The Piedmont Fox Hounds Point-to-Point took place on March 25th, at the historic Salem Racecourse in Upperville, VA. The card was made up of eight races, ranging from a mile and a quarter to three and a half miles around the track. This meet is important to local fans of the sport who get to come out in the Northern Virginia area and see one of the first racing events of the year.

The story of the day was Jockey Teddy Davies winning his second Rokeby Bowl in the last two years. He won the race last year at Piedmont on Mystic Strike. He returned and won it again this year on a horse named To Be or Not to Be.

The spring PTP season continues at Ben Venue Farm in Washington, VA on April 8 (Old Dominion Hounds), the Woodley Farm in Berryville April 16 (Blue Ridge Hunt), Morven Park in Leesburg April 23 (Loudoun Hunt) and Glenwood Park in Middleburg April 30 (Middleburg Hunt).

Thanks to Douglas Lees for the Exceptional Photography!

Originally Posted on WTVR.com on 3/21/23

RICHMOND, VA. — In honor of the 50th anniversary of Virginia-native Secretariat winning the Triple Crown, Virginia ABC stores will be releasing “Secretariat Reserve Straight Bourbon” from Ragged Branch Distillery in Charlottesville.

The bourbon’s mash features grain grown at Meadow Event Park in Caroline County, where Secretariat was born and raised.

The bottle features custom artwork of the famed horse, who still holds the fastest time record in each of the three races — the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes — that comprise the Triple Crown.

The bourbon will be released in Virginia ABC retail stores on April 22 in limited quantities. There will also be some bottles available at the Ragged Branch Distillery store in Charlottesville.

All bottles are 750ml, 100 proof and priced at $99.99.

Secretariat’s jockey during the Triple Crown races, Ron Turcotte, has autographed 187 bottles that will be offered by online lottery for retail customers. All entries received during the entry period, March 29 to 31, will have an equal opportunity to win. More details about the lottery can be found here.

Newest Member of the Virginia Equine Alliance, and recent Lock Haven University graduate Aidan Turnage-Barney recently visited the James River Horse Foundation in Goochland, VA these were his thoughts.

Those of us who love horses know that there is a special magic between a girl and her horse. It’s a romantic ideal encouraged by movies like Horse Girl and National Velvet, but a recent visit to the James River Horse Foundation at the State Farm Work Center in Goochland County reminds us that the connection between a woman and a horse can be healing and redeeming.

The program is dedicated to taking retired thoroughbreds and giving them a safe and happy home. This program is unique because they provide injured horses a safe refuge when they have no more opportunities on the racetrack.

The other purpose of the program is to teach the inmates at the facility the skills involved with taking care of a thoroughbred. 

Program Manager Cynthia (CJ) Weldon and Assistant-Warden Michael Lewis proudly offered a tour of the facility and the farm. “The participants are in the program handling, grooming, and then going on to learn how to tack and how to shoe, braid and do all kinds of things like that,” explained Walden. “The kind of skills that they can take out into the industry and potentially use.” She reports that several of the participants in the program have been released and continued on to have careers in the equine industry.

Mr. Lewis spoke of how much he believes the opportunity to work with horses has been the best thing for the incarcerated women in the prison. “The quiet of the farm and the attention to detail required to take care of a horse, helps create a sense of balance for the prisoners that is not easily achieved by incarcerated individuals.”

The program was started 15 years ago for male inmates at a neighboring prison; in 2019 they moved the project to the female prison. Weldon says that, since the program was made available at the women’s prison, she is aware of only one inmate who had been in the horse program being returned to the penal system. The project is an important measure in preparing these individuals to return to normal life and to be productive and contributing members of society. 

”They walk out of here with a really rounded understanding of care that is very marketable in the industry,” said Wledon.  “They get other skills as well, responsibility, setting boundaries, taking charge, and just doing what they need to do. I think it’s a good program, the horses provide them with this opportunity to grow as individuals and to secure job skills.” 

The farm currently houses 24 thoroughbreds, almost all of which have a racing background, with a few coming from the world of show horses. The barn has three relatives of Secretariat:  Covert Action, a grandson; Multiple Choice, a Great-Grandson with $800,000 in career winnings; and Scared Guy, a Great-Great-Great Grandson who was purchased as a Yearling for $250,000 but never ran a race because of his fear of the starting gate. The 24 horses rotate and every day a different group is brought in to be groomed extensively in their stalls. The rest are fed and checked in the fields. All the horse care is provided by the inmates in the facility apart from occasional visits from the veterinarian.

When asked if there was a favorite horse among the inmates,  Weldon responded that everyone had their own favorite, typically the one that the individuals had spent the most time working with one on one. We asked some of the inmates who their favorite was and almost all chose the horse they were currently grooming. They spoke with pride about the horses and were very excited to have the horses they had taken such good care of photographed.

 In my time in the facility, I was stunned by how serene the farm felt; you can truly feel the dedication from these women towards their horses and it is clear that they have learned enough to be knowledgeable of these animals and how to take care of them at the highest level. These skills will immediately give the women an opportunity after release to go to a racetrack and get a job that often includes housing, which is a huge problem for individuals when they are first released. The James River Horse Foundation is working every day to give these horses the best life they can possibly live, and in the process are helping these women build futures brighter than those they might have faced without this program.

Originally posted on 3/12/2023 on Richmond.com, Written by Bill Lohmann

Fifty years ago in May, Secretariat began his incomparable run into horse-racing history and American lore.

The legendary horse’s dominating sweep of the Triple Crown in 1973 — he still holds the records for fastest time in all three races — ensured he would be remembered as a horse for all time. His name has grown to be synonymous with greatness, his achievements mythic.

And, for those who might not recall, Secretariat was a Virginian.

Secretariat was born on March 30, 1970, at what was then The Meadow, a horse farm in Caroline County, that is now The Meadow Event Park, where the State Fair of Virginia is held each fall.

Nearby Ashland also lays claim to Secretariat’s heritage and, to celebrate its native son, is hosting a series of events on Saturday, April 1, most notably the official unveiling at the Ashland Town Hall of a visiting monument to the horse known as “Big Red.”

The “Secretariat Racing Into History” bronze monument is 21 feet long, 11 1/2 feet tall and weighs 3,500 pounds, and will arrive in Ashland in late March following a 1,300-mile journey on a flatbed trailer from the Oklahoma foundry where it came to life. It is scheduled to leave later in April when it will be loaded on the back of the truck again and will continue its Triple Crown anniversary tour to the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

The monument could return for good to Ashland later in the year if a local group, Secretariat for Virginia, raises sufficient funds — about $600,000 — to purchase it. The town and Randolph-Macon College have agreed to provide a permanent site for the statue in the middle of town at the intersection of England Street and Railroad Avenue, just down the tracks from the town’s train station.

Spearheading the effort is Kate Chenery Tweedy, granddaughter of Chris Chenery, who in the 1930s purchased The Meadow and founded Meadow Stud, the breeding operation, and Meadow Stable, the racing operation, and daughter of Penny Chenery, who took charge of The Meadow when her father fell ill in 1968. Penny Chenery was running the place when Secretariat came along.

Tweedy said it just seems right for the statue to have its permanent home in Virginia in general and in Ashland in particular, and not only because she relocated there in 2018. Her grandfather grew up in Ashland, and several members of her family, including her grandfather, attended Randolph-Macon.

Tweedy grew up in Colorado, but visited The Meadow as a child and became familiar with Ashland. She started visiting the area again about 15 years ago when she was co-writing the book “Secretariat’s Meadow” with Leeanne Meadows Ladin and fell in love with the place.

“When it’s time for me to retire,” she decided back then about Ashland, “that’s where I’m going to retire.”

While working on the book, she also fell in love with the Virginia part of Secretariat’s story, she said.

“Since others have amply covered his achievements at the track and his retirement in Kentucky, I felt it was important to highlight his home state and our great history with horses.”

Her mother always said that “Secretariat couldn’t talk so she wanted to do it for him, and she worked really hard to keep his legacy alive. I traveled with her and helped her at her events meeting fans. I saw how much they loved him and her as well. Now that Mom is gone, I am the main one of our siblings to carry on Mom’s mission and to add my own.”

The monument is the work of Jocelyn Russell, a wildlife and equine artist living in the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest. It is the second of two almost identical statues of Secretariat that Russell has created; the first was commissioned by a Kentucky group and installed in 2019 at a traffic circle in Lexington, Kentucky.

The one coming to Ashland is slightly different in that the Lexington version features “1A” on the saddle cloth and jockey arm number, which was Secretariat’s number at the 1973 Kentucky Derby. The second casting bears a “2” — the number Secretariat wore for his record-breaking run at the Belmont Stakes, perhaps his most famous race as he galloped across the finish line an astounding 31 lengths ahead of the second-place horse.

Russell says it was an honor to memorialize Secretariat in bronze because he was “not just a racehorse. He’s the racehorse of all time.”

She deeply researched Secretariat before creating the monument, including traveling to Canada to visit with jockey Ron Turcotte, who was aboard Secretariat on his Triple Crown run. The finished product depicts Secretariat in full stride.

The first monument was delivered via flatbed trailer to Lexington, amid considerable fanfare, Russell said, with even a helicopter following it into Lexington. On the trip to Ashland, she will be driving behind the trailer, and she expects the same sort of attention for a statue roughly 1 1/2 times the actual size of the horse, uncovered and visible, racing along the interstate.

At its Feb. 21 meeting, the Ashland Town Council unanimously approved a plan to lease the proposed site for the monument at the intersection of England Street and Railroad Avenue from Randolph-Macon — at $10 per year — “when and if funds are raised by the Secretariat for Virginia” committee to purchase and install the statue.

Having the site conditionally approved allowed the fundraising to commence, said Wayne Dementi, with the Secretariat for Virginia committee. Dementi and Tweedy, among others, are confident they will raise the necessary money.

No town funds would be used to acquire the statue. If the purchase comes to pass and the monument is placed permanently in Ashland, the town would own the statue, while Randolph-Macon would maintain ownership of the land.

The monument would be “in the center of things,” said Ann Martin, chairman of the board of the Ashland Museum, which is serving as the sponsoring nonprofit organization for the fundraising effort.

“It will be seen by lots of people who travel on England Street, as well as those who go up and down Railroad Avenue. People will see it from the train.”

The monument would be “another boost for the town in terms of bringing outsiders into our community,” she said. “Anytime you have people visiting the town, it helps the entire town economically. We have a healthy downtown, but it would certainly make it thrive more.”

The museum features a Secretariat exhibit — Tweedy is on the museum board and provided much of the memorabilia — and Martin said the town is proud of its connection to the horse.

“It will just be raising the funds to make it happen, so we need everybody who loved Secretariat or has any interest in horses to support us in whatever way they can,” she said.

Besides the unveiling of the statue on April 1 at 2 p.m. at the Ashland Town Hall Pavilion, other events that day include a free showing of the Disney film “Secretariat” at Ashland Theatre. Tweedy will be on hand to talk about her behind-the-scenes experience on the movie set.

From 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., there will be a number of displays and children’s activities at the Town Hall and lawn area, including a presentation by Russell on sculpting the monument.

In an interview for a 2010 story on the 40th anniversary of Secretariat’s birth, Tweedy talked about the “magical memories” she had from her visits to The Meadow when she was young. Among them was the first time she saw Secretariat. The big chestnut colt was barely a year old, but even as a teen she could tell there was something exceptional about him.

“He was striking … both in size and personality,” Tweedy said in the 2010 interview. “He had something in the eye that really made you say, ‘Whoa, who’s this character?’”

When reminded recently of those comments, Tweedy said Secretariat was “bigger and so beautiful, always” and further described him as “very smart and inquisitive and kind of mischievous — not bad or mean, but just a smart and lively foal.”

“He had this regal presence,” Tweedy said. “Mom would always say that his mother was the queen of that herd, kind of the alpha mare. Just by virtue of that, he inherited this mantle of, ‘Hey, I’m something special.’

“And he was.”

Photos: Secretariat

Originally published on PaulickReport.com on 3/7/2023, from the Churchill Downs Media Office

Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CHDN) announced Tuesday  appointments in racing leadership for Colonial Downs Racetrack (“Colonial Downs” or the “Racetrack”) in New Kent, Virginia. CDI assumed ownership of Colonial Downs in November 2022, upon completing the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment.

Frank Hopf has been appointed Sr. Director of Racing Operations for Colonial Downs where he will oversee all racing operations including mutuels, track surfaces and racing office personnel. Hopf brings 13 years of career experience from Sam Houston Race Park where he served in a variety of leadership roles, most recently as Assistant General Manager. In his new role at Colonial Downs, Hopf will manage the relationship with valued horsemen’s group partners in Virginia, including the Virginia Equine Alliance (VEA) and the Virginia National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (Virginia HBPA).

Stanley Shina has been promoted to Racing Secretary at Colonial Downs after previously serving as Assistant Racing Secretary for the Racetrack. Shina has been a staple in the racing industry having served over 40 years in a number of roles as well as 10 years as a trainer. In addition to his promotion at Colonial Downs, Shina will still serve as the Assistant Racing Secretary at Tampa Bay Downs, a position he has filled for 19 years.

“We are extremely excited to announce these qualified appointments as the company focuses on building racing in Virginia and taking it to new heights,” said Gary Palmisano, Executive Director of Racing for CDI. “Frank’s vast experience at Sam Houston make him well-suited for this position at Colonial Downs and we are thrilled to welcome him to the CDI team. Stanley brings a wealth of racing industry knowledge and is certain to thrive in his new role. Frank, Stanley and the entire racing team at Colonial Downs are poised for a successful 2023 meet.”

CDI announced that Colonial Downs’ 2023 meet will include three internationally-renowned Thoroughbred stakes races for the first time: the Arlington Million, Beverly D. Stakes and Secretariat Stakes. Live racing will return to Colonial Downs July 13 to September 9, Thursday through Saturday with free General Admission access.

Champion Filly Wonder Wheel 8-1 Favorite in Lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager

Racing fans have a chance to bet the Kentucky Derby well in advance this weekend at Rosie’s locations in New Kent, Richmond, Hampton, Collinsville, Dumfries and Vinton well as Virginia-Horseplay OTB locations and via our four online betting partners — TVG.com, XpressBet.com, TwinSpires.com and NYRABets.com. The Derby itself is on Saturday May 6th. Stay tuned to virginiahorseracing.com for updates.  

LOUISVILLE, KY. (Tuesday, March 7, 2023) – On the heels of winning his 3-year-old debut in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (Grade II), Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Forte was tabbed as the 4-1 overall morning line betting favorite in Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which is set for its three-day span Friday-Sunday.

Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager will run concurrently with the lone pool of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. In addition to $2 Win and Exacta betting, an Oaks/Derby Future Double is part of the wagering menu. The wagers will open Friday at noon (all times Eastern) and the Kentucky Derby Future Wager will close Sunday at 6 p.m. while the Oaks Future Wager will close 30 minutes later at 6:30 p.m.

Through the first four pools of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, Forte was tabbed as the individual favorite three times – Pool 2 (10-1); Pool 3 (7-1) and Pool 4 (8-1). In the first pool, Forte closed as the second individual choice at 16-1 behind Extra Anejo (12-1).

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Forte made his return to the races Saturday and cruised to a 4 ½-length score in the Fountain of Youth. Previously, the talented son of Violence was victorious in the $300,000 Hopeful (GI), $600,000 Breeders’ Futurity (GI) and $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. His impressive resume earned the Eclipse Award for Champion 2-Year-Old.

Here is the complete field for Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (with trainer and morning line odds): #1 Angel of Empire (Brad Cox, 30-1); #2 Arabian Knight (Tim Yakteen, 10-1); #3 Arabian Lion (Tim Yakteen, 50-1); #4 Blazing Sevens (Chad Brown, 40-1); #5 Cagliostro (Cherie DeVaux, 99-1); #6 Cairo (IRE) (Aidan O’Brien, 50-1); #7 Classic Car Wash (Mark Casse, 99-1): #8 Classic Catch (Todd Pletcher, 50-1); #9 Confidence Game (Keith Desormeaux, 30-1); #10 Congruent (Antonio Sano, 80-1); #11 Cyclone Mischief (Dale Romans, 40-1); #12 Denington (Kenny McPeek, 80-1); #13 Disarm (Steve Asmussen, 99-1); #14 Forte (Pletcher, 4-1); #15 Geaux Rocket Ride (Richard Mandella, 20-1); #16 General Jim (Shug McGaughey, 80-1); #17 Hejazi (Tim Yakteen, 40-1); #18 Hit Show (Brad Cox, 30-1); #19 Instant Coffee (Brad Cox, 30-1); #20 Kingsbarns (Todd Pletcher, 50-1); #21 Litigate (Todd Pletcher, 50-1); #22 Mage (Gustavo Delgado, 80-1); #23 Major Dude (Todd Pletcher, 50-1); #24 Mandarin Hero (JPN) (Terunobu Fujita, 50-1); #25 National Treasure (Tim Yakteen, 30-1); #26 Perriere (JPN) (Yoichi Kuroiwa, 50-1); #27 Practical Move (Tim Yakteen, 8-1); #28 Raise Cain (Ben Colebrook, 50-1); #29 Red Route One (Steve Asmussen, 40-1); #30 Reincarnate (Tim Yakteen, 30-1); #31 Rocket Can (Bill Mott, 40-1); #32 Skinner (John Sherriffs, 40-1); #33 Sun Thunder (Kenny McPeek, 99-1); #34 Tapit Trice (Todd Pletcher, 15-1); #35 Tapit’s Conquest (Brad Cox, 80-1); #36 Two Eagles River (Chris Hartman, 80-1): #37 Two Phil’s (Larry Rivelli, 80-1); #38 Verifying (Brad Cox, 50-1); #39 Victory Formation (Brad Cox, 80-1); and #40 “All Other 3-Year-Olds” (5-1).

Overall, there are 18 new entrants in Pool 5 from Pool 4: Arabian Knight, Arabian Lion, Cagliostro, Cairo (IRE), Classic Car Wash, Classic Catch, Congruent, Denington, Hejazi, Major Dude, Mandarin Hero, National Treasure, Perriere, Raise Cain, Reincarnate, Skinner, Sun Thunder and Two Eagles River.

In the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, D J Stable’s Champion Filly Wonder Wheel was made the 8-1 morning line favorite in the field of 39 individual betting interests plus an option for “All Other 3-Year-Old Fillies” from the 2020 foal crop that were not listed.

          Trained by Mark Casse, Wonder Wheel made her seasonal debut in the $150,000 Suncoast Stakes where she was heavily backed at odds of 1-2 but was upset by fellow Kentucky Oaks Future Wager contender Dreaming of Snow.

          Along with Wonder Wheel, other top fillies that were incorporated in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager include Godolphin’s $400,000 Rachel Alexandra (GII) winner Pretty Mischievous and $300,000 Honeybee (GIII) winner Wet Paint; Gold Standard Racing’s flashy multiple stakes winner Hoosier Philly; and Stonestreet Stables’ $250,000 Demoiselle (GII) winner Julia Shining.

Here is the field for the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (with trainer and morning line odds): #1 Affirmative Lady (Graham Motion, 99-1); #2 Ami Please (Doug O’Neill, 99-1); #3 And Tell Me Nolies (Peter Miller, 40-1); #4 Asset Purchase (Chad Brown, 30-1); #5 Atomically (Todd Pletcher, 50-1); #6 Blessed Touch (Tim Yakteen, 50-1); #7 Botanical (Brad Cox, 20-1); #8 Capella (Brad Cox, 40-1); #9 Chop Chop (Brad Cox, 40-1); #10 Clearly Unhinged (Michael McCarthy, 40-1); #11 Condensation (Chris Hartman, 40-1); #12 Dorth Vader (Mike Yates, 20-1); #13 Dreaming of Snow (Gerald Bennett, 30-1); #14 Flashy Gem (Brad Cox, 40-1); #15 Flying Connection (Todd Fincher, 50-1); #16 Gaming Girl (Todd Pletcher, 50-1); #17 Grand Love (Steve Asmussen, 50-1); #18 Guns n’ Graces (Chad Brown, 40-1); #19 Homecoming Queen (Rodolphe Brisset, 99-1); #20 Hoosier Philly (Tom Amoss, 15-1); #21 Interpolate (Chad Brown, 30-1); #22 Julia Shining (Todd Pletcher, 12-1); #23 Justique (John Shirreffs, 40-1); #24 Merlazza (Brad Cox, 99-1); #25 Mimi Kakushi (Salem Bin Ghadayer, 80-1); #26 Miracle (Todd Plecher, 20-1); #27 Munnys Gold (Todd Pletcher, 30-1); #28 Occult (Chad Brown, 20-1); #29 Pretty Mischievous (Brendan Walsh, 10-1); #30 Punchbowl (Brad Cox, 20-1); #31 Red Carpet Ready (Rusty Arnold II, 15-1); #32 Royal Spa (Rodolphe Brisset, 50-1); #33 Seduction (Todd Pletcher, 50-1); #34 She’s Lookin Lucky (Matt Shirer, 30-1); #35 Shidabhuti (Chad Brown, 15-1); #36 Southlawn (Norm Casse, 20-1); #37 The Alys Look (Brad Cox, 15-1); #38 Wet Paint (Brad Cox, 12-1); #39 Wonder Wheel (Casse, 8-1); and #40 “All Other 3-Year-Old Fillies” (15-1).

The $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) is set for Saturday, May 6 and the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks will run one day prior on Friday, May 5.

There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby or Oaks Future Wagers. Should Churchill Downs officials determine during the duration of this week’s three-day pool that one of the wagering interests has experienced an injury, illness or other circumstance that would prevent the horse from participating in the Kentucky Derby or Oaks, betting on the individual horse will be suspended immediately.         

More information, Brisnet past performances and real-time odds on both wagers will be available before the pool opens Friday online at https://www.kentuckyderby.com/wager/future-wager.

Following this pool, there will be one additional opportunity for fans to bet early on this year’s Kentucky Derby contenders. Pool 6 will span March 30-April 1.

Congratulations to Virginia Connected Forte, The Early Kentucky Derby Favorite won the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He spent much of his youth at Breeder Amys Moore’s South Gate Farm in Virginia.

Originally published on DRF.com on 3/4/2023, written by Mike Welsch

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Aside from a few anxious moments, perhaps, in the run down the backstretch, the $400,000 Fountain of Youth played out about as perfectly as trainer Todd Pletcher could have hoped for his leading Kentucky Derby candidate Forte.

The reigning juvenile champion rallying to a one-sided and very easy 4 1/2-length victory over Holy Bull winner Rocket Can in his first start since capturing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile four months earlier.

“The race pretty much unfolded the way we talked about and ended the way we’d hoped,” Pletcher said. “Watching the head on shot going down the backstretch I was thinking to myself ‘where’s he going to go’ when he was in behind those other horses. But it all worked out well.”

Forte got pinched a bit after the start but quickly recovered to race well placed while saving ground on the opening bend under regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr.  Forte finally worked his way into the clear on the second turn after racing behind a wall of horses down the backstretch, and angled four wide to commence his rally approaching the quarter pole.

He stuck his head in front of the pacesetting Cyclone Mischief leaving the furlong marker, accelerated to suddenly open a commanding advantage, then was allowed to ease up some by Ortiz near the end.

Rocket Can prompted the pace from the outset, was set down hard between horses to continue willingly in the first flight turning for home, fighting on gamely to edge clear of Cyclone Mischief and be second best while no threat to the winner at the end.

Cyclone Mischief set the pace from arguably the deeper footing nearest the rail, could not resist Forte when challenged, and gradually weakened through the final furlong while bouncing back nicely from his disappointing performance as the favorite four weeks earlier in the Holy Bull.

Mage, who entered the Fountain of Youth with only one previous start, an easy seven-furlong maiden win, broke last then rushed to contention while wide around the clubhouse turn. The promising youngster forced the issue three wide into the stretch, lugged in and checked briefly behind Rocket Can in early stretch before ultimately tiring from the effort.

Holy Bull runner-up Shadow Dragon, Il Miracolo, Dangerous Ride, Blazing Sevens, and Legacy Isle rounded out the complete order of finish.

Forte, owned in partnership by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, covered a mile and one-sixteenth over a fast track in 1:43.12 and paid $3 for his fifth win in six starts. He was given a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He got to the first turn in the position we wanted and was able to save some ground on the first turn after getting jostled around after the start,” said Pletcher. “He was traveling well behind those horses.

“Honestly I can’t say I’m surprised by his performance or how easily he won. I’ve felt he’s a really, really good horse and loved the way he was training into the race, he was doing exceptional. I was really confident coming in and he gave us the kind of performance we were hoping for.”

Pletcher said the $1 million Florida Derby here on April 1 would likely be next for Forte.

“We put ourselves in the position running here today that would give us the option to run back in the Florida Derby and off the strength of this race today, the way he handled everything, I’d say the Florida Derby would most likely be next,” Pletcher advised.   

Ortiz said he thought the Fountain of Youth should set Forte up nicely moving forward.

“I had a lot of confidence in him today,” said Ortiz, who has been aboard the juvenile champ in all six career starts. “He’s handled the kickback pretty good before, so I wasn’t afraid. I just bided my time to go, decided to wait a little more, until the three-eighths pole. I went around horses and let him go and show what he can do.”

 Trainer Bill Mott said he thought despite getting a little geared up in the post parade, Rocket Can still ran his race.

“He ran big,” said Mott. “He was a little more wound up than I like to see him, he was sharp leaving there, was in good position, was tactical and held on well.”

Trainer Dale Romans said he was very happy with Cyclone Mischief’s performance and like Forte, he too is likely on target for the Florida Derby.

“It’s a relief to see him run hard the way he did, he tried hard all the way and did all the work and I’m very pleased with him,” said Romans. “It’s definitely a step forward and we’ll go on to the next one.”

Originally published on Paulickreport.com on 2/20/2023, written by Keith McCalmont/NYRA

Double B Racing Stables’ Repo Rocks brings a three-race win streak into Saturday’s $125,000 Stymie, a one-turn mile for older horses at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Repo Rocks is undefeated in three starts since joining the barn of trainer Jamie Ness, posting increasing Beyer Speed Figures for scores at Parx Racing in the Let’s Give Thanks [96] in November and Blitzen [97] on January 4 ahead of a lofty 111 when making the grade in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Toboggan on January 28.

Repo Rocks, piloted by Andrew Wolfsont throughout the streak, settled in third position in the Toboggan as Pirate Rick led Little Vic through splits of 22.86 seconds and 45.76 over the fast main track. Wolfsont angled his charge three-wide at the quarter-pole and took command at the three-sixteenths en route to a dominant 8 1/2-length score at odds of 10-1 in a final time of 1:23.42.

“It was a great effort. Did I think he’d run that good – no,” said Ness. “But I really liked him in that race. I have a lot of good horses here and he’d been working like a horse that could run that number, and he did. He backed up his training. Yes, I was surprised at the margin of victory, but I wasn’t surprised by the win. That’s what he showed me in the morning and he’s shown no indication since that it will drop off.”

The 5-year-old Tapiture gelding enjoyed a productive 2022 campaign with a record of 11-2-2-2 that included a second in the Grade 3 Toboggan and a third in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap, both at the Big A, while in the care of trainer Juan Vazquez. He made seven starts for conditioner Gregory DiPrima from April through October before joining Ness.

Repo Rocks worked a bullet half-mile solo under Wolfsont in 47.46 on February 11 over the Parx main track in his first breeze back. He followed up this morning at Parx with a half-mile effort in 47.31.

Ness said he is hopeful that Repo Rocks can match up his career-best Beyer.

“Andrew got off him and said that’s the fastest horse he ever worked, and I said to him that a 111 Beyer is the fastest horse I’ve ever ran, so I know what you mean,” Ness said of the penultimate work. “That’s a big number and a lot of times you bounce off of that, but we gave him plenty of time and he’s doing great. I expect a similar effort on Saturday if everything goes right.”

Ness said Repo Rocks should appreciate added ground with a good result in the Stymie potentially setting up bigger races down the road.

“We pushed to seven-eighths last time and a mile this time. We’re getting closer to where he needs to be. Let’s do it once and then we’ll see if he can do it again,” Ness said.

Repo Rocks, assigned a field-high 124 pounds, will exit post 3 under Wolfsont, who has won with 3-of-6 stakes mounts at Aqueduct, including Sunday’s Maddie May aboard Cairo Sugar [$57.50] and the 2021 Artie Schiller with Mandate [$91.50.]

Bred in Virginia by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, III, Repo Rocks is out of the Not For Love mare Hawaiian Love. He boasts a 32-7-6-6 record and $570,871 in earnings.

Calumet Farm’s Kentucky homebred Bourbonic [post 1, Dylan Davis] will hope a pace battle develops for his trademark closing kick.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 5-year-old son of Bernardini rose to prominence with a last-to-first head score at odds of 72-1 in the 2021 Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino at the Big A.

He went on to finish 13th in that year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, making the final start of his sophomore season with a distant seventh in the Queens County on December 19, 2021 at Aqueduct in his first start without blinkers since early in his 2-year-old campaign.

Bourbonic was off for nearly one full calendar year, returning to action on December 3 at the Big A with a closing fourth in an optional-claimer here ahead of another fourth in the Queens County – both outings with Kendrick Carmouche up.

He added blinkers for a rallying optional-claiming score under Dylan Davis in a one-mile optional-claimer on February 5 at the Big A that garnered a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure, besting an in-form Sheriff Bianco by a half-length.

Byron Hughes, Pletcher’s New York-based assistant, said Carmouche – who is out injured and slated to return on March 3 – suggested the team put blinkers back on Bourbonic.

“We thought that first race back would set him up for the stakes, but he didn’t have the blinkers on then,” Hughes said. “Kendrick thought he might benefit from putting the blinkers back on and he was right.”

Bourbonic, out of the graded-stakes winning Afleet Alex mare Dancing Afleet, breezed back a half-mile in 49.77 Friday over the Belmont dirt training track.

“He came out of it good and breezed sharp,” Hughes said. “We’re really happy with the way he’s doing right now and we’re hoping for a big performance from him.”

Pletcher shares the record for most Stymie wins [3] with fellow conditioners Bruce Levine, Gary Contessa and Gasper Moschera. Pletcher’s past Stymie winners include Manchurian [2006], Understatement [2010] and Vino Rosso [2019].

Peter Brant and Robert V. LaPenta’s multiple graded-stakes placed Miles D [post 6, Manny Franco] has made just two starts since ending his 2021 campaign with a half-length score over Speaker’s Corner in the nine-furlong Discovery that November at the Big A. Speaker’s Corner exited the Discovery to win three consecutive graded events in 2022, culminating in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, Miles D returned to action last February with a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Mineshaft at Fair Grounds and resurfaced on January 28 at Gulfstream Park with a distant seventh in the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper.

Named after the late influential jazz musician Miles Davis, the 5-year-old Curlin bay is out of the unraced Bernardini broodmare Sound the Trumpets. His second dam is multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire My Flag and his third dam is undefeated Hall of Famer Personal Ensign. Miles D was purchased for $470,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Manny Franco, who won this event with Turco Bravo [2016], Sunny Ridge [2017] and Mr. Buff [2021], is one win shy of the Stymie record held by Hall of Famer Jorge Velasquez.

Joseph E. Sutton’s multiple stakes-placed Far Mo Power [post 2, Dexter Haddock] crossed the wire first in the Parx Dirt Mile in September, besting multiple Grade 1-winner Mind Control by a neck only to be disqualified and placed second for interference late in the lane.

Trained by Louis Linder, Jr., the 5-year-old Pennsylvania-bred son of Uncle Lino boasts a record of 12-6-3-1 and enters from an open-company allowance win on January 30 at Parx in which last year’s Grade 2 Kelso Handicap-winner, Double Crown, finished third.

Rounding out a competitive field are the multiple stakes-placed Tough Tickets [post 5, Ruben Silvera] for conditioner Harold Wyner; and five-time winner Black Belt [post 4, Eric Cancel] for trainer Peter Walder.

The Stymie is slated as Race 8 on Saturday’s nine-race card, which also features the $100,000 Gander in Race 3. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

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The 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s historical Triple Crown run is upon us this year and celebrations will take place locally and at big race events around the country, all recognizing those magical, record setting wins in the 1973 Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont.

Racing fans in Virginia got an update February 20 on plans to celebrate those historic accomplishments and hear from sculptor Jocelyn Russell, who was commissioned to design a life size monument of Secretariat winning the Belmont Stakes with Ron Turcotte in the irons. A fundraising campaign officially kicked off to help ensure that Ashland, Virginia will be home to the statue.

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

THE PLAINS, Va., Feb. 21, 2023– One of the nation’s oldest and largest steeplechase events, the Virginia Gold Cup celebrates its 98^th anniversary this year on Saturday, May 6, at Great Meadow in The Plains. Tickets are on sale and are quickly selling.

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 offers a fast-action sport in a refined social setting and, at the Gold Cup, some of the best horses and jockeys compete over hurdles and timber fences.  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 98^th Annual Running of the Virginia Gold Cup will take place on Saturday, May 6 at Great Meadow in The Plains. Gates open at 10 a.m. with the National Anthem and color guard pre-race at 12:30 p.m. The tailgate contest judging begins at 12:45 p.m. and the first of eight horse races will be underway at 1 p.m.

Tailgate packages, which now include tents in most areas, and Members Hill entertaining tents are available. Purchases can be made online at www.vagoldcup.com/va/tickets or by calling 540-347-2612. As in recent years, attendees must be an invited guest of a tailgate or an invited guest of a hospitality tent. General Admission ticketing has returned for 2023.

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 2023 Virginia Gold Cup Races are presented by Atlantic Union Bank, Brown Advisory, Virginia Equine Alliance, VHBPA, and the Virginia Thoroughbred Association.

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