It was another big week for Virginia-connected horses last week. Honor Code, part-owned by Virginia Racing Commission chairman Sarge Reynolds, ran a huge race to win the Grade II Gulfstream Park Handicap by half a length.

Honor Code winning the Gulfstream Park Handicap. Photo courtesy Kenny Martin.

The son of A.P. Indy has never been worse than second in six starts, including a victory in the Grade II Remsen and a second-placed finish in the Grade I Champagne.

“At the eighth pole I thought maybe he was going to hang a little bit. But then he switched to his right lead and he came on,” traner Shug McGaughey said. “To see him run a race like that; this was only his second race in a year, we’ve all got to remember that. To see him come back and run the way he did and dig down, and from the five-sixteenths pole to the wire to run as hard as he did and then gallop out as well as he did, it’s a tribute to the horse.”

Virginia-bred Valid ran a strong race to be third despite being bumped repeatedly in the straight.

At Tampa Bay on March 7, one-time Kentucky Derby hopeful General a Rod, bred by Anne Poulson’s Hare Forest Farm, won the $60,000 Challenger Stakes by daylight. The 4-year-old son of Roman Ruler won the Gulfstream Derby in 2014, but hadn’t since the winner’s circle until this effort. Out of the Dynaformer mare Dynamite Eyes, he paid $5.60 to win by over 6 lengths here.

On March 5, every Virginia-bred that ran, across the country, ended the day in the winner’s circle. The Hart Farm-bred Lucky Stranger won an allowance at Delta Downs, while their Malibu Moon gelding Moonlight Meeting (now owned by Qatar Racing) broke his maiden at Santa Anita by 2 1/4 lengths. Meanwhile, the Lazy Lane homebred Rapid Rhythm broke her maiden first out at Fair Grounds. The 3-year-old daughter of Successful Appeal out of the Quiet American mare Patriot Miss took the 5 1/2-furlong turf contest by the better part of 2 lengths.

Virginia-bred Stellar Wind kicked off her 2015 season with a bang on Saturday, winning the Grade III Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita. Bred by Peggy Augustus and Stonestreet Stables, the 3-year-old miss was a $86,000 yearling purchase at Timonium.

After breaking slow in the 1 1/16-mile contest, Stellar Wind settled on the outside under Victor Espinoza, wiggling her way to the lead despite being four-wide on the second turn. Widening her advantage in the straight, the chestnut galloped under the wire 2 ¾ lengths to the good, under urging.

Stellar Wind won the Grade III, $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes February 28 at Santa Anita Park

“I wanted to break and let her do whatever she wanted to do,” Espinoza told the Bloodhorse. “I didn’t want to irritate her, just make her happy. They slowed the pace down, so I had to move out a bit. They were walking up front, so I had to press the pace by the three-eighths pole. She was just waiting for me to command her.”

Stellar Wind was following up on an impressive maiden in December, in which she put away six rivals by the better part of 9 lengths at Laurel. Prior to that, she finished third after being steadied at the start in a 6-furlong maiden at Laurel in late November. The Santa Ysabel was just her third start, and her first victory for new connections Hronis Racing and John Stadler.

“It was so cold in Maryland, I think she was glad to get in this good weather,” Sadler said. “I want to thank David Ingordo. He found her for me. He was the agent on the deal, and the previous trainer (Donald Barr) did a nice job.”

According to Sadler, Stellar Wind is likely to head to the Grade I Santa Anita Oaks on April 4 for her next start.

“That would be the logical spot at this point,” Sadler told the Bloodhorse.