Four Virginia-bred horses reached the winners circle over Thanksgiving weekend including a pair who expanded their six-digit career bankrolls, another who scored her first lifetime win and another who stayed the course in a consistent 2020 campaign. All four won at tracks in the Mid-Atlantic region, which provided their owners a 25% bonus on top of the purse monies won courtesy of the VTA’s incentive program.
Divine Interventio’s November 27 win at Laurel pushed his bankroll to $371,884. Photo by Jim McCue.
Divine Interventio won for the ninth time and collected his 29th “top three” finish November 27 at Laurel. The 7-year-old Malibu Moon gelding got away slow in the eight-horse field of claimers and settled into sixth at the quarter mark. Jockey Katie Davis directed the comeback, guiding her charge to second at the top of the stretch before taking an inside route to pass front running Drill’s Li’l Man before the wire.
Divine Interventio’s sixth win came March 16, 2019 at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.
Bred by the William Backer Revocable Trust, Divine Interventio is out of the Out of Place mare, Art Show. He won for the third time this year, pushed his 2020 bankroll to $62,090 and his career earnings to $371,884.
Fly E Dubai’s gate-to-wire victory November 29 at Charles Town enabled the 6-year-old E Dubai’s career bankroll to hit the $200,000 mark. Bred by Carlos Moore & Gillian Gordon-Moore, Fly E Dubai completed the 1 1/16ths miles claimer in 1:48.55, finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of Tizezzy in earning his second straight win. Interestingly, the Anthony Farrior trainee has only raced twice at Charles Town in 55 career starts — and both resulted in the two most recent victories. Fly E Dubai, with six wins and $205,075 in earnings, is owned by James Wolf and is out of the Siphon mare, Senate Caucus.
Fly E Dubai earned a win in his first lifetime start in November, 2016 at Laurel. He has made 54 starts since. Photo by Jim McCue.
Sing Along Suzy came from four lengths back at the third fraction of her one-mile maiden claimer at Laurel November 27, took the lead at the top of the stretch and won by 1 1/2 lengths in besting ten others. The 3-year-old First Samurai filly crossed in 1:39.82 under Julian Pimentel. She was bred by Lazy Lane Farms, is trained by Kelly Rubley and is owned by Stuart Grant. She has earned $24,340 this year.
Sing Along Suzy broke her maiden at Laurel November 27 with Julian Pimentel up top. Photo by Jim McCue.
Goodluckchuck kicked off the weekend by winning for the third time this year in a $24,610, seven-furlong claimer at Laurel. The 4-year-old Big Picture gelding came from fifth at the head of the stretch, went five wide heading for the wire and crossed a length in front. Bred by Heidi Overfelt, the Rob Bailes trainee has a trio of second place finishes to complement three victories in 2020. Michael Overfelt owns Goodluckchuck who is out of the Boundary mare, Grand Scheme.
Rob Bailes trainee Goodluckchuck went 5-wide in the stretch to win November 26 at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.