Dr. James Bryant and his wife Linda Davis have a 110 acre property in Kilmarnock, Virginia named Crossroads Farm and besides tending to 18 horses, they are immersed in the medical field locally and are quite busy these days given the circumstances.

Dr. James Bryant at his 110 acre farm in Kilmarnock.

Bryant is a long time physician in the area and for the past three months is giving back, serving as Medical Director of a local long term care facility. His wife is a Nurse Manager at a local emergency shelter.

Bryant’s new house on the property is based at the end of a long dirt driveway and between pastures populated by their 18 horses. 

“I’m pushing 70 years of age but need to keep working to support our horse operation,” he said. “It’s pretty much just me and my wife so we tend to the horses before work, after work and on the weekends. I can’t even remember the last time we took a vacation together.”

Bryant enjoys solitude life at the Kilmarnock property offers.

Their Jalin Stable (Bryant & Davis) has a pair of new Virginia-Certified yearlings on their Northern Neck property — a chestnut filly out of Pensy and a bay colt out of Whisperjet.

The yet to be named colt out of Whisperjet enjoys an 80 degree day March 20th.

“We’re hopeful and eager to be able to race our horses at Colonial Downs,” he said. “Over the years, we’ve had Maryland and Pennsylvania-breds and have mainly used Maryland trainer Mary Eppler.”

A Virginia-Certified yearling out of Pensy enjoys time with her other companions.

“Right now, we have a couple horses with Kevin Bonafice at Bonita Farm — a 3-year-old that has not yet raced but is clearly a turf horse, and a 5-year-old mare named Pearl Gem. The latter, by Friesan Fire, won her first start in a waiver maiden claiming race at Laurel in 2017 then got bumped around in the Maryland Million in her next start and got fourth. She’s enjoying time at the farm and has been coming around  nicely again in her last few starts. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to see them both at Colonial this summer.”

Most of Bryant’s horses are based outdoors when weather permits.

Bryant’s has a claim to fame or as he said, “Our lone success as breeders and small percentage owners”. He bred popular Pennsylvania-bred horse Page McKenney who won 22 races from 58 starts and earned over $1.9 million in purse money. 15 of those wins came in stakes races.

Page McKenney wins a MATCH Series race in 2018 at Monmouth.

“Page was bred in 2010 and did very well in the Mid-Atlantic region,” Bryant said. “He retired two years ago and we brought him here to babysit other horses, kick back and just enjoy life. Right now, he is up in Maryland with Jazz Napravnik and going through the paces to see how he’ll do in the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover event this fall. Afterwards, we’ll bring him back here again.”

Horses graze in one of several pastures at Crossroads Farm.

It’s not unusual to see retired horses at the Bryant Farm in the Northern Neck. “When we decided to get into this business years ago, we took the responsibility to care for the horses very seriously, not just during their racing careers. but afterwards as well.”

With 18 horses on their property and full time jobs in the medical field as well, Bryant and his wife are not in a position to accept other horses in the Certfifield program at this time, but there are many other farms and training centers in the Commonwealth that have space and are looking for clients.

For a list of Virginia registered farms and training centers in the Certified Residency program, visit www.vabred.org.

The following appeared in Bloodhorse.com March 17, 2020.

In response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, Fasig-Tipton has adjusted its 2020 Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training sales dates.
The company’s Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale will be Tuesday and Wednesday May 26-27 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Md., eight days later than originally scheduled. The under tack show will be conducted Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, May 21-23.

The decision to move the sale back about one week was made after the Center for Disease Control recommended March 15 that events or large gatherings of 50 people or more be cancelled or postponed for eight weeks.

“We have been in discussions with the Maryland State Fairgrounds following the CDC’s recent guidance announcement and determined it would be best to push the sale back one week,” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. “This allows appropriate clearance from the current CDC recommended eight-week timetable.”

Fasig-Tipton also has determined sales dates for a second Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training auction, to be held in June. The June Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale will be conducted Wednesday and Thursday, June 24-25, with the under tack show taking place Monday and Tuesday, June 22-23. The auction will also be conducted at the Maryland State Fairgrounds.

“As the auction calendar continues to shift as a result of COVID-19, the addition of this June auction provides another sales venue for buyers and sellers,” added Browning. “We are making every effort to ensure that there are ample opportunities for our customers to conduct needed business under these difficult circumstances. We will continue to monitor the current situation and make additions or changes to our sales schedule as conditions dictate.”

Dates for the second annual thoroughbred racing season under ownership of the Colonial Downs Group are set for 2020. An 18 day campaign set over a six week period will run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from July 23 – August 29. Post time has been moved back 30 minutes from last year, to 5:30 PM (EDT). An average of $500,000 in purse monies will be distributed daily.

Virginia Derby Day will again highlight the 2020 stakes schedule. The 18th running of the $250,000 Grade 3 turf stakes for three-year-olds will close out the meet on Saturday August 29. A trio of under card stakes will all return — the $150,000 Virginia Oaks (3 YO fillies), $100,000 Rosie’s Stakes (2 YO, 5.5F) and $100,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes (2 YO, 1 1/16th miles). 2019 Rosie’s winner Four Wheel Drive went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, Derby winner English Bee prevailed in the Parx Fall Derby, and Kitten’s Joy winner Doc Boy won the Columbia Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs March 7.

Colonial Downs VP of Racing Jill Byrne at a morning workout last summer.

Colonial Downs has been added to the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series lineup this summer in an event that will create another high impact day. Seven participating tracks in the series will take turns hosting a slate of five stakes monthly between April and October. The five pack of $100,000 stakes at Colonial, scheduled for August 15, includes the Victory Gallop, Chesapeake and Seeking The Pearl — which will all be on dirt — and the Da Hoss and Old Nelson which will be on grass. In all, 35 MATCH Series stakes will be held in 2020 with $3.75 million in purses on the line.

River Deep won the 2019 Edward P. Evans Stakes at Colonial Downs. Photo by Coady Photography.

Virginia-bred/sired horses will once again be showcased on two separate evening programs — opening night (July 23) and on the Friday of closing weekend (August 28). A four pack of $100,000 stakes will be run at each event. The Camptown, Nellie Mae Cox, Meadow Stable and Edward P. Evans Stakes will populate the season opener’s schedule and the Tyson Gilpin, Brookmeade, Bert Allen and Punch Line Stakes will help kick off Virginia Derby weekend.

The $100,000 Jamestown Stakes, a 5.5 furlong turf sprint for Virginia-bred/sired two-year-old colts and fillies, will complete the nine event state-bred slate on August 1.

In addition to stakes competitors, graduates of the VTA’s Certified Residency program will have additional money earning opportunities at New Kent this summer. In the program format, any horse that was conceived and foaled outside of Virginia and spent a minimum six month stay at a Virginia-Certified farm or training center before December 31 of its two-year-old year currently receives an extra 25% bonus when it wins a race in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Colonial Downs’ 2020 summer season will begin July 23.

Come mid-July, the number of Certified horses racing will be near 1,700. In an effort to help lure some of those graduates back to the State where they spent time being raised, VTA Executive Director Debbie Easter, HBPA Executive Director Frank Petramalo, Colonial VP of Racing Jill Byrne and Racing Secretary Allison De Luca recently introduced a slate of twelve restricted handicap races.

The restricted races are open to Virginia-Bred, Sired and Certified horses and will be held on both dirt and turf. When nominations are received, the Racing Secretary will handicap the entrants and assign weights. Restricted races go with seven horses versus Virginia-Bred/Sired ones which go with six.

“We wrote these races with the Certified horse owners in mind,” said Easter. “Since so many horses spent at least six months at our Virginia farms and training centers and have become eligible for the Residency bonus, it only made sense to offer these opportunities at Virginia’s only pari-mutuel thoroughbred track.”

Six different $60,000 Restricted Handicaps will be carded on the weekend of July 24-25: The Miss Oceana, William M. Backer, Quarter Path Road, Van Clief, Hansel and White Oak Farm Handicaps. Four more, with a purse of $75,000 each, will be run the weekend of August 20-22: The Andy Guest, Newstead, Bailes and Rokeby Handicaps. Another pair at $75,000 will be included on closing weekend: The Hickory Tree and Keswick Stables Handicaps.

Four Virginia-bred horses reached the winners circle recently and another trio will be vying in stakes races around the country on March 7.

A pair bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm won races in late February at Fair Grounds Racecourse in New Orleans. Chess Chief, a 4-year-old Into Mischief colt, was best by 4 3/4 lengths in a $46,000 allowance optional claimer. The Dallas Stewart trainee covered the 1 1/16ths miles distance in 1:43.57. With a $314,830 bankroll from 15 starts, Chess Chief won for just the second time but has a resume that includes top three finishes in the Oklahoma and West Virginia Derby, a fourth in the Indiana Derby and a fifth in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. He is out of the Mineshaft mare, Un Blessed.

Chess Chief wins a $46,000 allowance at Fair Grounds. Picture courtesy of Hodges Photography.

Bear Trappe’s win was a bit tighter than Chess Chief’s. The 4-year-old Trappe Shot gelding edged Two Mikes N Doc G by a nose in a 1 mile, 70 yard claiming event. Ridden by Robby Albarado, the winner crossed in 1:49.94. Bear Trappe, out of Fluxx by Bluegrass Cat, has bankrolled $85,165 to date and his four wins have each come at a different track — Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Charles Town and most recently at Fair Grounds.

Bear Trappe (inside) edges Two Mikes N Doc G at Fair Grounds. Picture courtesy of Hodges Photography.

Great Quest, bred by Quest Realty, broke his maiden recently at Charles Town. The 3-year-old Flatter gelding won handily in a $17,000, 7 furlong test. The Susan Cooney trainee finished four lengths the best in 1:31.26. Out of the Dehere mare, Stay Here, Great Quest has earned $19,630 in six starts and recorded a runner-up finish January 25 in addition to the recent win.

Susan Cooney trained Great Quest breaks his maiden at Charles Town. Picture courtesy of Coady Photography.

Bevolution closed February out with a gate-to-wire win at Turf Paradise. The 5-year-old Pioneerof the Nile gelding won by three in a $7,000 claiming race at the 6 1/2 furlong distance. Bred by Jim Fitzgerald & Katie Fitzgerald, Bevolution crossed in 1:17.44 and earned his 9th “in the money” finish. He is out of Aronia by Mutakddim.

Sheldon Russell directs Elusive Mischief to victory in the Meadow Stable Stakes. Photo by Coady Photography.

Looking ahead, a trio of Virginia-breds will be competing in stakes Saturday (March 7). Attachment Rate, fresh off a maiden special weight score at Gulfstream, is in Aqueduct’s $300,000 Gotham Stakes, a key Derby prep. The Dale Romans trainee was bred by Mr. & Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin. 2019 Punch Line Stakes winner Boldor will battle in the $150,000 Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn. The Steve Asmussen trainee was bred by Carlos Moore and Jill Gordon-Moore. And, 2019 Meadow Stable Stakes winner Elusive Mischief is in the $75,000 Silks Run Stakes at Gulfstream. The Ian Wilkes trainee was bred by the Fitzgeralds.

In a sure sign that spring has arrived, Virginia’s annual Point-to-Point season kicks off this Saturday March 7 with the Rappahannock Hunt at The Hill in Boston, Virginia. Five races are on tap including the feature — a 1 1/4 miles Open Flat with a field of 14.

Rosbrian Farm has four horses entered in the feature. Top money earner of the quartet is Good And Proper with $128,663, much of which came from four wins at Gulfstream Park. Veneer of Charm is next with $119,395 from four wins as well including a Delaware Park allowance score last July. Sixty Five, who has bankrolled $114,382, reached the winners circle at Great Meadow in 2018 during the Virginia Gold Cup’s spring card. And Officer Sydney’s four wins includes victories at Foxfield in 2018 and Middleburg’s Glenwood Park in 2017.

Menacing Dennis (ridden by Shane Crimin) and Feisty (ridden by Jacob Roberts) compete in the Orange County Point-to-Points’s Open Hurdle in 2019. Photo by Douglas Lees.

Also in the field is Bodes Well, a 5-year-old Rock of Gibraltar gelding who won at Colonial Downs last summer. Rounding out the full field is Georgie Hyphen, Classical Art, Conquest Falcon, Noah And The Ark, Zarski, Salix, Benevolentdictator, Hishi Soar, and Emerald Rocket. This race is scheduled as the fourth on the card.

Action kicks off at 1 PM with a Maiden Timber, followed by a Lady Rider Timber and Amateur & Novice Rider Timber, all at the 2 1/2 miles distance. A Maiden Flat, with a field of 11 scheduled, will close out the afternoon festivities.

General admission is $7 and a book of ten tickets is $50. For ticket and parking space information, contact bartonhitchcock@gmail.com or call 540-229-7752. Food trucks and concessions will be on site. Exact address of The Hill is 13257 Durantes Curve, Boston, VA 22713.

Orchestra Leader, Storm Team and Special Skills jump successfully in the Open Hurdle race March 16th, 2019 at the Warrenton Hunt. Photo by Douglas Lees.

The Point-to-Point season continues every weekend thru April and a schedule can be found at www.centralentryoffice.com. The Warrenton Hunt Point-to-Point follows next on March 14 and the Piedmont Fox Hounds event is on March 21.

In order to help stimulate entries, the Virginia Equine Alliance (VEA) implemented a Starter Rewards program in 2019 and based on its success, returns this year. Every time a Virginia-owned or Virginia-trained horse makes a start in any Point-to-Point race, the owner will receive a $200 starter reward bonus. In 2019, a total of $31,800 in rewards were paid out from 159 Virginia horses that participated in seven scheduled spring meets.

“The VEA recognizes that the Point-to-Point circuits are a vital element of steeplechase racing and we want to do everything we can to promote and support the Point-to-Points in Virginia,” said VEA Executive Director Jeb Hannum. “The Point-to-Points are an important first step for many horses. They also give young riders an opportunity to compete before going to the sanctioned meets.”

Registered farms and training centers in the Virginia Certified Residency program are located all over the state, in points north, south, east and west.

Donna Mallory is the farm manager at CRE Run Enterprises in Doswell.

The concept of the bonus program is straightforward — any horse that is conceived and foaled outside Virginia but maintains residency in the Commonwealth for a six consecutive month time frame (at a registered farm) prior to December 31 of its two-year-old year, will be eligible for bonus monies when they begin racing and win at a track located in any of the seven Mid-Atlantic states.

Three young Certtified thoroughbreds enjoy time at CRE, which is currently home to a mostly Arabian horses.

A recent trip east to check out several of the registered farms began in Doswell at CRE Run Enterprises on Campbell Lake Road. Long time farm manager Donna Mallory said 68 horses currently reside at the 280 acre property but most are Arabians. She does have three young thoroughbreds on site, all of which are in the Residency program — a 2019 Steady N Love colt along with Epic Luck and Epic Starter.

CRE Run Farm is within several miles of Ashland based Horseshoe Hill and Eagle Point Farms.

Mallory has seen changes at CRE in her 27 years. At one time, they had 168 Arabians on the grounds but since Delaware Park is the only east coast track that hosts those races, they are beginning to shift focus towards housing thoroughbreds given the success of the Virginia residency initiative. Other states that host Arabian races include Texas, California and Colorado.

Margie Streiter is pictured at her North River Stables near Gloucester.

Farther east, Margie Streiter has ten horses on her property in North, Virginia, located between Gloucester and Matthews. She currently houses seven Certified horses, all of which are Maryland-breds. Colts Oleg The Mongol, Valenburg, Almost and Mr. Cowboy Brady are joined by fillies Carole Claudet, Loves Little Lady and My Sister Clurrie.

Three Virginia-Certified fillies enjoy time at North River Stables.

Margie’s property is in the North End Estates, a low key neighborhood which is accessed by a dirt road off Route 14. In addition to the Certified horses, she has two broodmares and her daughter’s horse.

Kim Birdsall keeps Our Sweet Pea occupied at Windfall Farm in Onancock.

Onancock, Virginia is located in the Eastern Shore, between Cape Charles and Chincoteague, 50-acre Windfall Farm, temporary home to two Certified horses, is based there. A pair of 2018 fillies — New York-bred Our Sweet Pea and Pennsylvania-bred Our Strong Vows enjoy days playing with their 9-year-old companion horse.

Windfall Farm is located between Cape Charles and Chincoteague.

Windfall is partially on the waterfront and has a mix of other animals there including cattle. Kim Birdsall, a friend of owner Christine Applegate, was tending to the horses on a recent visit. They, along with CRE Run and North River Stables, are accepting horses in the residency program. Contact information on these three and all farms/training centers around the Commonwealth can be found at vabred.org.

Standardbred Antares Star is shown with her companion hosre near the carnival grounds in Chincoteague.

The Virginia Harness Horse Association also has a new Certified program that is in its infancy. Antares Star, one of the newest program participants, is based in Chincoteague with his owner Rob White. The Maryland-bred is based at a paddock next to the carnival grounds, which plays host to the annual pony swim in July.

Harness horse owner, trainer and breeder Rob White is shown with Antares Star.

White hopes Antares Star will be competing at Shenandoah Downs in Woodstock in the near future.

Congratulations to Virginia-Sired Mr. Buff who reached millionaire status February 22 when he captured his third straight stakes race at Aqueduct. Prior to winning the Haynesfield Stakes, he prevailed in the Jazil and Alex M. Robb Stakes. Mr. Buff is by Friend of Foe, who stands at Smallwood Farm in Crozet. The 6-year-old gelding, a New York-bred owned by Chester and Mary Broman, has earned $1,051,536 from 36 starts. He has 14 wins, six runner-ups and four third place finishes.    

The following article appeared in The Paulick Report:

Mr. Buff handled a cutback to a one-turn mile with ease Feb. 22, besting four New York-breds by an astonishing 20 lengths on his way to becoming a millionaire in the $101,775 Haynesfield Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by John Kimmel, the Chester and Mary Broman homebred broke sharply from his inside post under regular rider Junior Alvarado and led the strung-out field with Syndergaard right at his throatlatch through an opening quarter-mile in :23.22 on a fast main track. Around the far turn, through a half-mile in :45.76, Mr. Buff extended his advantage as Syndergaard began to falter, with Honor Up making up ground.

Virginia-Sired Mr. Buff wins his third straight stakes race Feb. 22 at Aqueduct. Photo provided by NYRA.

At the quarter-pole, Alvarado gave the 17.2-hand wonder a few shakes of the reins, and he opened a wide margin before gearing down at the wire, finishing in 1:36.22.

Honor Up finished second, a length ahead of Syndergaard. Twisted Tom and Fleet Irish rounded out the order of finish.
Mr. Buff was cutting back in distance from a repeat win in the 1 1/8-mile Jazi Stakes Jan. 25.

Alvarado, who has been aboard the 6-year-old gelding for three of the jockey’s four stakes wins this meet, said he wanted his mount to be as sharp as possible out of the gate.

“Just because it’s a mile race, I was going to get out of there gunning,” Alvarado said. “I was going to go no matter what (post) position I was in at the beginning.

“Coming from a mile-and-an-eighth race, I didn’t want him to fall into a slow rhythm at the beginning. I just wanted to make sure I got him sharp out of there. He’s such a cool horse and knows what to do. You just nudge him a little out the gate, and he knew what he was supposed to do.

Mr. Buff, by Friend or Foe, breaks his maiden at Belmont on September 23, 2016. Photo by Adam Coglianese.

“At the quarter-pole, I asked him a little, and he took off again. He gave me the extra kick. He’s just a fast horse. It’s simple.”
Kimmel was highly impressed with what he saw out of Mr. Buff, who won his eighth stakes race and pushed his earnings to $1,051,536.

“He really put that group away easily. I don’t know what the speed figures will be, but he was geared down right to the wire. I haven’t seen a mile race run in 1:36 in a while,” Kimmel said.
Video: Haynesfield S. (BT)

Off to the Races is back.

The weekly radio show, which airs on the ESPN Richmond (VA) family of stations, and is available everywhere via livestreaming, returned for its 21st season on February 22. Terrestrial stations include 99.5 FM, 102.7 FM, and 950 AM.

The program will air each Saturday morning from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. It will also be archived on theracingbiz.com and espnrichmond.com.

“We are excited to bring Off to the Races back for another great season talking Thoroughbred racing and breeding,” said Frank Vespe, host of the program and owner of The Racing Biz (www.theracingbiz.com), which develops the program.

Derby Bill Watson provides handicapping tips every Saturday on the “Off To The Races” radio show.

In 2020, the show is slated to kick of February 22 and to be on every Saturday morning for the next six months. The final episode is scheduled for August 29.

“It’s a great schedule that will allow us to be on the air through the entire Triple Crown season and beyond,” Vespe said. “And that will include the summer racing at Colonial Downs.”

In 2019, on a similar schedule, Off to the Races had a wide-ranging roster of top-notch guests. They included last year’s Preakness-winning trainer Mark Casse; Hall of Fame jockey and Triple Crown winner Ron Turcotte; trainer Graham Motion, who has won numerous Breeders’ Cup races; and many others.

Listeners can enjoy comprehensive coverage of Colonial Downs during the summer racing season.

The show also featured regular visits from racing analyst Nick Hahn and Derby Bill Watson, who gained fame as the original on-air handicapper for Colonial Downs. Both will be back in 2020.ns for its 21st season, starting February 22. Terrestrial stations include 99.5 FM, 102.7 FM, and 950 AM.

(Doswell, VA) – On March 30, 1970, a legend was born. A fiery red colt named Secretariat took his first breath in a foaling shed at Christopher Chenery’s Meadow Stable in Caroline County, Virginia. In 1973, he left the world breathless with his spectacular and incomparable Triple Crown. Those three track records remain unbroken, and his bloodlines still live on in many of today’s most successful Thoroughbreds.

On March 28, 2020, Secretariat’s birthplace, now known as The Meadow Event Park, will be the epicenter of the official celebration honoring the immortal champion’s 50th birthday and his enduring legacy. Kate Chenery Tweedy, daughter of the late beloved Penny Chenery, will headline the all-day event with acclaimed sports journalist Steve Haskin, along with Steve Jordan, assistant to Secretariat’s trainer Lucien Laurin. Joining them will be jockey and actor Otto Thorwarth, who played Ron Turcotte in Disney’s Secretariat.

Secretariat’s annual birthday celebration will be at The Meadow Event Park.

The festivities kick off with Family Fun time from 11 am – 3:00 pm with a half-day ticket at $20 for adults and $10 for kids. Highlights include:
· A free commemorative Secretariat 50th Birthday gift to the first 250 attendees, courtesy of celebration sponsor Colonial Downs Racetrack, home of the nationally acclaimed Secretariat Turf Course
· Autograph sessions with Tweedy, Haskin, Jordan, Thorwarth, and other special guests
· A special exhibit of spectacular Secretariat paintings by renowned contemporary American Impressionist Lisa Palombo, whose art has been featured on over 40 book covers and national magazines
· Visits with Groundshaker, great-great granddaughter of Secretariat, and Mia, the Mighty Mini of The Meadow
· A display of the original training saddles worn by Secretariat and Riva Ridge
· A Kiddie Corral with “horsey” activities for kids
· Tours of the Meadow Hall galleries and the historic barns
· A silent auction, birthday cake, food concessions and much more

Groundshaker, the last horse bred and raced by Penny Chenery, will be special guest at the upcoming celebration.

The full-day ticket includes all of the above, plus a special evening program from 4 – 8 pm. It will feature a cocktail reception in Meadow Hall mansion with live jazz; a trio of custom-designed Secretariat birthday cakes created by nationally acclaimed Virginia baker Amanda Richardson, who has been featured on The Food Network; a special memorial tribute to members of the Meadow Stable team; a silent and live auction of rare Secretariat items; and a champagne toast at Secretariat’s foaling shed.

A major highlight of the evening program will be the interactive panel discussion on “Disney’s Secretariat: Fact and Fiction” with Kate Chenery Tweedy, Steve Haskin and Otto Thorwarth. Guests will get an insider’s perspective of the differences between the silver screen portrayal and the actual events.

The full day ticket price is $70 per person and includes a commemorative Secretariat champagne glass.

The Secretariat 50th Birthday Celebration is presented by the Secretariat Birthplace Tours of The Meadow Event Park and Secretariat.com. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Secretariat Heritage Center Barn Restoration Fund. In addition to Colonial Downs Racetrack, event sponsors include Caroline County Department of Economic Development and Tourism, the Virginia Thoroughbred Association and Hometown Realty of Ashland.

Fans should also mark their calendars for Secretariat birthday festivities in Christopher Chenery’s nearby hometown of Ashland, Virginia during the weekend. On Friday night March 27, there will be a welcoming reception from 5 – 7 pm. at the Iron Horse Restaurant. On Sunday March 29, there will be a Big Red Breakfast with Kate Tweedy at Hanover Tavern, followed by a tour of Ashland and a visit to Penny Chenery’s grave at Woodland Cemetery.

IMPORTANT TICKET INFO:

Tickets to the Secretariat 50th Birthday Celebration at The Meadow Event Park on March 28 may be purchased at https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/16111/secretariat-birthday-celebration

Tickets for the welcoming reception on March 27 and the breakfast and Chenery tour on March 29 may be purchased at www.secretariat.com. For general information about the celebration, see www.meadoweventpark.com/visit-us/secretariat50. For a list of hotels in the Ashland/Doswell area, see https://www.meadoweventpark.com/visit-us/#hotels.

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Media contacts: Leeanne Meadows Ladin, Secretariat tourism manager/historian, 804-363-1683 laladin@verizon.net Leonard Lusky, Secretariat.com, 502-419-7001, llusky@secretariat.com