered an $81,738 Virginia Breeders Fund bonus award for Lazy Lane Farm in Upperville, tops among any horse and breeding farm in the Commonwealth. Virginia Breeders awards took a big step forward in 2020, averaging 40% of each winning purse at tracks across North America compared with 22% in 2019.

“I’m extremely excited that the Virginia breeders are starting to reap the rewards from the growing revenue streams we have now in Virginia,” said Virginia Thoroughbred Association Executive Director Debbie Easter. “We certainly don’t breed as many horses as we once did, but I have to believe that our breeders are as happy as they have ever been. What other state pays a 40% breeders bonus for a win anywhere in North America? What’s even better is I expect that percentage to increase in the coming years. Right now, it really pays to breed horses in Virginia.”

Largent (#1) en route to a tight victory in the Bert Allen Stakes. Photo by Jim McCue.

Lazy Lane Farm in Upperville topped all breeders with $176,385 in overall bonus earnings courtesy of 17 winners. Largent, a Todd Pletcher trainee that is headed to the Grade I Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, led the way with five wins including a pair of early season allowance scores at Gulfstream, Virginia-bred wins in the Edward P. Evans and Bert Allen Stakes, and a season-topper in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale Stakes, good for a $25,000 bonus. Lazy Lane’s Creative Genius also chipped in with four wins from a busy 13-start year.

Mr. & Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin III were next with 13 wins and bonus earnings of $119,993. Five different horses won a pair of races including Virginia Beach, who delivered a $18,997 bonus in capturing the M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes at Laurel. Attachment Rate, Holding Fast, Hold Me Black and Assume each had two wins while their Passion Play, with an allowance win at Delaware, produced a $15,958 bonus.

Virginia Beach prevailed in the M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes. Photo by Jim McCue.

Audley Farm Equine was third in bonus winnings of $63,199 with seven wins. Tasting the Stars tied for the fourth highest bonus, $18,997, by winning the Brookmeade Stakes. The 5-year-old Bodemeister mare is 4-for-6 lifetime but made only two starts in 2020. Steeplechase jumper Curve of Stones earned a pair of $6,332 bonuses by winning the National Sporting Library Stakes in Middleburg and the International Gold Cup at Great Meadow.

Morgan’s Ford Farm was next with Breeders prize earnings of $59,526 from nine winners circle trips. Chess Chief, a 5-year-old Into Mischief horse trained by Dallas Stewart, captured a pair of allowance races at Fair Grounds while Lynchburg recorded a maiden special weight win at Colonial Downs last summer. Bear Trappe and Appraised chipped in with two wins apiece.

Tasting The Stars won the Brookmeade Stakes October 9 at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Jim & Katie FitzGerald bankrolled $55,923 in bonuses from eight winners. Tan and Tight, a 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare, delivered their bonus high of $15,789 from a maiden special weight score at Aqueduct while Soldado’s two allowance wins at Gulfstream returned a pair of $11,000-plus rewards.

Kenny Had a Notion’s trio of wins gave breeder Althea Richards a series of five-digit bonuses. The now 3-year-old Great Notion gelding connected in late July with a maiden special weight triumph at Delaware followed by wins in the Jamestown and Maryland Million Nursery Stakes, both at Laurel. The three combined to produce $54,882 in awards.

Kenny Had a Notion, in the winners circle after capturing the Jamestown Stakes. Photo by Jim McCue.

The William Backer Revocable Trust parlayed ten wins into awards of $44,411, topped by Day Dayenu’s maiden special weight win at Woodbine and a $13,050 bonus. Divine Interventio had three victories, which helped lead the 8-year-old Malibu Moon gelding to his 30th career “top three” finish. Hilltop Harmony and First Talent also collected a pair of wins.

Larry Johnson, Chance Farm and Carlos Moore & Jill Gordon-Moore round out the list of breeders that scored total reward monies of $30,000 or more. Nine-year-old Sir Rockport, bred by Johnson’s Legacy Farm, continued a series of strong late career showings with six wins in 2020. The son of Rockport Harbor also had five in 2019. He has now recorded 11 of 15 lifetime scores as either a 7 or 8-year-old. Brooke Royster’s Chance Farm rode Upgrade Me’s success as a 4-year-old to four individual bonus outings, though Red Pepper Mill’s maiden special weight triumph at Colonial last summer produced a $10,132 payday. Boldor’s  allowance win at Oaklawn last winter triggered the third highest breeders bonus, $22,290, for the Moore’s. The 5-year-old Munnings gelding is trained by Steve Asmussen.

Sir Rockport won a combined 11 races races as a 7 & 8-year-old the past two years. Photo by Jim McCue.

A total of $50,000 in stallion awards were distributed among three owners with 15 winners and combined purse earnings of $345,510. Horses sired by Smallwood Farms’ Friend or Foe won six and took $34,470 of the stallion reward pool. Mr. Buff led the way again with a trio of stakes scores in New York — the Haynesfield, Jazil and the Empire Classic Handicap. The 7-year-old gelding has amassed $1.2 million from 15 lifetime outs. In 2020 alone, he bankrolled $307,500. Goodluckchuck, sired by Anne Bonda Hartman’s Big Picture, won three races at Laurel to produce a $10,002 bonus payout. Four different horses by Susan Minor’s Fierce Wind got to the winners circle a combined six times last year.

Rob Bailes trainee Goodluckchuck went 5-wide in the stretch to win November 26 at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Between Virginia-bred and stallion awards, $1 million in bonus monies will be distributed via the Breeders Fund. A total of 32 different breeders shared in the prize pool, which came from 137 winning Virginia-bred horses that accumulated purse earnings of $2,308,840.

The Virginia Breeders Fund is generated by one percent of every dollar wagered in Virginia on live racing and via OTB and ADW betting. Each year, the Virginia Racing Commission approves how the money in the Fund is allocated. A large portion is set aside for payments to breeders of registered Virginia-breds that win races at any track in North America. There is a $25,000 cap on any single award.

Virginia Racing Continues To Move Forward — Newest Rosie’s Gaming Emporium Opened In Dumfries January 8

Dumfries, VA – January 8, 2021 – At a ceremonial outdoor and socially distanced ribbon cutting, Colonial Downs Group announced today that Rosie’s Gaming Emporium is now open in Dumfries, Va. Rosie’s, located in the Triangle Shopping Plaza convenient to Interstate 95, features 150 slots-like gaming machines, simulcast horse racing, restaurant and bar.

Colonial Downs Group officials joined dignitaries from Dumfries in a ribbon cutting January 8.

At the event, Rosie’s displayed its commitment to community by donating $76,500 to five local charities; the Boys and Girls Club of Dumfries, the Prince William County Foundation, Paws for Purple Hearts, Kappa Lambda Chi military fraternity and the Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.

Colonial Downs officials presented a $50,000 check to the Boys & Girls Club of Dumfries.

Aaron Gomes, chief operating officer of Colonial Downs Group, stated, “It is very exciting to be opening our fifth Rosie’s in Virginia. The opening of this Rosie’s adds to our tremendous success in Virginia and enters us into Northern Virginia.”

Paws for Purple Hearts received a check from the Colonial Downs Group at the grand opening.

“The Dumfries location builds on our commitment to create more than one thousand jobs and generate significant tax revenues across the Commonwealth by bringing together gaming enthusiasts and the community to experience an exciting and fun activity,” added Gomes.

Up to 20 tracks per day will be available to wager in the OTB/simulcast center in Dumfries.

Rick Casagrande, general manager at the Dumfries location, said, “I am so pleased to be part of the expansion of gaming in Virginia. Our team is fully committed to delivering a fun experience and economic development to the Prince William community.” Casagrande has decades of experience in the gaming industry, most recently at Fitz Casino and Hotel in Mississippi.

GM Rick Casagrande stands in front of Rosie’s as its doors opened and the crowd began to filter in.

Rosie’s in Dumfries will be open Sunday – Thursday from 8 am to 2 am and Friday and Saturday from 8am to 4 am. It will create more than 100 jobs in Dumfries and generate approximately $705,000 in annual tax revenue for the Town of Dumfries, increasing annual town revenue by approximately 20%.

The Dumfries location has 150 historical horse racing terminals spread between smoking, non-smoking & high limit areas.

Colonial Downs Group and its five Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums will generate over $32 million in state and local taxes annually and has created upwards of 1,000 jobs statewide with an annual payroll of more than $30 million.

Officials from Dumfries took part in the ribbon cutting at Rosie’s, which is located in the Triangle Shopping Center on Route 1.

About Colonial Downs: Colonial Downs Group is a proud business operator in Virginia and with the opening of its fifth location in Dumfries will employ more than 1,000 team members in the Commonwealth, paying over $30 million in annual salaries, wages, and benefits. Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums in Richmond, Hampton, New Kent, Vinton, and Dumfries offer innovative historic horseracing (HHR) gaming technology and full card simulcasting.

The Dumfries location has a restaurant which serves the famous Rosie’s burger, fries, donuts and many other items.

Colonial Downs racetrack in New Kent County hosts live thoroughbred racing on two nationally renowned surfaces – Secretariat Turf Course, the widest turf course in North America at 180 feet wide and on a 1 1/4 mile dirt track, second in length to only the world-famous Belmont Park. 

Fan can register to win a new car as part of grand opening festivities at the Dumfries site.

Colonial Downs Group has made a $300 million investment in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Through its “Rosie’s Gives Back” program, Colonial Downs Group has made monetary and in-kind donations of more than $1.1 million and has logged over 1,100 service hours in Virginia communities. The company pays more than $32 million in annual state and local taxes plus an additional $12 million in racing industry payments annually.

2021 Virginia Stallion Season Auction – February 10, 2021

Virginia Stallion Season Auction | February 10, 2021

Save money and buy No Guarantee seasons at the Virginia Stallion Season Auction February 10th. Check out our large list of quality seasons at vabred.org which is updated daily. Many of our seasons are owned by breeding right holders who are motivated to sell.

Want to secure a Stand and Nurse or No Guarantee season prior to February 10th? Call Debbie Easter at 434-531-2480 

Four VA-Certified Horses From Ingleside Training Reach Winners Circle During New Year’s Week

The last few days of 2020 and first few of 2021 saw a total of 17 Virginia-Certified horses reach the winners circle, including four that spent their six-month residency in the Commonwealth at Woodbery Payne’s Ingleside Training Center in Montpelier Station — War Tocsin, My My Girl, Left Leaning Lucy and Oh My Papa.

War Tocsin captured a seven-furlong, $40,000 allowance race at Parx December 30 while pushing his career bankroll to $135,043. The 5-year-old Violence gelding, a Kentucky-bred, is owned by Trin-Brook Stables, Inc. My My Girl was best in a $42,801 waiver maiden claimer at Laurel January 3 in a gate-to-wire performance. The 3-year-old Dialed In filly dominated as the 1-5 heavy betting choice and crossed the wire 4 3/4 lengths in front. The Maryland-bred previously finished second in her lifetime bow— a maiden special weight — and is owned by Down The Stretch Racing.

My My Girl wins a waiver maiden claimer at Laurel January 3. Photo by Jim McCue.

The final two winners from Ingleside were New York-breds that each finished first in recent claiming races at Aqueduct. Left Leaning Lucy is a David Donk trainee that gained her second career win. The 4-year-old The Lumber Guy filly boosted her earnings to $61,610 for owners Ochre House Stable and Boston Boyz Racing. Oh My Papa is a 5-year-old Discreet Cat gelding whose bankroll shot into six-digit range with the win, to $103,373. A coast-to-coast winner by 3 1/2 lengths, he is trained and co-owned by Rudy Rodriguez with Michael Imperio and now has three wins to go with a pair of seconds and thirds.

It was fitting that breeder/owner Larry Johnson’s Xmasinthecity won during yuletide season. The 5-year-old City Zip horse, out of Allwewantforxmas, finished a neck better than Whats The Chances in a 5 1/2-furlong claimer that went for $20,055. The Michael Trombetta trainee has five “in the money” finishes from ten lifetime starts. Xmasinthecity spent his residency at Johnson’s Legacy Farm in Bluemont.

Xmasinthecity (inside) is a neck better than Whats The Chances in a January 3 claiming race at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Tivano, a 4-year-old Race Day gelding, won his fourth career race, also at Aqueduct. Trevor McCarthy, Colonial’s leading rider the past two seasons, had the winning mount for owners Eric Cannataro & Kelly Breen. Tivano has bankrolled $74,988 from nine life starts. He spent pre-racing time at Patrick Nuesch’s Braeburn Training Center in Crozet.

Galazo earned his second victory in a $29,062 waiver claiming race at Laurel. The Maryland-bred won by three-quarters of a length for owner, the Winners Circle Partners. The victor is a 4-year-old gelding by Bayern out of Seeking Options and has accumulated $71,318 in winnings. His residency was spent at Patricia Ramey’s Hunt Ridge Stable at the Blue Ridge Farm in Upperville.

Pennsylvania-bred Hello Gracie broke her maiden at Laurel in a $26,532 six-furlong race. The Dale Capuano trainee is by Dialed In and was ridden by former Colonial top jock Sheldon Russell. She spent six months prior to racing at Diane Manning’s Castalia Farm in Keswick.

Lady Fox broke her maiden on a showery New Years Day at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Lady Fox is another Certified program alum who broke through for her first lifetime win at Laurel. The 4-year-old Imagining filly was best at 1 1/16 miles in a $24,372 maiden claimer New Years Day. The Maryland-bred is out of Lady Olivia and spent her residency at David Dobson’s Lady Olivia at North Cliff, LLC in Rixeyville.

Other holiday week Certified winners include Senrima, American Chestnut and My Candy Box, who all won at Penn National. Sprite’s Lady, Jumpintoaction and Uncle Manny all prevailed at Parx. Swirling Candy connected at Gulfstream (no award) and finally, Blue Sky Painter scored at Laurel.