Colonial Downs will play host to 5 MATCH Series races on Saturday August 15. Here are the respective divisions and races in New Kent:

*3-Year-Old & Up Fillies/Mares Turf Division: $100,000 Old Nelson Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf

*3-Year-Old Sprint Dirt Division: $100,000 Victory Gallop Stakes at 7 furongs

*3-Year-Old & Up Fillies/Mares Sprint Dirt Division: $100,000 Seeking The Pearl Stakes at 7 furlongs

*3-Year-Old & Up Sprint Turf Division: $100,000 Da Hoss Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs

*3-Year-Old & Up Sprint Dirt Division: $100,000 Chesapeake Stakes at 7 furlongs

Here is an article written by Tom Lamarra that appeared on the MATCH Series website January 14.

The highly popular and critically acclaimed Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) has been renewed for 2020, with an expanded schedule and an increase in owner, trainer and breeder bonus money thanks to new partner racetracks, horsemen’s groups and breeder associations.

The series, which returned in 2018 after a 16-year hiatus, is set for its best season ever. This year’s slate, which grows to 35 stakes at eight tracks, is the result of a commitment by Mid-Atlantic stakeholders to not only link regional stakes, enhance competition, and grow racing’s popularity, but also work toward the larger goal of coordination in a region with the largest concentration of daily racing in the United States.

Recognizing the popularity and success of the series, Colonial Downs and Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, both of which were part of the MATCH Series during its initial run from 1997-2001, have rejoined the series, as have the Virginia and Charles Town HBPAs.

The 2020 series, which expands from four divisions to five, will begin April 18 with a unique split schedule at Laurel Park and Charles Town and run until Championship Day at Parx Racing Oct 18. Except for the split sites on opening day to accommodate Charles Town’s entry into the series, and Pimlico Race Course’s stakes split between Black-Eyed Susan Day and Preakness Day, the series will continue the new and highly successful concept begun in 2019 of conducting a race in each of the divisions on a single-card format at each participating track, roughly one month apart over a six-month period.

Last year there were 20 stakes spread over five MATCH Series days. Pari-mutuel handle increases were significant.

2020 MATCH Series schedule

“The MATCH Series is a testament to the extraordinary cooperation amongst all of the stakeholders in the region to promote our sport, advance the need for cooperation and coordination and our leadership role in advancing health, welfare and safety reforms for our horses,” said Alan Foreman, creator of MATCH and Chairman of the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. “We welcome Colonial Downs and Charles Town back to the series. We developed one of the best rivalries in racing last year, and look forward to a great competition this year.”

The other 2020 racetrack partners are Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, Delaware Park and Monmouth Park. On the horsemen’s side, the Delaware THA, Maryland THA, New Jersey THA, Pennsylvania THA, and Pennsylvania HBPA are participating again this year.

The 3-Year-Old Sprint–Dirt Division will join the four divisions from last year: 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint–Dirt; Filly and Mare Sprint–Dirt; 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint–Turf; and Filly and Mare Long–Turf. The division for 3-year-old sprinters was part of the MATCH Series before it went on hiatus.

Charles Town and Laurel will combine for the launch, with the three dirt stakes in West Virginia and the two turf stakes in Maryland as part of big-event programs at both tracks.

“We’re very excited for Charles Town to be included in the MATCH Series for both 2020 and, hopefully, beyond,” said Erich Zimny, Vice President of Racing & Sports Operations at the West Virginia track. “We’re happy that we were invited to partake and that the Charles Town HBPA showed a willingness to do so on their end as well.

“The series brings awareness to the Mid-Atlantic’s racing product and provides some great incentives for owners, trainers and breeders to participate. We look forward to kicking it off in April.”

Following the first round of competition, the MATCH Series will be held at Pimlico May 15-16, Penn National June 21, Delaware Park July 11, Colonial Downs Aug. 15, Monmouth Sept. 12 and Parx Oct. 10.

“Colonial Downs is thrilled and honored to be rejoining the MATCH Series in 2020 and looks forward to hosting the horses and horsemen that support this lucrative stakes and bonus program,” said Jill Byrne, Director of Racing Operations at Colonial, which was a MATCH partner in four of the first five years of the series. “The Mid-Atlantic race tracks continue to be leaders in the horse racing industry on so many platforms. The MATCH Series allows horsemen to plan a solid schedule for their stables and for fans to experience it at so many wonderful racing facilities.”

Each division will offer $75,000 in bonus money for owners and trainers to the top three finishers by points, while the overall MATCH Series leader by points regardless of division will earn an additional $75,000. Owner and trainer bonuses total $450,000, while purse money for the 35 stakes totals $3.75 million.

Horses must have three series starts to qualify for bonus money, and bonus points will be awarded to horses who make five to seven starts in their respective divisions.

Last year four breeder organizations–the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Thoroughbred Breeders Association of New Jersey, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association and Delaware Certified Thoroughbred Program–each offered $5,000 bonuses for the top colt or gelding and filly or mare by overall MATCH Series points. The Virginia Thoroughbred Association and West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association will join that program in 2020, so up to $60,000 will be available in breeder bonuses for horses that start at least three times in the series.

In 2019, 2W Stables’ Bronx Beauty took home the overall championship after winning the Filly and Mare Sprint–Dirt Division in dramatic fashion for trainer Tony Margotta on the final day of the series at Monmouth. Bronx Beauty won the Regret Stakes to tie with Cash is King and Jim Reichenberg’s Ms Locust Point, her division rival, and then won the tie-breaker based on MATCH Series rules.

The connections of Bronx Beauty earned a total of $110,000 in bonus funds, and the filly’s breeder, Blackstone Farm of Pennsylvania, collected a $5,000 bonus.

Richmond, VA — In an effort to ease the financial burden of horsemen racing in multiple jurisdictions and encourage more horsemen to participate in the Commonwealth, the Virginia Racing Commission voted unanimously to eliminate license fees beginning on January 1, 2020.

The license forms and instructions may be downloaded from our website by clicking on “Virginia Racing License” on the left-hand side of the homepage.  Applications may be emailed prior to the live meet to avoid waiting in line at the Commission office.  The VRC will issue all participants a three-year license.

Please note: all participants must be fingerprinted once upon making their initial application and pay a $30 processing fee.  Participants with a record of being fingerprinted recently in Virginia will normally not have to go through this process again.  Please call (804) 966-7415 with any questions concerning the licensing process or requirements.

Total Virginia pari-mutuel handle on horse racing for 2020 exceeded $1 billion for the first time ever thanks to the implementation of Historical Horse Racing terminals at four Rosie’s Gaming Emporium sites across the Commonwealth. That, combined with on line betting handle from four partner providers, handle at four VA-Horseplay Off Track Betting (OTB) Centers, and handle generated from live race meets at Colonial Downs (thoroughbred), Shenandoah Downs (harness) and the Virginia Gold Cup (steeplechase), pushed the total figure to $1,203,990,926.

Total HHR handle was $1,078,283,481 from Rosie’s outlets based in New Kent (at Colonial Downs), Richmond, Hampton and Vinton. The first site opened in April and the most recent opened in late September.  More are scheduled to come on line in 2020.

Handle via Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) — or on line betting — was $86,629,347 which was up an impressive 3.1% over 2018’s $83,958,598 figure. TVG handled $41,468,459 in racing wagers while Twin Spires was second with $29,972,433. Xpress Bet was third with $11,896,242 and NYRA Bets, newest of the four, handled $3,292,212 but that figure was up 62% from 2018. TVG, which continued to see an uptick in business, was up 9.3% in handle placed by Virginia residents. ADW thoroughbred handle was up 2.45% compared to last year while harness wagering jumped 9.2%.

Of the eight venues in the state where fans can watch and wager live horse race simulcasting — Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums and  VA-Horseplay OTBs based in other bars/restaurants  —-  handle at Buckets Bar & Grill in Chesapeake topped the list at $10,026,233. Breakers Sports Grille in Henrico was next at $8,726,781. Other VA-Horseplay bars are in Richmond (Ponies & Pints) and in Collinsville (The Windmill OTB Sports Grill).

The calendar for racing events in 2020 is already filling up. The Virginia Gold Cup Races are slated for Saturday May 2 (Kentucky Derby Day) and tickets are already on sale. The Colonial Downs summer thoroughbred meet will run from July 23 – August 29 with racing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 5:30 PM. The Virginia Derby is set for closing day and the new MATCH Series will take place on August 15. Though the Shenandoah Downs harness dates are not confirmed, a five week season will run from mid-September to mid-October. Elsewhere around the state, sanctioned steeplechase meets are set at Foxfield, Middleburg and Montpelier, plus a spring slate of point-to-point meets will run eight consecutive weekends in March and April.

For more details, visit virginiahorseracing.com.        

The Virginia Equine Alliance (VEA) announced it will fund a starter reward program for Virginia’s spring Point-to-Point race season for a second straight year. The well received initiative began in 2019 and helped increase participation in the two month series. The 2020 schedule begins March 7 with the Rappahannock Hunt Point-to-Point and concludes April 26 with the Middleburg Hunt Point-to-Point.

Program details are straightforward. 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. The bonus is designed to increase steeplechase participation at all levels, from owner-rider divisions to open hurdle and timber divisions. In 2019, a total of $31,800 in rewards were paid out from a total of 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.”

“Everyone was thrilled with the starter rewards program last year,” said Don Yovanovich, Secretary/Treasurer of the Virginia Steeplechase Association. “We believe it brought in some additional entries and most importantly, it provided horsemen with an incentive to enter. The extra money certainly was appreciated.”

The spring schedule features a Point-to-Point meet on eight consecutive weekends. The Rappahannock Hunt is on March 7, Warrenton Hunt on March 14, Upperville (Piedmont Fox Hounds) on March 21, Middleburg (Orange County Hounds) on March 29, Ben Venue (Old Dominion Hounds) on April 4, Leesburg (Loudoun Hunt) on April 12, Berryville (Blue Ridge Hunt) on April 19 and again in Middleburg (Middleburg Hunt) on April 26. More details are available at www.vasteeplechase.com and at www.centralentryoffice.com.

The VEA will also give $25,000 to each of five National Steeplechase Association (NSA)-sanctioned meets in the Commonwealth and donate $10,000 to the Virginia Point to Point Foundation. Included are the spring and fall race meets at both Glenwood Park in Middleburg and the Foxfield race meets in Albemarle County along with the November race meet at Montpelier in the Town of Orange.

For more information, visit virginiahorseracing.com.  

The following appeared in The Paulick Report January 5. Pegasus World Cup Day at Miami’s Gulfstream Park, scheduled for Saturday January 25, traditionally is the first major stakes race day of the year. Gulfstream will host 9 stakes on the card, 6 of which are graded. Headline event is the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (Gr. I) followed by the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (Gr. I). Other graded stakes include the $200,000 Inside Information Stakes (Gr. 2) and a trio of Grade 3’s — the W. L. McKnight, the La Prevoyante and the Fred Hooper Stakes.

Woodslane Farms’ Sadler’s Joy has been invited to participate in the Pegasus Turf. Owned and bred by Rene and Lauren Woolcott of the Plains, VA., the 7-year-old Kitten’s Joy horse has bankrolled $2.4 million from 26 starts. He has four graded stakes victories on his career resume including a 2017 win in the Grade I Sword Dancer at Saratoga.

Eight Grade 1 winners, led by millionaires Arklow, Magic Wand, Henley’s Joy, Next Shares, Sadler’s Joy and Starship Jubilee, and seven other graded-stakes winners are among a list of 17 horses formally invited Sunday to the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

The second running of the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up will be contested Saturday, Jan. 25 as part of a $5.2 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational program of nine stakes, six graded, led by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on dirt.

Bricks and Mortar won the inaugural edition of the Pegasus Turf last January to launch a perfect 2019 season that has him favored to earn Eclipse Awards as both male grass champion and Horse of the Year.

The Stronach Group, owners of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, announced the equine athletes in both races would compete free of any medications on race day, heralding a new era in the sport of Thoroughbred racing in North America. The medication-free policy is consistent with the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities (IFHA) standards. Two percent of the purses will go back to Thoroughbred aftercare.

The list of invitees for the Pegasus World Cup Turf are:

• Arklow (Brad Cox)
• Channel Cat (Todd Pletcher)
• Magic Wand (Aidan O’Brien)
• Henley’s Joy (Mike Maker)
• Instilled Regard (Chad Brown)
• Mo Forza (Peter Miller)
• Next Shares (Richard Baltas)
• Sadler’s Joy (Tom Albertrani)
• Starship Jubilee (Kevin Attard)
• United (Richard Mandella)
• Without Parole (Chad Brown)
• Zulu Alpha (Mike Maker)

RESERVE INVITEES IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE:

• Sacred Life (Chad Brown)
• Admission Office (Brian Lynch)
• A Thread Of Blue (Kiaran McLaughlin)
• Mr. Misunderstood (Brad Cox)
• Lucullan (Kiaran McLaughlin)

Irish-bred mare Magic Wand and 7-year-old gelding Next Shares each ran in the 2019 Pegasus Turf, respectively finishing second and seventh. Magic Wand went on to run third in the Man o’ War (G1) in May at Belmont Park and second in the Arlington Million (G1) in August at Arlington Park before winning the Seppelt MacKinnon Stakes (G1) Nov. 9 at Flemington in Australia to push her career earnings over $4 million from 22 starts. Magic Wand is also an invitee to the Pegasus World Cup.

Next Shares, trained by Richard Baltas, capped his 2019 season by adding the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) Nov. 30 at Del Mar to his previous graded wins in the 2018 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) and 2019 San Gabriel (G2). In his only other try at Gulfstream, he broke his maiden in his 3-year-old debut Jan. 9, 2016 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Woodslane Farm’s 7-year-old homebred Sadler’s Joy is a two-time graded-stakes winner over the Gulfstream turf, capturing the 2017 Pan American (G2) and 2018 Mac Diarmida (G3). A top three finisher in 18 of his 26 lifetime starts with $2.47 million in purse earnings, Sadler’s Joy became a Grade 1 winner in the 2017 Sword Dancer at Saratoga and ended 2019 with a victory in the Red Smith (G3) Nov. 23 at Aqueduct.

Blue Heaven Farm’s Florida-bred Starship Jubilee has raced 16 times previously at Gulfstream including wins in the 2018 and 2019 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf. The 7-year-old mare owns seven career stakes wins, four of them in Grade 2 company, and earned her first Grade 1 triumph in the E.P. Taylor (G1) Oct. 12 at Woodbine.

Bloom Racing Stables’ Henley’s Joy ran twice at Gulfstream’s 2018-19 Championship Meet, winning the Pulpit Stakes and finishing second in the Kitten’s Joy, ultimately winning the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) July 6. Arklow, trained by Eclipse Award finalist Brad Cox, has never run at Gulfstream and also earned his lone Grade 1 triumph at Belmont Park in the 2019 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic.

Trainer Chad Brown won last year’s Pegasus Turf with Bricks and Mortar and has three horses on the invitation list – Instilled Regard, Without Parole and first alternate Sacred Life. Instilled Regard, on the Triple Crown trail in 2018, prepped for the Pegasus Turf with a half-length triumph in the Fort Lauderdale (G2) Dec. 14 at Gulfstream, his second start off a six-month layoff.

Without Parole won the 2018 St. James’s Palace Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and made his North American debut Nov. 2 in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), running third to stablemate Uni, an Eclipse Award finalist for female turf champion. Sacred Life won the Prix Thomas Bryon (G3) as a 2-year-old in his native France and owns one win from four starts in the U.S., finishing second in the Bernard Baruch (G2) and Seabiscuit handicaps last year.

Michael Hui’s Zulu Alpha is the other millionaire among invitees with four career graded-stakes wins, two of them coming on the Gulfstream turf in the 2019 W.L. McKnight (G3) and Mac Diarmida. Brady Farm and OG Boss’ Mo Forza has raced exclusively in California and has put together four consecutive wins, the last three in graded company, including the Hollywood Derby (G1) Nov. 30.

Joining Sacred Life on the reserve invitation list are Amerman Racing’s Admission Office, Leonard Green’s A Thread of Blue, Flurry Racing Stables’ Mr. Misunderstood and Godolphin’s Lucullan.

Admission Office is five-time stakes-placed, four in graded company, most recently in the Dec. 14 Fort Lauderdale. A Thread of Blue, winner of the 2019 Dania Beach and Palm Beach (G3) at Gulfstream, and 2019 Knickerbocker (G2) winner Lucullan are both trained by Kiaran McLaughlin. Mr. Misunderstood is a 13-time winner from 26 career starts, nine of them stakes wins, topped by the 2018 and 2019 River City Handicap (G3), 2018 Wise Dan (G2) and 2017 Commonwealth Turf (G3).

The 2020 Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series will offer a world-class level of safety and care for horses and riders along with a unique and fully engaging experience for fans and guests, both at the racetrack and online. Since it was launched in 2017, the Pegasus World Cup has become one of the most anticipated events on the racing calendar. It has captured the attention of the racing industry, celebrities and fans from around the world and has featured some of the finest international and domestic runners, including Bricks and Mortar and Pegasus World Cup winners Arrogate (2017), Gun Runner (2018) and City of Light (2019).

Past celebrity attendees include Snoop Dogg, Mark Ronson, Bella Thorne, Evander Holyfield, Dennis Rodman and Amanda Cerny (2019), Pharrell Williams, Lenny Kravitz, Olivia Culpo, Prince Royce, Wilmer Valderrama, Post Malone, Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri, Carson Kressley and DJ Ruckus (2018) and Thomas Rhett, Vanessa Hudgens, Juanes, Karolina Kurkova, Aaron Paul, Gene Simmons, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Maria Menounos (2017).

For a third year, the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series will partner with Groot Hospitality, owners of the world famous LIV Nightclub, to offer a one-of-a-kind trackside party, the Pegasus LIV Stretch, featuring top tier entertainment, unique food and beverage concessions and the ultimate race-day views. Past performers at the Pegasus LIV Stretch include Snopp Dogg and Mark Ronson (2019), and Post Malone, Ludacris and Jermaine Dupri (2018).

The 2020 Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series will be broadcast live on NBC from 4:30 to 6 p.m. EST on Saturday, January 25.

For more information on the Pegasus World Cup and tickets go to PegasusWorldCup.com

A total of $5,000 in bonus monies will be distributed to breeders of the 3-year-old horses that have accumulated the most earnings through 2019 and that competed in the VTA’s annual Yearling Futurity at the Warrenton Horse Show Grounds.  Foals of 2016 that participated in the 2017 Futurity were eligible for the awards which were announced by Executive Debbie Easter this week.

K P Slickem, bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm, took top spot for the $3,000 bonus based on total earnings of $142,300. The Include filly, out of Queens Plaza by Forestry, had a win, a trio of thirds along with a third place finish from nine starts. She won an allowance optional claimer at Del Mar August 10 and most recently competed in the Grade I American Oaks at Santa Anita. K P Slickem finished 4th in the ’17 Futurity’s filly division.

Mucho Mas, who was overall Grand Champion and winner of the filly division that year, provided her breeders — Jim and Katie FitzGerald— a $1,000 bonus. In her 2019 starts which all came prior to March 31. She collected a first, second and third in maiden special weight company at Oaklawn where purses for that condition ranged from $83,000 to $93,000. Mucho Mas, by Mucho Macho Man out of Delicate Affair by Langfuhr, has earned $87,136 in total purses.

Ready To Run, bred by Susan Cooney, earned a $700 bonus based on total purse earnings of $68,324, third best among competitors. The Run Away and Hide colt started 9 times in 2019 and recorded a win and a pair of seconds and thirds. His victory came in a maiden claiming race at Laurel June 9. He was third in the Meadow Stable Stakes at Colonial Downs in August and in 2018, was runner-up in the Jamestown Stakes. He is out of the Kokand mare, Kokand Cousin.

Fionnbharr completes the list of bonus earners. The Exchange Rate filly was bred by Susan S. Cooney and is out Susan’s multiple stakes winning mare, Embarr. She accumulated $55,840 in purse monies from eight starts which included a third place finish in the Brookmeade Stakes at Colonial Downs this past September. Susan will receive a additional $300 bonus for Fionnbaharr’s efforts.

The date of the 2020 Yearling Futurity will be announced in the coming weeks. The VTA’s annual Stallion Auction, which is a major fundraiser, is scheduled for February 11 & 12.  

The following appeared in the Daily Racing Form December 28. Extravagant Kid, owned by DAARS, Inc (stable name of Virginia HBPA President David Ross), won the Janus Stakes December 28. It was the 6-year-old Kiss The Kid’s 9th “top two” finish in his last nine starts. The winner has bankrolled $324,475 in 2019 and $727,214 in his career (39-12-11-6).

The versatile Extravagant Kid found the switch from turf to dirt and a drop out of graded stakes company just the right remedy to get back on the winning track in the $75,000 Janus Stakes.

Extravagant Kid finished second behind Vision Perfect in the 2018 Janus, which was run as scheduled on the grass. But last year’s winner was scratched Saturday morning after the five-furlong Janus was switched to the main track due to overnight rain.

With Gaffalione aboard him for the first time since June, Extravagant Kid prompted the early pace under confident handling, overtook Faction Cat inside the eighth pole, and gradually edged clear. It was another 3 1/2 lengths further back to Archidust. Running for Riz and Tenacity Zip rounded out the order of finish in a field that scratched down from nine to five starters.

Extravagant Kid, second in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road at Woodbine in his previous start, posted his fourth win in seven starts this season and fifth career victory on dirt. He completed the distance in 57.52 seconds over a fast track and paid $4.60 as the tepid favorite.

The following appeared in The Racing Biz December 28 and was written by Ted Black. Gin Talking Stakes winner Bella Aurora was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm.

On the final stakes card of 2019 at Laurel Park, a pair of stakes events for two-year-olds offered a possible glimpse into the future.

The two winners arrived via different paths, but they took the same route to winner’s circle — the overland route.

In the $100,000 Gin Talking Stakes for two-year-old fillies traveling seven furlongs, an event that appeared wide open on paper, Bella Aurora and jockey Julian Pimentel rallied from the rear of the field as the 7-2 third choice to score by a length over favored Ankle Monitor in 1:24.24 on a fast main track.

A Virginia-bred daughter of Carpe Diem trained by Michael Trombetta for owner Country Life Farm, Bella Aurura notched her first stakes triumph, her second straight score and third win in six starts overall to push her career earnings past $140,000.

“She had been training really well, and we had plenty of time to get her ready for this race,” Trombetta said. “We thought she was going to be a turf horse, but she trained so well on the dirt that we figured we try her on it last time and she won [an allowance race] easily, so we thought to come back in here. Julian fits her like a glove. He’s so been patient aboard her every start.”

Pimentel has been aboard Bella Aurora for all six of her starts, the first four of which were on the grass. She broke her maiden on the turf in her second start against maiden special weight company then finished second and third in a pair of stakes on the grass. But she made her main track debut early last month and scored by three lengths in a one-mile allowance after being stalled behind horses at the top of the lane.

That gave her connections a hint of what to expect next.

In the Gin Talking, Pimentel saved some ground early before tipping wide entering the lane for clear running room.

“She’s always been one of those fillies that relaxes early and makes one big run at the end,” Pimentel said. “Today she stayed well off the pace and then came with her usual rally. Turning for home, I knew that I had a lot of horse underneath me.”

Country Life Farm went to $87,000 at last fall’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale to obtain Bella Aurora, who was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm. Her victory in the Gin Talking also marked the first stakes win of the year for Country Life.

“We’ve always been really high on this filly, but initially we thought she would only do well on the turf,” Pons said. “But Mike [Trombetta] said she trained so well on the dirt that he wanted to try her on the dirt last time and she ran really well… It’s a great win for the Farm because this was our first stakes win all year. We have some small investors who love being a part of it, especially now that things are really looking up in Maryland.”

In the $100,000 Heft Stakes for two-year-olds, Monday Morning Qb (Jorge Vargas, Jr.) bided his time from just off the pace through the early stages, surged to command three-wide at the head of the lane then held safe Georgia-bred New Commission for a half-length score while getting the seven furlongs in 1:23.46.

“He spiked a fever prior to his last start, but luckily the grooms were there and they caught it, so we didn’t ship down for the last stake,” trainer Robert E. Reid, Jr. said of the Maryland-bred son of Imagining, who had been entered in but scratched from the Maryland Juvenile Futurity three weeks prior.

“He’s usually then type of horse that eats up, but the groom noticed that he was off his feed,” Reid added. “It only lasted a few days, but we did what was best by hm and decided not to come down. But we always thought this horse would like a little more distance. I think he might even like running on the grass.”

In his two starts at Parx, the most recent of which he had won, Monday Morning Qb had jockey Frankie Pennington in the irons. But on Saturday afternoon Vargas climbed aboard him for the first time and quickly realized how much horse he had underneath him when the field entered the starting gate. Monday Morning Qb notched his second win in three starts overall and more than doubled his career earnings past $100,00.

“He seemed really headstrong at the start, but then he relaxed right away for me,” Vargas said. “He broke well but then he just settled down for me. When he moved up alongside the leaders turning for home he was going easily. He finished up pretty good. I think he definitely wants to go longer.”

Four Virginia-bred horses will compete in stakes races this Saturday December 28th on what is shaping to be a major race day at tracks around the country. Three of the four will battle against each other in the $100,000 Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel while another steps up to Grade I company in the $300,000 American Oaks at Santa Anita.

Bella Aurora, Princess Adira and Still Alive are among ten 2-year-old fillies that will start in the Gin Talking which will be run at seven furlongs on dirt.

Bella Aurora, a Mike Trombetta trainee who was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm, is 9-2 early. Seeking her third win, she captured a maiden special weight August 16 and an allowance optional claimer November 2, both at Laurel. Virginia racing fans saw her finish second in the Jamestown Stakes September 7 at Colonial Downs. Bella Aurora is by Carpe Diem out of Street Interest by Street Cry and brings a bankroll of $81,140 into the race.

Princess Adira, 10-1 early, is a Lacey Gaudet trainee that was bred by Chance Farm. The Cairo Prince filly has a win and two seconds in three starts and earnings of $39,600. She started her career with the two runner-ups then broke through in a maiden special weight July 26 at Laurel. Out of the More Than Ready mare, Ready Reply, Princess Adira will be ridden by Forest Boyce. 

Still Alive, trained by Guadalupe Preciado, is 15-1. The Midshipman filly has a pair of wins in six starts. She captured both at Parx in a maiden special weight August 6 and in an allowance optional claimer on October 20. Bred by Daybreak Stables, Still Alive has earned $73,640 and is out of the Officer mare, Officer Pepper.

The Gin Talking Stakes is the fifth on the card and will go to post at 2:18 PM. There are four other stakes on tap at Laurel.

K P Slickem, trained by Jeff Mullins, will compete in the American Oaks, one of three Grade I Stakes on Santa Anita’s card which was delayed two days by adverse weather. The 3-year-old Include filly will face seven others at the 1 1/4 miles distance on turf. Bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm, K P Slickem has earned $116,749 from eight starts this year. She broke her maiden at Zia Park last December then scored an allowance win at Del Mar in August. In her two year racing career, she has 8 “top three” finishes and earnings of $141,949.

The American Oaks will be the sixth race at Santa Anita Saturday and will go off at 4:44 PM.

Post-Christmas stakes action kicked off December 26 when Virginia-bred and Ashland Stakes winner Out for a Spin took a close second in the $75,000 Bob Fortus Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. The 3-year-old Hard Spun filly led throughout the one mile, 70 yard race and still had command heading into the final 1/16th. Long shot Saracosa caught the frontrunner just before the wire and won by less than a length. Out for a Spin, bred by the William Backer Estate, pushed her seasonal bankroll to $364,610 with the runner-up finish. The winner paid $64.60.

A trio of horses who won stakes at Colonial Downs this summer will all be competing in stakes on the same card this Saturday, December 28 at Gulfstream Park.

Virginia Derby winner English Bee, Virginia Oaks winner Carnival Colors and Da Hoss victor Extravagant Kid will be vying in different stakes.

English Bee is part of a large 15 horse field in the $75,000 Tropical Park Derby for 3-year-old horses on turf at 1 1/16ths miles. The Graham Motion trainee won Virginia’s Derby August 31 by a head over Jais’s Solitude, who also is in this race seeking revenge. Since the Colonial triumph, English Bee captured the Parx Fall Derby by a neck October 8 and will be making his first start since. He is by English Channel out of Evil Kitten by Kitten’s Joy. In 2019 alone, he has four wins and earnings of $295,650.

Jais’s Solitude is a son of Afleet Alex and has bankrolled $98,991 this year. Since the Derby, he has finished sixth in the Bald Eagle Stakes at Laurel and eighth in the Qatar Twilight Derby (Gr. 2) at Santa Anita. The Tropical Park Derby is Race 9 on Gulfstream’s card and will go off at 4:00 PM.

Carnival Colors, with 2019 earnings of $119,059, will compete against sophomore fillies at the same 1 1/16ths miles distance on turf for a $75,000 purse. The Oaks is carded as Race 7 and will go to post at 3:00 PM.

Bred in Great Britain, the 3-year-old Distorted Humor filly will face a full field as she goes for her third win of the year. In her only start since the victory at New Kent, Carnival Colors was ninth in the Grade 3 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes. The Michael Stidham trainee is out of the Street Sense mare, Carnival Court.

Virginia owner and HBPA President David Ross’s classy Extravagant Kid will battle in the $100,000 Janus Stakes, a five furlong turf event. Carded as Race 4, it is scheduled for 1:30 PM.

The 6-year-old Kiss The Kid Florida-bred gelding is in the midst of his most successful racing campaign. He has a trio of wins and runner-up finishes in seven starts, good for $262,475 in earnings. Extravagant Kid has a career bankroll of $665,475 from 38 outings.

Since winning the Da Hoss, he took fifth in the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland and second in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes November 23 at Woodbine. The Brendan Walsh trainee has finished first or second in eight of his last 9 starts. Extravagant Kid is out of the With Distinction mare, Pretty Extravagant.