Congratulations to four Virginia connected horses that competed in the 2018 Yearling Futurity, who will share a $5,000 bonus pool based on career earnings they accumulated through their recently completed 3-year-old racing campaigns. The top earners in bonus winning order were Patriotic Punch ($3,000), Appraised ($1,000), Lady Fox ($700) and Beach Traffic ($300).
Virginia-Certified Patriotic Punch (#7) won a thriller at Pimlico September 25. Photo by Jim McCue.
Virginia- certified/Maryland-bred Patriotic Punch, bred by Charles Reed and Michael Zanella, bankrolled $125,969 from 17 career starts through December 31. The Carpe Diem filly, out of Lori Z’s Punch by Two Punch, reeled off three wins in a row during a five-week period in Maryland last year. She was best in maiden claimer and a pair of starter optional claiming races between September 11-October 17. Overall, she has 10 “top three finishes”. Patriotic Punch spent her Virginia residency at Karen Godsey’s Eagle Point Farm in Ashland.
The Yearling Futurity takes place annually at the Warrenton Horse Show Grounds.
Virginia-bred Appraised also has recorded a trio of victories and ten “top three” finishes. The Shanghai Bobby gelding, bred and raised at Morgan’s Ford Farm in Front Royal, collected his wins in a series of claimers at Delaware Park over a nine-week period last year. Out of the Include mare, Looking Great, he has earned $70,067.
Lady Fox broke her maiden on a showery New Years Day at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.
Virginia-certified, Lady Fox finished 2020 with $56,540 in earnings — third best from the ’18 yearling class — and has kicked off 2021 with back-to-back wins. The Imagining filly, bred by Lady Olivia at North Cliff, LLC., had four runner-up finishes and a trio of thirds through 2020, good for $56,540. This year, she broke her maiden and prevailed in another claiming race, both at Laurel. The Maryland-bred, out of Lady Olivia by Silver Deputy, spent her residency at David Dobson’s Lady Olivia at North Cliff Farm in Rixeyville.
Pictured with Beach Traffic are: VTA President Brooke Royster, Patricia Ramey and handler Junior Johnson.
Beach Traffic, Reserve Grand Champion and winner of the Certified class at the ’18 Futurity, has collected wins at both Gulfstream and Monmouth. The Maryland-bred gelding, by Cross Traffic, has bankrolled $53,365 to date. Out of Pink Sand by Sky Mesa, Beach Traffic was bred by Patricia Ramey and Maciej Szwarc and raised at Ramey’s Hunt Ridge Stables located at Blue Ridge Farm in Upperville. He has hit the board in half of his 16 starts.