The Belmont Racing Festival was nothing short of impressive during the five-day meet at Saratoga. The Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief) versus Preakness winner Journalism (Curlin) face off was the talk of the week. These two colts would give the large crowd a thrill as they battled down the Saratoga stretch with Sovereignty once again getting the better of his rival, and Baeza coming on late for the show spot. History was made with the same 1, 2, 3 order of finish as the Kentucky Derby. What a race to remember!
Throughout the week at Saratoga, Virginia had its own Stakes presence represented by a few Virginia-certified horses. Starting the week on June 4th was Bernietakescharge (Take Charge Indy) in the Critical Eye Stakes (Black Type) race. The four-year-old mare, certified at Rofe Racing in Middleburg, Virginia, “took charge” of the race straight from the gate. Bred and owned by Robert Rosenthal and Bradford Bernstein, they found themselves in the winner’s circle celebrating another success from their multiple stakes winning mare.
On Thursday’s card you could catch Future Is Now (Great Notion) in the Intercontinental Stakes Gr. 2. The 2024 Virginia-Certified Filly Champion, certified at Legacy Farm in Bluemont, Virginia, won the 2024 edition of the Intercontinental as part of her remarkable season. She was the favorite at post time this year, and though being unsettled in the gate, she broke well. Jockey Paco Lopez guided Future Is Now to the inside of Pipsy (Kodiac (GB)) for a head-to-head stretch battle and despite a gallant run by the five-year-old mare, she came up just short of winning, settling for second to Pipsy and jockey Jose Ortiz. Bred by R. Larry Johnson and owned by The Estate of R. Larry Johnson, her 2025 debut came at Keeneland winning the Giant’s Causeway Stakes Gr. 3. The Virginia Thoroughbred Association looks forward to seeing what this Trombetta trainee has in store this summer.
2024 Virginia-Certified champion, Book’em Danno got his chance to shine as one of the favorites in the G-3 True North on the Belmont Stakes day undercard. The four-year-old Bucchero gelding was in a perfect position under jockey Paco Lopez and made his move on the turn, challenging the favorite Mullikin (Violence) down the stretch. It was incredible to watch Book’em Danno from the stands pulling ahead of his competition. There was no doubt he had the win in the bag. Bred by Gregory Kilka & Bright View Farm, owned by Atlantic Six Racing and trained throughout his career by Derek Ryan, Book’em Danno was Virginia Certified by Gracie Bloodstock in Middleburg. The Virginia Thoroughbred Association looks forward to cheering on these connections.
