Virginia-bred Sir Rockport made it 6-for-12 in 2020 on December 4 when the 8-year-old Rockport Harbor gelding finished a nose better than Calculated Thinking and two others in a three-horse photo at Penn National.
Sir Rockport (between horses) is a nose better in a three horse photo December 4 at Penn National. Photo courtesy of B&D Photography.
With the close win, Sir Rockport earned his 35th “top three” career finish, and his earnings increased to $325,806. From 68 starts, he has 15 wins, 8 seconds and a dozen third place finishes. His current year bankroll surged to $76,357. The consistent sprinter was bred by Legacy Farm & Larry Johnson and will have a new owner come next start — he was one of three horses in the field of six to be claimed for $6,250.
American Dubai, another six-digit earning horse, had a gate-to-wire performance at Remington Park the same day in a $32,000 allowance optional claimer. The 7-year-old E Dubai gelding won his ninth career race from 29 starts by a half length at the one mile, 70 yard distance. Bred by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, American Dubai has amassed a $533,141 bankroll from those starts, which includes a win earlier this year in the Ruidoso Sprint Handicap.
Great Camanoe wins a $47,586 allowance race at Laurel under jockey Victor Carrasco. Photo by Jim McCue.
Great Camanoe and Ready and Rich each scored allowance wins last week at Laurel and Penn respectively. The former, bred by Corner Farm and Patrick Lawley-Wakelin, wired the field in an upset that returned $34.40. The 3-year-old Tonalist gelding set the pace along the inside and crossed one length ahead of Abuelo Paps in the $47,586 race at 6 1/2-furlongs. He is 2-for-7 now with earnings of $63,915. The latter rallied from third in the turn of his $28,000, six-furlong test and won by 2 1/2 lengths. The 4-year-old Super Saver gelding was bred by Chance Farm and is owned by Four Real Stable, who collected a 25% bonus as part of the Mid-Atlantic owner’s incentive program. Ready and Rich has earned $169,088 from 30 career outs.
Rounding out the slate of Virginia-bred triumphs was Still Alive, who prevailed at Parx December 8 in a $27,000, seven-furlong starter event. The 3-year-old Midshipman filly wired the field and hit the wire a neck the best in her fourth life win. The winner was bred by Daybreak Stables and has accumulated $112,472 in earnings.
Virginia-Certified Posse Can Disco broke his maiden at Aqueduct on December 5. Photo by Adam Coglianese.
Ten Virginia-Certified horses won in the last week including Posse Can Disco, who broke his maiden at Aqueduct this past Saturday in gate-to-wire fashion, beating 12 others. The New York-bred spent a six-month residency at Woodberry Payne’s Ingleside Training Center in Montpelier Station before he started racing. Posse’s jockey Kendrick Carmouche made history of sorts later in the card when he rode his first Grade I winner ever, after competing in 20,376 races over 20 years. The 36-year-old jockey guided True Timber to victory in the $250,000, Grade I Cigar Mile.
Street Lute wins the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship December 5 at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.
Street Lute, another Virginia-Certified horse, took down the field in the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship December 5 at Laurel. The 2-year-old Street Magician filly beat eight others as her outstanding freshman campaign continued. She has four wins and a runner-up finish in five starts, which includes stakes wins in the Small Wonder at Delaware and Smart Halo at Laurel. The Maryland-bred was ridden by Xavier Perez, is trained by John Robb and is owned by Lucky 7 Stables. She enjoyed her Virginia residency at Diana McClure’s DMC Carousel Racing Stable in Berryville.
Of the eight other Certified wins last week, seven had their photo taken at Charles Town including Chiefs Kingdom. The 4-year-old Our Entourage filly was best in an allowance optional claimer and scored victory number seven while boosting her lifetime bankroll to $154,821. Owner/trainer David Bloom’s West Virginia-bred has two wins this year and over $50,000 in ’20 winnings.
Chiefs Kingdom, shown winning the Valentines Day Stakes at Charles Town, has 14 top-three finishes in 19 career starts. Photo by Coady Photography.
Secret Castle, another of those seven, kept rolling in 2020 with her 10th “top three” finish in 11 starts at Charles Town. The 3-year-old filly started the year out with a fifth before going on a year-sweeping run which includes a trio of wins.
Other Charles Town winners include Bronze Diva, City Princess, Auburn Mill, Firebird and Slew The Turn.