AFTERCAREMarch 28th, 2022BYLeigh Beamer MollerThe author with her OTTB Fin as they begin training for the Thoroughbred Makeover in October. (Courtesy of Leigh Beamer Moller)

It’s a 20-hour round-trip journey from Wytheville, Va., to Troy, N.Y. As it turns out, that’s also the perfect amount of time to impulse purchase a horse. 

I have a rather unfortunate track record of my personal horses becoming unsound (pasture accidents, navicular, etc.) and had recently come to terms with needing to retire my horse Blade in the very near future. My two most recent personal horses had been OTTBs, and as I casually began the search, I knew I wanted another one for my next partner. I have loved Thoroughbreds since I was given and restarted my first OTTB, Larry, while I was in high school. They have huge hearts, are great athletes, and make wonderful partners. As a public school teacher, I also realistically knew that a horse right off the track would be all my budget would allow. For me though, that was not a problem as I love the journey and work of restarting OTTBs. Fin, formerly known as Hot Gurl Summer. (Courtesy of Leigh Beamer Moller)

I came across Changing Saddles LLC while scrolling through Facebook and her ad was at the top of the page. Hot Gurl Summer had been posted a few days earlier and was a striking chestnut filly complete with adorable face and lip markings and a video that made her look like she was absolutely full of herself; I was in love. I sent the payment and found out quickly that she would be arriving at the farm on Monday, Oct. 4, which left me with no time to question my decision making skills. 

What I did have time to consider though, while she was making her trip to Virginia, was the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover. She was never entered into a race but had published track works that made her eligible to enter. It sounded like such a wonderful opportunity and experience, but I had a hard time convincing myself that I was capable of being accepted.

I have been riding horses since I was 4 years old. Growing up in rural southwestern Virginia though, I had very limited options for showing (think fun show at the lesson barn). When I was a teenager, I had my first OTTB, Larry, at my grandparents’ farm but no trailer. So showing still was not an option for me. Throughout college, I took dressage lessons when I could and rode my own horse during my summer breaks. 

After I graduated college, I lived in Washington, DC, for four years. I quickly grew tired of the city life and greatly missed riding. When I finally convinced my now husband, Mike, to move home to Wytheville with me, we bought a farm. Shortly after acquiring the farm, Blade, an OTTB, and his trusty quarter horse friend Midge made their move to live with us. I had high hopes of accomplishing some of my dressage dreams with Blade, but an old pasture injury laid those dreams to rest the further we got into our training.

Fast forward to the day of her arrival. I knew that I would need to come up with a barn name for Hot Gurl Summer. She had been in training at Belterra Park near Cincinnati, and as a self-proclaimed Jimmy Buffett fanatic it made obvious sense to me that her name would be Fin. As she made her way down from Cincinnati it felt like Christmas Eve while I tried to wait patiently at work. The hauler was wonderful about sending me pictures and updates during her journey and it helped to make the waiting more bearable. It was late and dark when they arrived, but she unloaded like a champ in the middle of our country road. I led her down the farm road in the dark and to the round pen for her to spend her first night. Fin says hello. (Courtesy of Leigh Beamer Moller)

The next morning, I was able to finally get a good look at her. She was really beautiful in person, overflowing with personality, and had the droopiest lip I had ever seen on a horse. The boys were absolutely fascinated by this high-strung filly that had been brought into their territory. For the next several weeks they spent their days reorganizing their pecking order and settling into their new roles. Fin currently jockeys back and forth with my mini and her nemesis, Bert, for the bottom spot. 

The first month and a half was spent letting her adjust to her new farm life. Understandably, she had a lot of spunk about her for the first few weeks she was there, and I was worried about the red mare syndrome that I had heard so much about. Quite quickly, and to my surprise, she calmed down to the point of seeming mature way beyond her years. Once we started groundwork and began getting to know each other better, I knew that the bond that was forming would be strong. I have not had a mare in 10 years and had forgotten what that partnership was like. 

After she settled in and I got to know her a little better, I figured I had nothing to lose by applying to the Makeover. I did not have a sound horse to film my entry video on though, so I roped my friend and fellow 2022 Makeover participant, Sara, into using her lovely gelding for the entry. I had never ridden her horse before and we got the videos filmed the day before a big snowstorm hit our area – just in the nick of time! I spent the week off of school filling in my application and getting my ducks in a row for submission. My hopes are for Fin to become my dressage partner, so that is what discipline I selected. 

While I waited for the decision date, I had told myself I would not be disappointed if we did not get accepted. I have no show record to my name, can count on one hand the number of times I’ve ridden in a covered arena, and do all my riding out in the fields so I was not expecting to be accepted. After all, my plans for Fin would be the same whether we got in or not – minus a very awesome week in October.  

Trainer acceptance day came and I refreshed my email every 30 minutes. Finally, around noon, there it was…accepted. I was floored. I still cannot believe we get to be a part of such a wonderful event. Working towards the Makeover this fall will be such a great way to kick off the first year of our partnership together and I am so excited to watch her grow and mature over the next few months. Off we go!

Horse racing, spring fashions and Virginia hospitality highlight D.C.’s premier spring event

THE PLAINS, Va., March 24, 2022 – One of the nation’s oldest and largest steeplechase events celebrates its 97^th anniversary this year on Saturday, May 7, at Great Meadow in The Plains. Last year, the event was held with a limited number of spectators. This year, tailgate packages and hospitality tents are available.

As one of the Washington, D.C. region’s largest and oldest outdoor events, more than 50,000 people come out in their race-day finest to socialize and entertain. The fashion at the event has become as popular with a variety of hats and a fiercely competitive hat contest. Celebrity judges will decide whose hats are the most impressive in the day’s hat contest. There is also an equally competitive tailgate contest with prizes for the top three winners.

The Gold Cup’s long-standing tradition beckons to national celebrities, local VIPs, D.C. politicians as well as visitors from around the world. Characterized by lavish tailgate spreads, sleek thoroughbreds and exciting hoof-pounding competition, many companies have capitalized on what the day has to offer by getting involved with sponsorships, purchasing tents to entertain, and some actually end up doing business there.

Steeplechase and flat racing offer a fast-action sport in a refined social setting and, at the Gold Cup, some of the best horses and jockeys compete over hurdles, timber and on the flat. Held every year on the first Saturday in May, the Virginia Gold Cup enjoys a spectacular setting in the heart of Virginia’s horse country with the Blue Ridge Mountains serving as the backdrop. It is Virginia’s answer to the Kentucky Derby.

The 97^th Annual Running of the Virginia Gold Cup will take place on Saturday, May 7 at Great Meadow in The Plains. Gates open at 10 a.m. with pre-race entertainment starting at 12:30 p.m. with the Color Guard presented by St. Andrew’s Society Pipes and Drums and a performance of the National Anthem by Angela Knight. The first of seven horse races will be underway at 1 p.m.

After two years of adjusting the event for Covid, the Gold Cup returns this year with a revised format. Tailgate packages, which now include tents in some areas, and Members Hill tenting options are available. Purchases can be made online at www.vagoldcup.com/va/tickets or by calling 540-347-2612. Attendees must be an invited guest of a tailgate or an invited guest of a hospitality tent. General admission passes will not be offered for this year’s event.

Great Meadow is located just 45 minutes west of Washington, D.C. and is in close proximity to Dulles International Airport. To get there from Washington, D.C., take I-66 west to The Plains exit. Turn left at the end of the ramp onto The Plains Road (Route 245 south), follow signs to Great Meadow which will be on your left. Call 540-347-2612 for additional information or visit the web site at www.vagoldcup.com.

The 2022 Virginia Gold Cup Races are presented by Atlantic Union Bank, Charles Schwab, Virginia Equine Alliance, VHBPA, and the Virginia Thoroughbred Association.

Sunday, March 13, 2022 at 2:32 pm | Back to: Top News

Green Up | Ryan Thompson

The following piece appeared in Thoroughbred Daily News and was written by Alan Carasso. Green Up is a Virginia-bred filly that was bred by Robin Richards.

Sent off a mortal lock at odds of 2-5, Team Valor International’s Green Up (Upstart) improved off a big-figure debut second for previous connections and galloped her six overmatched rivals into the ground, earning ‘TDN Rising Star’ honors for a 6 3/4-length tour-de-force.

Having dramatically outrun odds of 25-1 to be runner-up at Churchill Downs last May behind the subsequently stakes-placed Ontheonesandtwos (Jimmy Creed) for owner Leonard Mattingly and trainer Chris Melton, the $10,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearling graduate was acquired by these high-profile connections a short time thereafter, according to Team Valor’s Barry Irwin.

“She’s tall and immature. She had a few issues and we gave her plenty of time,” he explained. “We were actually going to run her next week going a mile, but we started getting worried that the race wouldn’t fill, so we sprinted her even though she doesn’t want to sprint.”

Green Up’s most recent breeze, a five-furlong bullet at Palm Beach Downs in 1:01 Mar. 6, had the Virginia-bred sitting on ready. Irwin said the drill was very much in character.

“Her works are unbelievable,” he said. “She goes out there, she stays with her company and just before the wire, she moves a little bit ahead and then on the gallop out she opens up 12 or 15 lengths every time.”

Off to an uneventful beginning for the in-form Irad Ortiz, Jr., Green Up tracked longshot pacesetter Teasing (Tapit)–a full-sister to GI Belmont S. winner Tapwrit–through solid opening splits. Easing alongside that one as the quarter pole loomed, Green Up quickly put daylight on her rivals and stopped the timer in 1:10.04 while never asked through the final eighth of a mile. 

“It was as much as I expected and I expected a lot,” Irwin commented. “About three weeks ago, Todd called me and goes, ‘this Green Up, she’s a graded stakes winner, she’s unbelievable.’ He says, ‘I know trainers never call people up with anything but bad news, so I want to call you with some good news and tell you what a good filly you’ve got. Pretty exciting to have one like this.”

The winning jockey added: “She did everything right. She did it the right way. She put me in a good position. She did everything so easy. Going to the turn, I just rode her, biding my time. When I asked her she responded really well. She took off.”

A May 9 foal, Green Up is out of an unplaced half-sister to the solid Midlantic handicap horse Just Call Kenny (Jump Start)–also a paternal descendant of A.P. Indy–who counted the GIII Philip H. Iselin S. as his major career victory and who won the 2014 Spectacular Bid S. over this main track. Green Up holds an entry for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks and is the second Rising Star for Upstart, who is already represented on the Oaks trail by GII Davona Dale S. heroine Kathleen O.

4th-Gulfstream, $53,000, Msw, 3-13, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.04, ft, 6 3/4 lengths.
GREEN UP, f, 3, by Upstart
1st Dam: Green Punch, by Two Punch
2nd Dam: Green Jeans, by Green Dancer
3rd Dam: Duds, by Ack Ack
Sales history: $10,000 Ylg ’20 EASOCT. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $44,360. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Team Valor International LLC; B-Althea Richards (VA); T-Todd A Pletcher.

General Admission is Free

Live racing returns to Colonial Downs Racetrack® in New Kent County on July 11 through September 7. Premium tickets are now on sale while general admission and parking are free.

Top thoroughbred horses from around the country will run every Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday with post time at 1:45 pm. Premium tickets, full racing schedule and information are available at www.colonialdowns.com.

Colonial Downs Racing presented by Woodford Reserve offers a family friendly atmosphere, casual dining, private suites for larger parties, outdoor clubhouse boxes, reserved grandstand seating and a hospitality tent trackside open to everyone. Concessions are available throughout the facility and food trucks stationed on the grandstand apron. Call 804-557-5684 or inquire at sales@colonialdowns.com to book your group’s private suite for the
perfect weekday matinée outing. Suite catering serviced by Deep Run Roadhouse.

Fans can catch the action up close from our open-air paddock and watch the horses and jockeys as they prepare to race and then head trackside to cheer their favorite horses on as they charge down the stretch.

Five different promotional giveaway days are slated this summer that feature items like a Secretariat t-shirt on opening day, a Colonial Downs water bottle on July 19, a cooling towel on August 3 and a camouflage hat on Military Day, August 16. A plush horse giveaway will highlight Family Day festivities on August 23. And for the first time in 21 years, Colonial Downs will race on Labor Day afternoon, giving families a chance to enjoy summer’s last holiday in an affordable and fun atmosphere.

The racing season is topped by the Grade 3 $300,000 Virginia Derby® for 3-year-olds which will be run on Tuesday, September 6 along with the $200,000 Virginia Oaks® for 3-year-old fillies both of which will be raced over the renowned Secretariat Turf Course named for the famous Triple Crown champion who was born in Doswell, Virginia.

Horsemen will be competing for an average of $600,000 in daily purse monies including more than $3.5 million in stakes races.

John Marshall, Executive Vice President of Operations at Colonial Downs Group added, “Our theme his year is more racing, more fun! With everything we have to offer, including free general admission, Colonial Downs makes for an entertaining afternoon and evening out for everyone. Colonial Downs and Rosie’s remain loyal to our promise of advancing the quality of Virginia horseracing and delivering positive impacts on our communities.”

About Colonial Downs Group
Colonial Downs Group is a proud business operator in Virginia employing more than 1,000 team members in the Commonwealth, paying over $30 million in annual salaries, wages, and benefits. Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums® in Richmond, Hampton, New Kent, Vinton, and Dumfries offer innovative historic horseracing (HHR) gaming technology and full card simulcasting. Colonial Downs Group also operates a Rosie’s Game Room in Collinsville, which features a limited selection of some of their best HHR titles. Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent County hosts live thoroughbred racing on two nationally renowned surfaces – Secretariat Turf Course, the widest turf course in North America at 180 feet wide and on a 11/4-mile dirt track, second in length to only the world-famous Belmont Park. Colonial Downs Group has made a $300 million investment in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The company pays more than $32 million in annual state and local taxes plus an additional $12 million in racing industry payments annually.

Colonial Downs Racing presented by Woodford Reserve, which kicks off its 27-day “More Racing, More Money and More Fun” Thoroughbred racing season July 11, unveiled a $3.5 million stakes schedule highlighted by the 19th running of the Grade 3 Virginia Derby.

In all, 24 stakes will be contested over the 9-week campaign, 20 of which are scheduled for the
Secretariat Turf Course, the widest grass racing surface in the country. Purses for the 2022 stakes program will increase by $850,000 over 2021 totaling over $3.5 million in stakes dollars up for grabs.

Racing will take place every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 1:30 PM (EDT)
through September 7. Daily average purse monies will rise to $600,000 for the summer from $522,000 in 2021. Maiden special weight races will carry a $60,000 purse. The highly successful 2021 meet awarded a total of $10.4 million in purse monies and average field size was a healthy 8.36 starters per race.

“With increased purses, an expanded stakes schedule and more race days, we are looking
forward to hosting horsemen and women, players and patrons from across the country again this season,” said Jill Byrne, Vice President Racing Operations. “Colonial Downs offers a fantastic facility for horses and staff and two of the best surfaces known for safety and sound returns to the barn.”

The $300,000 G3 Virginia Derby headlines a showcase day on Tuesday September 6 which also
includes four undercard turf stakes. The Commonwealth’s richest annual race is open to 3-year-olds at 1-1/8 miles on grass. Purse for $200,000 Virginia Oaks increases by $50,000 over last
year while the Da Hoss purse also rises by $50,000 to $150,000. The two remaining undercard
events, the Rosie’s and Kitten’s Joy, each enjoy a $25,000 bump to $125,000.

The Mid Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series returns for a second straight
year August 16 with a quartet of stakes worth a combined $600,000. A pair of dirt sprints, the
Chesapeake and Seeking The Pearl, complement a pair of longer turf stakes, the Buckland and
Old Nelson. Each will carry a $150,000 purse.

Opening and closing day programs at the expanded meet will feature a healthy slate of $125,000 stakes with Virginia tie-ins. The July 11 kickoff card includes four Virginia-bred/sired turf events. The Punch Line and Camptown are both 5½-furlong sprints, the latter for fillies & mares, while the Edward P. Evans and Brookmeade are at 1-1/16 miles, the latter again for females.

A four-pack of $150,000 Virginia-restricted stakes will help close out the meet on September 7.
Open to Virginia-bred, -sired and -certified horses, offerings include the Meadow Stable, Tyson
Gilpin, Bert Allen and Nellie Mae Cox Stakes. The $125,000 Jamestown Stakes for Virginiabred/sired 2-year-olds is also on the season’s final program.

Additionally, a pair of $150,000 Virginia-restricted dirt stakes for 2-year-olds will occur mid-meet. The Hickory Tree and Keswick, both 5-furlong sprints, will be held August 9, the latter one for fillies.   

New to the lineup this year is the Colonial Cup Stakes for 3-year-olds & up, which will be
contested over 1½ miles on the turf July 25.

Colonial’s meet-long steeplechase program will be highlighted by the $100,000 Randolph Rouse Stakes at 2 miles on August 22.

The stable area opens June 27 and horsemen will see continued backstretch improvements
including free washing machines at each of the 14 barns, plus large tents, picnic tables and grills at each of the dorm building locations.

“Our horsemen are chomping at the bit for more summer racing with great purses at Colonial,”
said Frank Petramalo, Virginia HBPA Executive Director. “To help horsemen get good stable
help, the VHBPA is sponsoring formal training programs for hot walkers and grooms. The
VHBPA will also offer its usual benevolence programs, including medical/dental benefits,
recreational programs, and our chaplaincy.”

The complete stakes schedule, along with stall applications for the upcoming meet, can be found at www.colonialdowns.com/horsemen. The 2022 condition book will be available later this month with stall applications due by May 2.

The following appeared in The Racing Biz March 8 and was written by Jennifer Kelly.

Even in a sport often dominated by breeders and owners with international reach, small breeders still thrive, their knowledge and experience with the horses they breed and race passed down through the generations. The Rizer family have built their Virginia farm from a couple of pregnant mares in the mid-1990s to a healthy breeding and racing operation with a stakes winner.

This Mid-Atlantic success story that started with a discussion about growing a family has grown into much more.

His wife Nancy, however, did not.

By the mid-1990s, the couple’s sons Nicholas and Alex were four and five years old, and Nancy and Eric were discussing adding a third child to the mix. Eric had a different idea.

“We’ll get horses,” he said.

He purchased a couple of mares in foal, persuading his wife with the promised cuteness of young horses to care for. The Rizers took on the task of foaling and caring for their mares. Eric would take the boys with him when they were on foal watch, the younger Rizers getting experience with foaling and caring for young horses. That has inspired both Nicholas and Alex to continue working with their parents both on their Grey Lady Farm and in their family businesses, two pawn shops near their Virginia home.

Both sons have their roles alongside their parents, a cohesive unit that enjoys working together on the farm and in their shops. Every member’s daily routine involves caring for their horses from the moment they rise until the end of the day.

The Rizer horses, including their current star Princess Kokachin, are all part of the barn of longtime mid-Atlantic trainer Jerry Robb. Robb, who, along with wife Gina, also breeds and races horses in the colors of No Guts No Glory Farm, currently leads all Laurel Park trainers with 20 wins at the meet.

“Jerry and Gina have been like family to us. I can pick up the phone anytime and just call him,” Eric Rizer says. “I give him my point of view on an issue, and he gives me his. I’ve had a lot of trainers in my time, but we feel so comfortable with Jerry. He has a happy barn where everything works well.”

The Rizers typically keep six to eight horses in training, preferring to race on the mid-Atlantic circuit exclusively. Whether it’s a stakes race or a maiden claimer, at least one Rizer tries to be on hand whenever their horses run.  

“They’re our babies,” Nancy says. “We want to be there. We love them all.”

Their enthusiasm for their horses also tends to draw in others to cheer for their blue and yellow silks. After their most recent victory, Princess Kokachin’s easy win in a Laurel Park allowance February 20, the winner’s circle was full of friends and fans that the Rizers pulled in to join them.

“Nancy gets their addresses and send them copies of the photos. It’s our way of drawing more people into the sport,” Eric says.

The Rizers have been racing horses nearly as long as they have been breeding them. Starting with Cool N Easy at Charles Town in the early 2000s, they have raced horses like Subject to Change and Princess Kokachin, both sired by Graydar, and Boppin Anda Weavin, Yellattheminister, and Sparkle Sprinkle. Each horse has a story behind their names.

“I try to keep it by lineage,” son Alex says, but his brother Nick was inspired to name Yellattheminister after an incident at church one Sunday. Nancy named Sparkle Sprinkle years after the boys suggested that name when they were much younger. Eric also credits whatever television shows or music they are currently into for suggesting names whenever they are registering a new horse.

Princess Kokachin, winner of last November’s Politely Stakes at Laurel Park, is the best horse to come out of the Rizer operation. They plan to keep her close to home, perhaps to try graded stakes company this spring.

The Rizers also have four mares in foal right now, with seven to be bred, including the Speightstown mare Serenity Hill, their best producer. She’s the dam of Princess Kokachin and of the stakes-placed Sparkle Sprinkle.

The family plans to race and breed for the foreseeable future, with the boys committed to taking over once Nancy and Eric retire.

Above all, the horses keep them coming back for more. Many of the Rizers’ homebreds return to the farm once their careers are over, the family continuing to care for them long after they have retired.

“When you see your horse win, whether it’s a stakes race or a claimer, that means so much,” Nanyc says. “We’re proud of all of our horses.”

The Owl Hollow Farm in Floyd VA to Become a Premier Thoroughbred Breeding
& Racing Operation for New Owners Covilar LLC.

Colivar’s owner, Josep Bassaganya-Riera has confirmed the purchase of the Owl
Hollow Morgan Farm in Floyd VA and the acquisition of Argentina-bred thoroughbred
stallion Snapy Halo (ARG) Southern Halo x Esnaola (ARG) Ringaro to stand this
season at the new Covilar LLC Farm.

Josep Bassaganya-Riera, who is an entrepreneur and a biotech pioneer said “I am
pleased to announce that Covilar LLC initiated operations in the second half of 2021.
We are proud to build on the legacy of success of the Owl Hollow Farm. The 120-acre
equestrian estate located near the Blue Ridge Parkway is currently being renovated to
become a premier breeding and racing thoroughbred facility. The breeding barns are
fully functional and ready to accommodate any number of mares immediately.”

Snapy Halo race primarily in his home country of Argentina with a few races in
Australia. Snapy Halo won Argentina’s G1 Gran Premio Estrellas Mile in June 2009. He
won Argentina’s major mile by three lengths clocking 1:32.49.

Snapy Halo service fee is $2,000 live foal S&N.

As a sire Snapy Halo has sired 58 foals. 45 (78%) starters. 26 (45%) winners with 2
(3%) BW.

Snapy Halo is very happy and adjusting well to his new home. Just a day after arriving
at Covilar Farms, Snapy Halo was breeding mares.

Stallion Manager Craig Whitlow stated that those that are still deciding or with late
foaling mares to look at Snapy Halo. Under certain conditions considerations may be
available.

Snapy Halo is listed on the stallion register with access to complimentary True Nick’s
reports. Snapy Halo can also be found on Werk e-nicks and 20/20 goldmine match.
The new Covilar Farm website www.covilar.com is currently under construction.
For Mare nominations and breeding barn information you can direct your inquiries to
Stallion Manager Craig Whitlow at the following email address. Craig@covilar.com

Horses in training from Magalen Bryant dispersal to be offered on ARQANA Online on March 29 On Tuesday, March 29, ARQANA Online will offer a sale of horses in training as part of a dispersal from the late Magalen Bryant, an owner, breeder and a leading figure in National Hunt world whose colours were carried to victory at the highest level. The auction will start at 2.30 pm for all the lots. It will end at 4.30 pm for lot 1, then with a 4-minute delay (excluding extra time) for each following lot, i.e. 4.34 pm for lot 2, 4.38 pm for lot 3 etc.  A total of 28 horses in training will be offered in the sale, including: IAMASTAR (lot 12), a four-year-old AQPS gelding by Balko out of Listed Auteuil winner VICTORIA’S STAR, that was placed in the Prix Congress (Gr.2) and Prix Vatelys (L.) last year; IN LOVE (lot 13), a four-year-old AQPS gelding by Great Pretender, a winner on his debut in the Prix Alfred Torrance at Pau at the beginning of the year; HETRE ROUGE (lot 19), a son of Saddex, a six-time winner over hurdles and fences. Lot 19 HETRE ROUGE © ScoopdygaAmong the 10 unraced lots are the four-year-old IMAGINARY DRAGON (lot 9) and three-year-old JUST A DRAGONESS (lot 7), both by Kapgarde from the family of the excellent performers BLUE DRAGON and FABULOUS DRAGONESS. The catalogue can already be viewed online at www.arqanaonline.com and will be supplemented by photos and videos of each lot in the coming days.  Commenting on the sale, Freddy Powell, ARQANA’s Executive Director, said: “For administrative reasons, the late Mrs Bryant’s estate must be auctioned off, however, some of her family members are determined to keep her silks on French racecourses once the legal issues are resolved. Please do not hesitate to contact the ARQANA team, Richard Powell or the trainers for further information.”