Betting handle from Virginia residents via advance deposit — or on line — wagering companies rose over 10% in July when compared with handle figures from the same month a year prior. Both Twin Spires and Xpressbet experienced big gains while TVG maintained its first place position as top handle generating company from horseplayers in the Commonwealth.

TVG handled $2,909,825 in July, down slightly from July ’15 figures. Twin Spires surged to $2,487,997 this past month, up considerably from last July’s $2,043,421. XPressbet was third with $1,214,556, but that too was  dramatically higher than the $961,483 July handle of a year ago. Total combined handle for the month was $6,612,688.

When comparing numbers from the trio for the first seven months of 2016, all show substantial gains. TVG is at $21,330,013, up 7.75% from 2015; Twin Spires has handled $17,497,440, up 10.64%; XPressbet is at $8,630,179, up 21.72%.

With a number of big stakes races coming up in August, the upward betting trend could continue. A total of 15 Grade I thoroughbred stakes are scheduled including the Whitney & Test (Saratoga) August 6th, the Arlington Million, Beverly D & Secretariat (Arlington) and Fourstardave (Saratoga) August 13th, the Pacific Classic & Del Mar Oaks (Del Mar) and Alabama (Saratoga) August 20th, and the Travers, Ballerina, King’s Bishop, Sword Dancer, Personal Ensign & Forego (Saratoga) on August 27th.

Virginia residents can wager all the action by opening a betting account with TVG.com, Xpressbet.com or TwinSpires.com.

Over $77,000 in bonus monies were won by owners of Virginia-bred or sired horses that won an overnight race in the month of July at pari-mutuel tracks in the Mid-Atlantic region. The new incentive program, sponsored by the Virginia HBPA and VTA, began July 1st and rewards owners a 25% bonus on top of purse winnings for victories in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, New York and New Jersey.

The largest single award in the first month was $10,000 and went to the ownership group of highly regarded Sticksstatelydude, who won honors as top Virginia-Bred 2 Year Old Colt in 2015. He captured his second career victory July 15th in a $77,000 allowance race at Belmont. The First Dude colt, who stumbled at the start but recovered quickly enough to still go gate to wire, won the mile race by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:34.04. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and ridden by Joel Rosario, Sticksstatelydude has now earned $138,400 from just five starts. Out of the Gilded Time mare, Placerita, he was bred by Canyon Lake Thoroughbreds.

Sticksstatelydude shown in the Belmont paddock area before his race July 15. Photo by Pack Pride Racing.

Code Red, a Virginia sire, earned a $9,000 bonus for owner/breeder Chester Broman & Mary Broman by winning a $60,000 maiden special weight race at Belmont July 8th in her first lifetime outing. The 2 year old filly was foaled in New York and is by Friend Or Foe out of Dash Dot Cash by Put It Back. She trailed by six lengths through 3/8ths, moved to within a length at the top of the stretch, angled five wide in the lane and won by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:05.90. Code Red paid $36.60 for the upset score over eight other two year olds.

Code Red, a Virginia sired horse, earned a $9,000 bonus for a win at Belmont Park July 8. Photo courtesy of Adam Coglianese.

Third largest July bonus of $6,412 went to Mark Lapidus LLC’s Service for Ten, who captured a $45,000 allowance optional claiming race July 24th at Laurel with a last to first second half. The 7 year old Service Stripe gelding, bred by Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Cox, competed against six others at the six furlong distance. The upset winner was last at the half  but came outside in the stretch, gained the lead with 1/16th to go and crossed four lengths ahead of Struth in 1:10.65. Out of the Wild Zone mare, Tenacious Cheryl, Service for Ten paid $25.60. After going more than two years without a win, he has won two straight and bankrolled $416,645.

Service for Ten’s lifetime bankroll soared over the $400,000 mark thanks to an allowance win July 24th at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Available’s win July 10th at Laurel gave owner, trainer and breeder Suzanne Dempsey a $5,985 bonus. The beneficiary of a disqualification, Available finished a head behind original winner Thirteenth Avenue, but got placed first after a stewards review. The 7 year old Bop gelding ran second throughout the $42,000 allowance sprint but was bumped in mid-stretch and moved up as a result, gaining his first win of 2016 and second career triumph. He is out of the Star Trace mare, Morelias Star, and has now earned $123,556.

Available (#7) lost to Thirteenth Avenue by a head July 10, but got bumped up to the wining slot after a stewards review. Photo by Jim McCue.

Rounding out the top five was Tough Weather who stayed hot by winning for the fourth time in her last five starts. Bred by Sam English II and trained by Scott Lake, the 5 year old daughter of Wiseman’s Ferry beat four other foes in the six furlong, $36,000 allowance optional claiming race at Delaware Park. Tough Weather went gate to wire and crossed in 1:11.32 as the heavy betting choice. The victor, out of the Montreal Red mare, Soft Weather, has 7 wins, a second and a third in ten starts this year alone, good for $90,420 in earnings.   The win gave owner Thomas Reynolds a $5,400 bonus.

Other July Virginia-bred and sired winners who provided their owners with a bonus included Picked ($4,050), Runningthevale ($3,990), Rebellious Warrior ($3,847), Lime House Louie ($3,405), Joe Tess ($3,285), Manakin Road ($3,135), Porte Cochere ($3,135), Galaxy Express ($2,760), Money Tree ($2,220), True Cost ($2,145), What a Wildcat ($1,800), Hooping ($1,650), Explore ($913) and Ghost Is Fine ($913).

Galaxy Express wins at Delaware Park on 7/27/16 and earned a $2,760 bonus. photo courtesy of Hoofprints, Inc.

Six of the 19 bonus earning wins came in Maryland (Laurel Park), six in Pennsylvania (3 at Penn National, 2 at Presque Isle, 1 at Parx), three in West Virginia (2 at Mountaineer, 1 at Charles Town), two in New York (Belmont) and two at Delaware Park.

It’s another summer weekend and that means another round of excellent stakes races for Virginia residents to wager that feature both thoroughbreds and standardbreds.

Saturday stakes highlights include the Whitney Stakes and Test Stakes at Saratoga, the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park, graded stakes at both Del Mar and Ellis Park and arguably harness racing’s biggest annual event — Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands.

Rose Brier gets the best of Special Envoy again in the June 25th  Edward P. Evans Stakes at Pimlico. Photo by Jim McCue.

The most intriguing race from a Virginia perspective is one that pits 2015 Virginia-bred 3 Year Old Colt champion One Go All Go against Rose Brier, who most recently won the Edward P. Evans Stakes at Pimlico June 25th. The former was bred by Albert Coppola and the latter was bred by William Backer. They will compete in the $100,000 West Virginia House of Delegates Cup Stakes in Mountaineer’s 9th race at 5:48 PM. It is part of their biggest day of the year which features 8 other stakes including the $750,000, Grade II West Virginia Derby. That main event   will go off at 5:21 PM as the 8th race.

Virginia-bred One Go All Go wins the $400,000 Commonwealth Derby (Gr. II) Sept. 19th at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Code West, another Virginia-bred, has entered the $175,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap on Saturday. The 6 year old is 9-2 early and that major race has been carded as the 6th at 8:10 PM.

Saratoga’s Whitney and Test stakes are both Grade I’s and have been a staple of the “Spa’s” first Saturday in August. The Whitney has a 6 horse field, headlined by 3-5 early favorite Frosted, and is the 10th race. The Test has an 8 horse field is the 8th on the program. Respective post times are 6:18 PM and 5:02 PM.

Ned Evans-bred Code West shown winning the Governor’s Stake at Remington Park. Photo Courtesy Dustin Orona Photography.

The $1,000,000 Hambletonian Trot headlines a blockbuster afternoon card of harness racing at The Meadowlands. Races 8 and 9 will serve as “Hambo” eliminations and the final is the 13th race at 5:11 PM. The card includes 9 other stakes including the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, $350,000 Peter Haughton Memorial, $350,000 Jim Doherty Memorial, $320,000 Cane Pace and $300,000 John Cashman Memorial.

Virginia residents can wager all the action on line via one of three sites — TVG.com, TwinSpires.com and XPressBet.com.