Foiled Again, the Richest Horse In Harness Racing History, Is Set To Compete In a $10,000 Aged Invitational Pace Saturday At Shenandoah Downs

(WOODSTOCK, VA) —  Foiled Again, the richest horse in harness racing history, will head to Virginia’s scenic Shenandoah Valley this Saturday September 29th in search of victory number 104. The 14-year-old Dragon Again gelding is the early 4-5 favorite in the fourth race, a $10,000 Aged Invitational Pace at Shenandoah Downs in Woodstock.

14-year-old Foiled Again, winner of over $7.5 million, will compete Saturday at Shenandoah Downs. Photo by Mark Hall, USTA.

Foiled Again will leave from post five with driver Chris Shaw in the sulky. The Ron Burke trainee comes to Virginia with 321 starts, 103 wins, 68 seconds, 46 thirds and purse earnings of $7,594,143. He had a three race win streak snapped last start when he finished fourth at Batavia Downs. “I am extremely grateful and excited to have the opportunity to drive the greatest horse of all time,” said Shaw, who was the second leading driver at Shenandoah in 2017. “Mark Weaver texted my brother on Wednesday to ask if I’d be interested in driving the ‘GOAT’ (Greatest Horse of All Time),” added Shaw. “I said I’d be more than happy to and I’d find a way to clear my schedule,” he joked.

As far as expectations go, Shaw was diplomatic. “It’s a horse race and anything can happen. We’ll just have to see when the gate opens and the race unfolds.  He’s got a big heart and seems able to do what he wants to do most often.”

Chris Page drove Foiled Again twice in August, to respective first and third place finishes. “He’s a war horse and the greatest horse to ever wear a harness,” said Page. “He loves his job.”

Four other foes will try to prevent Foiled Again from accomplishing his goal including a pair of other 14-year-olds — B Blissful and Go Easy On Me. The former is a Jimmy Viars trainee who has won ten races from 21 starts the past two years. He will be driven by Chuck Perry, the meet’s leading driver, and comes into the Invitational on a four race win streak. The latter is a Camtown Fella gelding who will be driven David Swaney.

The field also includes Best Dream Seeker, a 12-year-old Cambest gelding that will be driven by Corey Braden, and 10-year-old Highland Hellion, who authored a 1:55 1/5 winning mile in Woodstock last year.

After the race, a temporary stall will be set up outside the grandstand entrance where fans can enjoy a Meet & Greet with Foiled Again and his connections. Post time Saturday is 2 PM and the fourth race is expected to go off around 3:00 PM. A total of eleven races have been carded including a pair of $7,000 Open Handicap events for pacers and trotters. Parking and admission are both free. The races are streamed live at shenandoahdowns.com.

The following is a press release from the Maryland Jockey Club and is a recap of the Commonwealth Day series of Virginia-bred/sired stakes on Sunday September 23rd.

LAUREL, MD – Lothenbach Stables’ Elusive Mischief paid immediate dividends for his new connections by splashing to a decisive 5 ¼-length victory in the $75,000 Punch Line Stakes Sunday at Laurel Park.

The 5 ½-furlong Punch Line for 3-year-olds and up was among four stakes for Virginia-bred/sired horses worth $300,000 in purses on a 12-race Commonwealth Day program. All four races were rained off Laurel’s world-class turf course and onto a sloppy and sealed main track.

Purchased for $92,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s July Selected Horses of Racing Age sale, Elusive Mischief ($5) dueled with Meadow Stable Stakes winner Homespun Hero for a quarter-mile, took over the lead on the turn and sprinted clear down the lane to win in 1:03.37 for 5 ½ furlongs for trainer Ian Wilkes and jockey Sheldon Russell.

Punch Line winner Elusive Mischief was bred by Jim Fitzgerald & Katie Fitzgerald. Photo by Jim McCue.

Divine Interventio put in a late run to be second, 3 ½ lengths in front of Homespun Hero. They were trailed by Fly E Dubai, third in the Meadow Stable, and White Oak Farm Stakes runner-up Available.

Elusive Mischief was second in her career debut last summer at Saratoga and had two wins from five starts this year for previous trainer Mark Casse, including a third in her previous effort, the Charlie Barley Stakes June 30 over Woodbine’s turf.

The $75,000 Bert Allen Stakes for 3-year-olds and up gave Russell his second stakes win of the day, as River Deep forged a short lead around the far turn and opened daylight on his rivals once straightened for home in an easy 8 ½-length victory as the 3-5 favorite.

River Deep won his second straight Virginia-bred stakes by capturing the Bert Allen Stakes September 23rd. Photo by Jim McCue.

It was the second straight win against Virginia-bred/sired horses for River Deep ($3.40), who romped to a 7 ¼-length victory in an off-the-turf edition of the one-mile Hansel Stakes Aug. 4 at Laurel, also as the top choice. The winning time for 1 1/8 miles Sunday was 1:51.34.

Runninginthevale, third in last year’s Bert Allen, took the field through fractions of 23.96 and 47.75 seconds as River Deep settled in second on his inside. Russell gave River Deep his cue midway on the far turn and he went in front after six furlongs in 1:12.26 and never looked back. Runninginthevale stayed on for second, a half-length ahead of Vincent Vangogo in third.

“He was great today,” Russell said. “Two starts back he sort of did the same thing when they came off the grass. He’s just a forward-going horse. Going into the first turn I was very comfortable even though [Runninginthevale] sort of had me outrun, but he’s such a cool horse to ride. Turf or dirt, it doesn’t really matter.”

Kept in the clear two wide, Hat Creek Racing’s Paulita ($4.20) reeled in pacesetting stablemate Well Blessed at the sixteenth pole and edged clear by 1 ¼ lengths to win the $75,000 Brookmeade Stakes for fillies and mares 3 and up.

Brookmeade winner Paulita was bred by Hat Creek Racing. Photo by Jim McCue.

The win gave trainer Arnaud Delacour a victory in all three of Laurel’s Virginia-bred/sired filly distance stakes. Paulita also won the William M. Backer Aug. 4, a race also taken off the turf, following Armoire’s triumph in the Nellie Mae Cox June 23. Armoire ran third in Sunday’s Brookmeade to complete a 1-2-3 finish for the Delacour stablemates.

Well Blessed was sent to the lead by jockey Feargal Lynch and tracked by Secret Or Not through a quarter-mile in 24.78 seconds until Paulita picked up the chase following a half in 49.66. Well Blessed made the turn in front but Paulita gained steadily down the center of the track to wear down her stablemate in deep stretch. The final time was 1:52.83.

Paulita was making her third start since being moved to Delacour’s Fair Hill, Md.-based string this summer. Well Blessed finished off the board in both the Nellie Mae Cox and 5 ½-furlong Camptown Stakes in her previous two races.

“[Paulita] has been very nice. She’s got tactical speed and she obviously likes the dirt,” Delacour said. “[Well Blessed also] has a lot of tactical speed and obviously carries it on the slop.”

Susan Moulton’s Altamura overcame a slight stumble out of the gate and a pair of challengers through the first half-mile before asserting herself once straightened for home and sprinting clear to her fourth straight victory in Sunday’s $75,000 Oakley Stakes at Laurel Park.

Altamura captured her third Virginia-bred stakes win of 2018 when she prevailed in the September 23rd Oakley. Photo by Jim McCue.

Altamura ($3.40) completed the distance in 1:04.89 under Midwest-based jockey Channing Hill to earn her third consecutive stakes win following the June 23 M. Tyson Gilpin and Aug. 4 Camptown and sweep Laurel’s three Virginia-bred/sired filly sprint stakes.

Second to Altamura in both a maiden special weight June 15 and the Gilpin, Virginia Fable outsprinted the 3-5 favorite early and held a short lead after going an opening quarter-mile in 22.90 seconds. Hugging the rail from her inside post, Altamura put that rival away but had to contend with Up Hill Battle, who loomed a challenger on the outside following a half in 46.27.

After rounding the turn together, Altamura edged clear through the stretch to win by 1 ¼ lengths. It was four lengths from Up Hill Battle to Virginia Fable in third, followed by Do What I Say and What the Beep.

Hill pulled Altamura up on the clubhouse turn as they jogged back to the winner’s circle after galloping out. Stewards said the 3-year-old daughter of Grade 1 turf winner Artie Schiller filly was taken back to the barn for X-rays on a left hind leg injury.

Live Racing Returns Friday, Sept. 28 with $75,000 Jamestown, Stronach 5

The 20th running of the $75,000 Jamestown for Virginia-bred/sired 2-year-olds and the debut of the national $1 Stronach 5 wager highlight the return of live racing to Laurel with a 10-race program Friday, Sept. 28.

First race post time is 1:10 p.m.

A field of eight juveniles was entered for the Jamestown, a 5 ½-furlong sprint on the All Along turf course carded as Race 2. Among the group are three horses from the barn of trainer Susan Cooney – maidens Ready to Run, Payneful and Drosselmoon – and Morgans Ford Farm homebred River Gal, a half-sister to Virginia-bred stakes winner River Deep.

There will be a guaranteed pool of $50,000 on the Stronach 5, a multi-track, multi-race wager with an industry-low 12 percent takeout being offered every Friday at Stronach Group-owned racetracks.

The Maryland Jockey Club will serve as host of the Stronach 5 and offer the multi-race bet as a separate wagering program. Carrying a $1 minimum wager, the Stronach 5 requires bettors to select the winner of five selected races from Laurel Park, Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields. If there is no winner, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.

The first 100 fans who buy a program Sept. 28 at Laurel, Gulfstream, Santa Anita or Golden Gate will receive a free Quick Pick ticket on the Stronach 5. The fun, action-packed wager will take place in less than 60 minutes and past performances for the Stronach 5 will be available in programs at all Stronach Group tracks and in the Daily Racing Form.

The following appeared in the Richmond Times Dispatch September 25th an was written by Mark Robinson

Chicago-based company’s bid to bring off-track betting to South Richmond cleared its final hurdle at the local level Monday.

The following is a press release from the Maryland Jockey Club

LAUREL, MD – Susan Moulton’s Altamura, having already captured the first two legs in Laurel Park’s series for Virginia-bred/sired horses, looks to make it a clean sweep while extending her win streak to four in Sunday’s $75,000 Oakley Stakes.

Carded as Race 4, the 5 ½-furlong Oakley for fillies and mares 3 and up is the first of four $75,000 turf stakes for Virginia-bred/sired horses on a 12-race Commonwealth Day program. It is followed by the 5 ½-furlong Punch Line (Race 6) and 1 1/8-mile Bert Allen (Race 9) for 3-year-olds and up, and the 1 1/8-mile Brookmeade for females 3 and older.

Commonwealth Day was originally scheduled for Sept. 22 but pushed back a day following the rescheduling of Laurel’s Fall Festival of Racing program from Sept. 15 due to the threat of severe weather from Hurricane Florence. First race post time Sunday is 12:30 p.m.

Altamura is a perfect 3-0 at Laurel, all of her wins coming against older horses. She broke her maiden by a length June 15 and won the M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes by a head eight days later, both over Oakley contender Virginia Fable. Moulton purchased the 3-year-old daughter of Grade 1 turf winner Artie Schiller for $205,000 at Fasig-Tipton’s summer horses of racing age sale in July and turned her over to trainer Wayne Catalano.

Altamura won her third race in a row, capturing the Camptown Stakes August 4th at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

In the first start for her new connections, Altamura led from start to finish to win the off-the-turf Camptown Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths under Midwest-based jockey Channing Hill, who returns to ride from Post 1 in the field of 8 at topweight of 120 pounds.

Also in the Oakley are Camptown runner-up What the Beep; Up Hill Battle, third in both the Gilpin and Camptown; Do What I Say, Northern Eclipse, Secret Or Not and Sister Says.

The Punch Line will feature a rubber match between White Oak Farm Stakes winner Determined Vision and Meadow Stable Stakes winner Homespun Hero. Determined Vision surprised at 11-1 in the White Oak Farm, a race where Homespun Hero ran fifth, but was beaten a length as the favorite in an off-the-turf Meadow Stable.

Homespun Hero was best in an exciting four horse field August 4th in the Meadow Stable Stakes. photo courtesy of Jim McCue.

Two Notch Road, an 11-year-old multiple stakes winner of $522,913 in purses, was sixth in both races and goes after his eighth career win and first since the 2017 Meadow Stable. Also entered are Lime House Louie, Available, Elusive Mischief, Tiz Unbeatable, Divine Interventio, Rucker, Braxton and Fly E Dubai.

Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone’s homebred Special Envoy swept the Edward Evans, Hansel and Bert Allen for Virginia-bred/sired horses last year at Laurel but will be looking for his first win of 2018 in the Bert Allen. The Arnaud Delacour trainee opened his 7-year-old campaign finishing second by a length in the Evans, but was scratched from the Hansel when it was rained off the turf. Most recently, he ran seventh following a rough trip in the Red Bank (G3) Sept. 1 at Monmouth Park.

Sheldon Russell guided River Deep to victory in the $75,000 Hansel Stakes August 4th. Photo by Jim McCue.

Morgans Ford Farm’s River Deep romped to a front-running 7 ¼-length triumph in the one-mile Hansel Aug. 4 and returns as the 122-pound topweight in the Bert Allen. Fourth in the Evans and three-for-five lifetime over Laurel’s world-class turf course, River Deep followed the Hansel by running fourth, beaten 1 ¼ lengths, in the Maryland Coalition Stakes at about 6 ½ furlongs during the Maryland State Fair meet in Timonium Sept. 1.

Speed Gracer, Vincent Van Gogo, Unpredictable, Black Prong, Runninginthevale, Macue, Jump Ship, Officer’s Oath, Accountable and Whiskey Wu complete the field.

Fair Hill Training Center-based Delacour entered the trio of Well Blessed, Paulita and Armoire in an attempt to complete a personal sweep in the Brookmeade. Armoire, second in the Nellie Mae Cox, William M. Backer and Brookmeade in 2017, earned her first stakes win in this year’s Nellie Mae Cox. She went on to run third by a neck in a third-level optional claimer Aug. 16 at Laurel and sixth in the 1 1/8-mile Violet (G3) Sept. 1 at Monmouth.

Paulita stepped in for her stablemate and was a two-length winner of the William Backer in just her fifth career start, first in a stakes and first since joining Delacour. The 3-year-old filly finished third in her most recent effort, an optional claimer going 1 1/8 miles Aug. 31 at Monmouth.

The Firestone’s Well Blessed will be making her 14th start and first beyond 1 1/16 miles. Off the board in both the Nellie Mae Cox and William Backer in her lone 2018 races, she won a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer last September to close her 4-year-old campaign.

Rounding out the field are Complete St., Secret Or Not, Daniella, Sweet Sandy, Wolverette, My Vixen and Street Miz.

The next round of $75,000 Virginia-bred stakes races is this Sunday, September 23rd, at Laurel Park. Nominations are in as follows: Oakley (18), Jamestown (27), Punch Line (18), Bert Allen (24) and Brookmeade (14). 2017 Bert Allen Stakes winner Special Envoy has nominated again. The 7 year old Stroll gelding was bred by Mr. & Mrs. Bertram Firestone and enters Sunday’s stakes with a bankroll of $304,500. Last year, Special Envoy also captured the Hansel and Edward Evans Stakes (shown here). Photo courtesy of Jim McCue.

Special Envoy (outside) battled with Rose Brier (inside) in the $75,000 Edward Evans Stakes in 2017. Photo by Jim McCue.

Nominations List:

All Along Stakes

Oakley Stakes

Jamestown Stakes

Punch Line Stakes

Bert Allen Stakes

Brookmeade Stakes

The following appeared in the Paulick Report on September 19th.

Pennsylvania-bred Page McKenney had already accomplished quite a bit before his 2018 campaign ended prematurely with retirement in August, but he left the racetrack with additional recognition: a MATCH Series division title and induction into the Parx Racing Hall of Fame.

Page McKenney, owned by Adam Staple and Jalin Stable and trained by Mary Eppler, won the MATCH Series 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt Division and on Sept. 15 was among those honored at Parx, where he won seven of 10 starts, five of them stakes. Dr. Jim Bryant, who co-bred Page McKenney with Linda Davis—they make up Jalin Stable—was on hand to accept the Hall of Fame plaque.

“Some of his most exciting races were here,” said Bryant, an owner and breeder who lives in Virginia. “When he won the Roanoke Stakes and PA Derby Championship Stakes last year, those were probably my favorites. But his race in the Swatara Stakes at Penn National really stood out, too. Kid Cruz came flying up to him in the stretch and went to eyeball-to-eyeball with him and he just wouldn’t let him go by.

 McKenney

Dr. Jim Bryant of Virginia and PTHA Board member Kate Demasi at Parx hall of Fame induction.

“Adam really nailed it when he said Page had a long, amazing run. I think that sums it up. It’s mixed emotions now but everybody was on board to retire him because it was the right thing to do. I’m happy we’re not going to run him past the point when he should run.”

In 58 starts, Page McKenney had 22 wins, 16 seconds and five thirds for earnings of $1,905,940. His last victory came in the grade III Salvator Mile in late May at Monmouth Park.

Page McKenney was claimed for $16,000 by Eppler on behalf of Staple in 2013, and Bryant and Davis, his previous owners, purchased a minority share. He was stabled with Eppler at Pimlico Race Course and remains there for now.

“Jasmine Napravnik broke him and gave him an unbelievable foundation. He ended up Mary, and he blossomed slowly but surely. Mary is talking about making him a stable pony. He’s what I call an equine gym rat—he likes the track. Once he’s done with his stall rest, maybe we’ll take him to the farm in Virginia for the winter. But we’ll probably give Mary a shot at making him a stable pony.”

The Parx Hall of Fame, organized by the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, also inducted four individuals: Dr. Patty Hogan, who operates an equine clinic in New Jersey; Russell Jones Jr., a Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission member and lifelong horsemen with involvement in the auction sector; Ed Rendell, the former Pennsylvania governor who signed the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act into law in 2004; and trainer Richard Vega, who has won many races at Parx since he got his trainer’s license in 1992 and in 2016 won his 1,000th race.

Danielle Montgomery, who administrates the PTHA’s Turning for Home aftercare program, said Hogan, for the first five years of the program, performed many surgeries and consultations on racehorses that entered the program for new homes and second careers. Hogan studied veterinary medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

“So many people work very hard for this program,” Hogan said of Turning For Home. “I’m happy to see it thriving as a model aftercare program.”

Rendell, who at this time isn’t involved in politics, was represented at Parx by Steve Crawford, his one-time chief of staff who was a point person on the gaming legislation in 2004. Crawford discussed what many people have long believed: The 3-year-old campaign of Pennsylvania-bred Smarty Jones that year definitely fueled passage of the bill.

“The governor is a huge racing fan,” Crawford said. “I remember the thrill of getting that bill passed, not only to give Pennsylvania residents property tax relief but to protect agriculture and all the people in the horseracing business. Smarty Jones can be credited with getting the slots bill passed in Pennsylvania—he was actually racing for all of us that day.”

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Copyright © 2018 Paulick Report.

Pictured with the Grand Champion Blazeaway colt are Cindy Curtis and Susie Hart (who gave the conformation and show presentation seminar), Diana McClure, Ned Moore and Jill Gordon-Moore.

Pictured with Beach Traffic are: VTA President Brooke Royster, Patricia Ramey and handler Junior Johnson.

​Breeders Patricia Ramey and Maciej Szwarc saw there Virginia-Certified colt Beach Traffic take honors as Reserve Grand Champion in addition to winning the Certified class. Beach Traffic is by Cross Traffic out of Pink Sand by Sky Mesa.  A pair of yearlings bred and owned by Riverview Farm LLC  took second and third in the Certified Class. River Beauty RVF (by Astrology out of Lost in the Woods by Forest Danger) was runner-up and River Dreamer RVF (by Warrior’s Reward out of Debra’s Dream by Reprized) followed. The rest of the finishers in order were a Lone Star Special  filly (Tigertail Ranch/Irwin Olian), Former Marine (Henry Nothhaft/HnR Nothhaft Racing, LLC), a Bourbon Courage colt and a Imagining colt named Collar the Kitten (both owned and bred by Lady Olivia at North Cliff, LLC) and Patriotic Punch (Charles Reed and Michael Zanella). ​

2018 VTA Futurity – Champion VA-Bred filly, 2017 filly out of Cat Alert by Tapizar
Bred and owned by Morgan’s Ford Farm

Attention horseplayers — due to extreme heat inside Breakers OTB in Richmond’s west end, betting will not be available on Tuesday September 4th.

Free pre-printed programs are available at Breakers Sports Grille every Wednesday.

The air conditioning unit that services the OTB portion of Breakers went out late last week and it is being replaced early this week.

The Ponies & Pints OTB has beverage specials daily from 11 AM – 7 PM and food specials many nights including a Sunday brunch. It is located at 110 N. 18th Street in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood.

Feel free to visit the other Richmond OTB at Ponies & Pints (110 N. 18th Street) on Tuesday!

The following appeared in The Fauquier Times and was written by Betsy Burke Parker

Two Fauquier High graduates broke through big at the Saratoga Racecourse in New York last weekend.

Upperville native Jonathan Thomas saddled Catholic Boy to win the $1.25 million Grade 1 Travers Stakes, and Marshall native Chuck Lawrence sent out Glorious Empire to win the $1 million Grade 1 Sword Dancer turf stake.

“We’re just so proud of the horse and what he’s accomplished,” said Thomas, 38, a 1998 Fauquier High grad who was raised at Rokeby Farm, where he spent his youth foxhunting, showing and working in the steeplechase industry.

He rode over jumps starting at 17, riding two graded hurdle stakes winners during his apprentice championship year, 2000.

Thomas moved into flat racing, signing on as assistant trainer to Christophe Clement in New York, and then with Dale Romans before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2007 to work for King Abdullah.

Two Fauquier High graduates broke through big at the Saratoga Racecourse in New York last weekend.

Upperville native Jonathan Thomas saddled Catholic Boy to win the $1.25 million Grade 1 Travers Stakes, and Marshall native Chuck Lawrence sent out Glorious Empire to win the $1 million Grade 1 Sword Dancer turf stake.

“We’re just so proud of the horse and what he’s accomplished,” said Thomas, 38, a 1998 Fauquier High grad who was raised at Rokeby Farm, where he spent his youth foxhunting, showing and working in the steeplechase industry.

He rode over jumps starting at 17, riding two graded hurdle stakes winners during his apprentice championship year, 2000.

Thomas moved into flat racing, signing on as assistant trainer to Christophe Clement in New York, and then with Dale Romans before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2007 to work for King Abdullah.

He returned as Todd Pletcher’s assistant in 2008, and then went out on his own in 2013, based at Florida’s Bridlewood Farm.

Thomas-trained horses have amassed lifetime earnings of almost $3 million.

Lawrence, 52, a 1984 Fauquier grad, grew up in racing as well. Winning his first race in 1978 with pony racing phenom Lil Fritz, Lawrence went on to partner some of steeplechasing’s best: Eclipse champs Lonesome Glory, Hirapour and Warm Spell, along with International Gold Cup winner Jamaica Bay. Lawrence was champion jockey in 1989 and 1993.

He hung up his tack after the 1994 season, swapping to training on the flat and moving to the training center in Fair Hill, Maryland.

“The Virginia boys made us all proud,” said John Dale Thomas, Jonathan’s father and longtime track manager of Virginia’s Shenandoah Downs and Colonial Downs racecourses.

Catholic Boy wins the 2018 Travers. Photo by Joe Labozzetta/NYRA.

Lawrence said he and Thomas share more than a little Fauquier High history.

“Jonathan and I were comparing notes after our big days on Saturday,” Lawrence said. “We both remember (hall monitor) Mr. (Lynn) Ward signing us in when we were tardy when we were late working horses on the track in the early morning.

“Mr. Ward was a big racing fan. He understood what we were doing,” not just ditching school, he added.

He returned as Todd Pletcher’s assistant in 2008, and then went out on his own in 2013, based at Florida’s Bridlewood Farm.

Thomas-trained horses have amassed lifetime earnings of almost $3 million.

Lawrence, 52, a 1984 Fauquier grad, grew up in racing as well. Winning his first race in 1978 with pony racing phenom Lil Fritz, Lawrence went on to partner some of steeplechasing’s best: Eclipse champs Lonesome Glory, Hirapour and Warm Spell, along with International Gold Cup winner Jamaica Bay. Lawrence was champion jockey in 1989 and 1993.

He hung up his tack after the 1994 season, swapping to training on the flat and moving to the training center in Fair Hill, Maryland.

“The Virginia boys made us all proud,” said John Dale Thomas, Jonathan’s father and longtime track manager of Virginia’s Shenandoah Downs and Colonial Downs racecourses.

Lawrence said he and Thomas share more than a little Fauquier High history.

“Jonathan and I were comparing notes after our big days on Saturday,” Lawrence said. “We both remember (hall monitor) Mr. (Lynn) Ward signing us in when we were tardy when we were late working horses on the track in the early morning.

“Mr. Ward was a big racing fan. He understood what we were doing,” not just ditching school, he added.