On line horse racing wagers placed by Virginia residents showed positive gains from all four partner Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) companies as the new year began. Overall handle for January was up almost five percent from the same month a year ago — $6,053,361 in 2017 versus $5,771,148 in 2016.

Even more encouraging is the handle figures from the two new Off Track Betting (OTB) Centers that recently opened in Richmond. The OTB at Breakers Sports Grille, which made its debut November 2nd, handled $1,102,434 in January while Ponies & Pints, which just opened January 16th, handled $303,218. Breakers just completed its third straight month with a handle in excess of $1 million. Combined, the ADW and OTB handle for January was $7,459,014.

Arrogate and jockey Mike Smith win the 2017 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. Photo courtesy of Eric Kalet.

ADW partner TVG attracted the most wagering dollars from Virginia in 2016 and that trend continued in ’17 with a monthly tally of $2,832,844. Twin Spires was second with $2,061,057 and XPressBet was third with $1,105,573. NYRA Bets, which just completed its first month of business in the Commonwealth, was fourth with $53,886. In terms of percent gains, XPressBet experienced a 6.4% boost in handle from the prior January with Twin Spires close behind at 5.69%.

The $12 Million Pegasus World Cup, which was held at Gulfstream January 28th, helped boost interest in racing by providing a showcase day for fans. Heading into February, Kentucky Derby prep races begin to populate weekend race calendars all of which lead up to the May 6th Kentucky Derby.

It was a Super Sunday for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, and it was a pretty good Sunday for Virginia-bred horses too. Of the 7 that started in races around the country on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon, 6 finished either first or second.

Congratulations to Chas’s Legacy and Lenstar, who won races at Sunland and Gulfstream respectively, and to runner-ups Talk Less, Nancy’s Gone Wild, Pardontori’sfrench and Tiz Unbeatable.

Pardontori’sfrench (outside) just missed on Super Bowl Sunday at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Chas’s Legacy was sent off as the betting choice and he did not disappoint. The 6 year old Bernardini gelding, bred by the Estate of Edward Evans, raced in third through the first three fractions of the 1 mile, 70 yard claiming event, took control at the top of the stretch and won by 4 3/4 lengths. He is out of Our Legacy by Kingmambo, and has now won $122,868 from 26 career starts, with six victories.

Lenstar collected his first lifetime win convincingly in a six furlong, $46,000 maiden special weight race. The 3 year old son of Shackleford beat five others in gate to wire fashion and crossed 6 1/4 lengths ahead of the runner-up. Bred by the Lazy Lane Farms, Lenstar had started five previous times in the same class before connecting Sunday at Gulfstream. He is out of the Cryptoclearance mare, Cryptos’ Best.

Four Virginia-breds also reached the winner’s circle in the week leading up to the Super Bowl. All scores came in the Mid-Atlantic region so the owners of the quartet each received a 25% bonus courtesy of the HBPA/VTA incentive program.

Tiz Our Time and Wild Affair both won at Charles Town on back-to-back evenings. At first blush, the former appeared to lose to Dirty Laundry February 1st in a $23,000 maiden special weight race, but after a stewards inquiry, the winner was DQ’d and placed fifth. 5 year old Tiz Out Time, one half length shy at the wire, was elevated to first and bagged her first lifetime victory in 13 starts. She was bred by Sam E. English, is owned by Sam English, II, and is by Tiz Wonderful out of Exquisite Option by Silver Deputy.

Wild Affair avoided any drama in collecting her first lifetime score. She simply took control of her 6 1/2 furlong maiden claimer at the quarter mark and powered home to win by 4 1/4 lengths on Groundhog Day. The 4 year old daughter of Up Periscope was bred and is owned by the Vermont Farm. She is out of the Black Tie Affair mare, Vermont Gilan.

Aix En Provence, bred by James Falk, is shown in the winners circle at Laurel in 2014. The 9 year old got her 10th win February 3rd at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

On the next afternoon, the classy Aix En Provence earned career victory number ten in her 57th start. The 9 year old daughter of Rock Slide went gate to wire in a six furlong claiming race at Aqueduct. Bred by James Falk and owned by Prestine Racing, the victor held on to win by three-quarters of a length in an event that saw three horses claimed out of the seven that started. Aix En Provence is out of Parisiana by Mutakddim, and has now earned $328,122 in purse winnings.

Desert Jewel gained her fifth straight “in the money” finish at Penn National that night courtesy of a strong final furlong. The 4 year old daughter of Include angled out sharply from third in the stretch and crossed handily by 4 1/2 lengths. Bred by the Morgan’s Ford Farm and owned/trained by Michael Salvaggio, Desert Jewel gained her third career score and increased her winnings to $73,794.

Congratulations to the latest Virginia-bred horses to score an owners bonus with a victory in the Mid-Atlantic region — Greek God, Bird Call and Start Winning.

Greek God had an impressive gate to wire triumph Saturday at Laurel in a one mile, $15,000 claiming race. The 6 year old son of Pleasantly Perfect beat a field of six others, and boosted his career earnings to $142,445. The victor was bred by Larry Johnson, is owned by Three M’s Racing, and is out of Grecian Wings by Mr. Greeley. He has amassed six wins, five runner-up finishes and eight thirds in 43 career starts.

Greek God collected his 19th “in the money” finish with a victory Jan. 28 at Laurel. Photo courtesy of Jim McCue.

Bird Call also beat six other foes in gate to wire fashion January 25th at Penn National. The 5 year old Birdstone gelding was solid in the $12,400, six furlong event, winning by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:11.46. He was bred by the Lazy Lane Farms and is owned by John Jacavone. Bird Call has earned $39,350 from a dozen starts but has really taken to Penn National, where he has a pair of wins and a second from a trio of efforts there. He is out of the Secret Hello mare, Silent Greeting.

Bird Call, bred by the Lazy Lane Farms, went gate to wire in a Jan. 25th claiming race at Penn National. Photo courtesy of B&D Photography.

Start Winning also beat a field of six others but didn’t replicate the same gate to wire vibe last Friday. The 4 year old daughter of Jump Start rated the pace outside early in her 6 1/2 furlong claimer at Charles Town, took  the lead at the 3/8ths mark and never looked back. She crossed a length ahead of Foolish Flower in 1:11.46 to gain her fourth career triumph. Those four have come in her last seven starts, all at Charles Town. Out of Ritual Dance by Runaway Groom, Start Winning was bred by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin and is owned by C and B Stable. The upset winner paid $18.60.

Four year old filly Start Winning has won four of her last 7 at Charles Town including this Jan. 27 triumph. Photo courtesy of Coady Photography.

The winning owners of the three will receive a 25% bonus on top of their respective horse’s purse earnings. The HBPA/VTA Mid-Atlantic incentive program continues through all of 2017 and rewards owners of Virginia-bred horses who win a race in either Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey or New York.

Virginia connected horses had a nice showing last Saturday on the high profile Pegasus Day race card at Gulfstream Park. Long On Value, bred by the Snow Lantern Thoroughbreds, took third in the $125,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes. The Bill Mott trainee finished a length behind the victorious Power Alert. A winner of $691,093, Long On Value was last in the 12 horse field halfway through the turn but powered six wide at the top of the stretch to finish in the money.

Homespun Hero, bred by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, had a tight runner-up in the afternoon’s kickoff race — a $58,000 allowance event. The Michael Maker trainee lost by a neck to Icatiro but with earnings of $10,000 for a second place finish, saw his bankroll move into six digit territory at $103,600.

Long On Value took third last Saturday in the $125,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes. Photo by Coglianese Photography.

Sadlers Joy, owned and bred by Virginians Rene and Lauren Woolcott, finished second in the Grade 3, W.L. McKnight Stakes. The 4 year old Kitten’s Joy colt did not race as a two year old but is making up for lost time. In seven career outs, he has three wins and a second now, good for earnings of $182,688.

Four Virginia-bred horses collected an owner’s bonus last week via the HBPA/VTA incentive program, courtesy of wins in the Mid-Atlantic region. Tiz Unbeatable, Jo Pye Weed, Nice Try and Simmstown all connected in their respective outings.

Tiz Unbeatable is a 4 year old Tiz Wonderful colt bred and owned by Sam English II. He earned a 1 1/2 length win last Saturday at Laurel in a $15,000 claiming event. The victor chased the pace early, advanced three wide to bid for the lead exiting the turn, and then drove clear. The Rob Bailes trainee is out of the Johannesburg mare, Xai Xai.  Mr. English earned a 25%  bonus on top of the purse winnings for the Mid-Atlantic triumph.

Jockey Gilberto Delgado guides Tiz Unbeatable to his second lifetime win January 20th at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Joy Pye Weed is a 6 year old mare, but made just her fifth career start January 19th at Charles Town. Bred by the William Backer Revocable Trust, the Liam McVicar trainee broke through and got her first lifetime win in a 4 1/2 furlong maiden claimer. She went gate to wire in the nine horse field, but was just a nose in front at the finish. Owned by the Crookston Castle Stable, Jo Pye Weed is out of Crab Grass by Known Fact.

Joe Pye Weed (inside) held off Slew By The Fool by a nose at the wire January 19th at Charles Town. Photo courtesy of Coady Photography.

Nice Try, also bred by the William Backer Revocable Trust, got his first career win at the same track as Jo Pye Weed, at the same distance and for the same $10,000 purse.  The 4 year old Giant’s Causeway gelding got away fourth but quickly caught the pacesetter inside and won convincingly by 6 1/2 lengths. The heavy betting choice is out of the Not For Love mare, Blind Date.

Nice Try’s win at Charles Town January 17th gave owners, the Clover Hill Racing LLC, a bonus from the Mid-Atlantic incentive program. Photo courtesy of Coady Photography.

Simmstown got his 10th lifetime win and pushed his bankroll to the $266,000 mark by beating eight others at Parx January 17th in a 5 1/2 furlong claiming sprint. The 9 year old Limehouse gelding was actually one of three horses claimed out of the event for $12,500. Bred by the Audley Farms, Simmstown’s victory gave his pre-race owners, the Ho Dee Boy Stable, an owner’s bonus but the new owners — Patrick Sullivan and J.R. Boesen — will get a chance at future bonuses. Simmstown is aging well — he has three wins and a pair of seconds in his last five starts, all at Parx. The streak began November 5th.

Virginia connected horses will be well represented this Saturday (January 28th) at Gulfstream Park, which hosts the inaugural running of the $12 million Pegasus World Cup that afternoon. There are 12 races on the card, which begins at 11:30 AM. The Pegasus itself is at 5:40 PM, and will be broadcast live on NBC from 4:30 – 6:00 PM.

Virginia-bred Long On Value, with career earnings of $679,486, is slated to compete in the $125,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes. The 6 year old Value Plus horse was bred by Snow Lantern Thoroughbreds and has 7 wins from 25 lifetime starts. The Bill Mott trainee is out of the Orientate mare, Long Message.

Long On Value wins the Jamestown Stakes at Colonial Downs in 2013. Photo by Coady Photography.

Virginia-bred Homespun Hero will appear in the day’s kickoff race. The 4 year old Hard Spun colt is trained by Michael Maker and is owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Out of the First Samurai mare, Nicky’s Way, Homespun Hero will compete in an allowance optional claiming event with a purse of $58,000. He was bred by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin and brings a bankroll of $93,600 into the race from a dozen starts.

Homespun Hero is shown working out in fall, 2015. Courtesy of Barclay Tagg website. Michael Maker now trains the 3 year old son of Hard Spun.

Virginian Rene and Lauren Woolcott, who own and operate Woodslane Farm in Middleburg, have a pair of horses entered as well — Sadler’s Joy and Lunaire. Both are out of the Dynaformer mare, Dynaire, and were bred in Kentucky but raised in Virginia. The former will compete in the $125,000 W.L. McKnight Handicap (Gr. 3), where he is set to depart from post position 11 in a field of 12. The 4 year old Kitten’s Joy colt has won three straight races and heads into his first stakes action with nice momentum. The streak began with a maiden special weight triumph August 22nd at Saratoga and was followed with allowance wins at Belmont (September 24th) and at Aqueduct (November 9th).

Lauren Woolcott at Woodslane Farm, where she and husband Rene raised Tonalist. Photo courtesy of the Woolcott’s.

Lunaire, a three year old son of Malibu Moon, has a second and third  from a trio of life starts. He will face 13 other foes in a $56,000 maiden special weight test. The Thomas Albertrani trainee competes in the 8th race.

Virginia race fans can wager the day’s action via TVG, XPressBet and NYRABets, and at the two new Richmond area Off Track Betting Centers. Breakers Sports Grille is in the west end area and Ponies & Pints is in downtown’s Shockoe Bottom neighborhood. Both are in full service restaurants complete with a large bar.

On the 18th, VTA Board of Director election results were announced at the Board/Annual Meeting in Warrenton. The newly elected Board Members listed below will serve from January 2017 through December 2019:

Capital District:  Richard (Dick) Freer, Richmond
Potomac District:  Jim Fitzgerald, Marshall
Blue Ridge District: Sue Hart, Charlottesville

At-Large Directors:
Wayne Chatfield-Taylor, Front Royal
Donna Dennehy, Ashland
Gillian (Jill) Gordon-Moore, Berryville
Tommy Lee Jones, Warrenton
Brooke Royster, Gordonsville
Cynthia (Cindy) Tucker Curtis, Upperville

VTA Board members may serve two consecutive terms(4 years total) before they are required to step down. They may run again after a one year hiatus.

Drefong won the Eclipse Award as top male sprinter Saturday night. He was co-bred by Virginian Anthony Warrender of Middleburg. Here is a recap courtesy of America’s Best Racing.

With his Eclipse Award for male sprinter awarded Jan. 21, Drefong joins Lost in the Fog (2005), Trinniberg (2012), and Runhappy (2015) as the only 3-year-olds who earned the honor this century.

In most cases the top male sprinter of the year has a “body of work” for the year that elevates him to the top honor. However, in the case of Drefong, it was brilliance in two career-defining efforts at the end of the year that landed him the Eclipse statue.

Drefong, who won the 2016 Eclipse Award as Top Male Turf Sprinter, is shown in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Photo by Eclipse Sportswire

On May 30 and July 4, Drefong imposed his will on optional-claiming allowance runners at Santa Anita Park, winning both sprints by open-length margins and earning top-line Equibase Speed Figures.

Shipped to Saratoga Race Course, along with stablemate Arrogate, Drefong wound up being the 3-1 favorite for the Aug. 27 Ketel One King’s Bishop Stakes. Taking the field wire to wire going seven furlongs, he extended his advantage in the lane to two lengths at the eighth pole and 31/4 at the wire under Mike Smith in 1:21.25.

Drefong, after being off 10 weeks, won the TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint by 1 1/4 lengths over a small but select field.

Bred by Frederick Allor, Michael Barnett, and Anthony Warrender, Drefong was sold by Barnett’s Blackburn Farm for $200,000 as a weanling and purchased by Susan Chu’s Tanma Corp. as a $450,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2014. Thirty-six yearlings from the first crop of three-time champion Gio Ponti were sold at Keeneland that year and Drefong was the highest-priced.

“(Bloodstock agent) Donato Lanni and I work together,” trainer Bob Baffert said after the Breeders’ Cup. “We don’t do anything without each other’s OK. This horse was so beautiful. He was a perfect specimen.”—Evan Hammonds

At the beginning of February award checks will be distributed to Virginia Breeders and Stallion owners for wins during the 2016 racing year. $400,000 in Breeder’s Fund award money will be split among Virginia Breeders, while stallion owners will split a total of $20,000.

Mr. William Backer’s Smitten Farm was Virginia’s leading breeder in 2016, with 35 wins, including stakes winners Sweet Victory, Rose Brier and Moon River. Mr. Backer’s passion was breeding and racing Thoroughbred horses, unfortunately he passed away in 2016 before he could enjoy his leading breeder status. Backer bred horses such as Chorus Line, who was second in Friday’s $100,000 Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct, will continue to uphold the Smitten Farm legacy in 2017 and beyond. Wayne and Susie Chatfield-Taylor’s Morgan’s Ford Farm was Virginia’s second leading breeder with 33 wins. Queen Caroline, winner of three stakes in 2016 was Morgan’s Ford’s highest earner.

Bill Backer and Wayne Chatfield-Taylor at the 2015 VTA Breeder’s Awards party

2015 Virginia Horse of the Year, Stellar Wind was the leading Virginia earner in 2016 with $540,000 in purse money. The Curlin filly, co-bred by Peggy Augustas’ Keswick Stables and Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, did all of her running in grade one company in 2016. She beat champion Beholder to win the Clement L. Hirsh and the Zenyatta stakes while placing second in the Vanity and fourth in the Breeder’s Cup Distaff.

Tough Weather, bred by Sam English, was the leading Virginia-bred winner. The six year old Wiseman’s Ferry mare had 8 wins in 2016 and earned $119,989.

Leading freshman sire, Friend or Foe earned $7,048.11 in stallion awards for Smallwood Farm with two New York winners from two starters. Lady Olivia at Northcliff’s, Cosa Vera was the second leading earner and was the sire of 5 winners in 2016.

Mr. Buff by Friend or Foe breaks his maiden at Belmont on September 23, 2016

Below is the list of Breeder and Stallion award winners:

                                                   BREEDER’S AWARDS

                                                    STALLION AWARDS

Smallwood Farm (Friend or Foe)…………………….$7,048.11
Lady Olivia at Northcliff, LLC (Cosa Vera)……………$5,553.33
Sara E. Collette (Xenodon)……………………………$4,209.29
Susan Minor (Fierce Wind)……………………………$2,278.89
Lazy Lane Farm (Hanzel)………………………………$  910.38

Another holiday weekend is upon us and there is plenty of stakes race action to keep players engaged Saturday thru Monday. Saturday (Jan. 14) features a four pack of graded stakes and a pair are on tap holiday Monday (Jan. 16). And speaking of on tap, the Virginia Equine Alliance’s newest Off Track Betting Center — at Ponies & Pints — will open in downtown Richmond Monday at 12 Noon. The OTB is located at 110 N. 18th Street in Shockoe Bottom in the former Tiki Bob’s Cantina building. The restaurant/bar, which will make its debut Monday as well, has over 50 beers on tap in addition to full service dining.

Ponies & Pints features a horseplayers exclusive room with 4 self betting terminals, 2 manned teller stations and 13 flat screen TVs

The main focus Saturday is at Gulfstream Park where in two weeks, the $12 million Pegasus World Cup will be contested. This weekend, three graded stakes go to post — -the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (Gr. 2), $150,000 Hal’s Hope (Gr. 3) and $150,000 Marshua’s River (Gr. 3). Santa Anita hosts the Grade 2, $200,000 La Canada Stakes the same day and Oaklawn chips in with the $125,000 Pippin Stakes as part of their opening weekend festivities.

On Sunday, Aqueduct hosts the $125,000 Busanda Stakes for 3 year old fillies then on Monday, they’ll present the Grade 3, $125,000 Toboggan Stakes. Oaklawn has the only Derby prep race this weekend — the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3 year olds, which takes place on Monday. Santa Anita finishes out the holiday weekend with the $100,000 Megahertz Stakes (Gr. 3), also on Monday.

All the action is available to wager at the Breakers Off Track Betting Center as well in Richmond’s west end (9127 W. Broad Street in the TJ Maxx Shopping Center). Virginia residents can also play via one of four on liner partner sites — TVG.com, XPressBet.com, TwinSpires.com and NYRABets.com.