A total horse racing handle of $9,450,356 was wagered by Virginians via four online wagering partner companies in the month of February, a sizeable boost over the $7,093,550 recorded for the same month a year ago. The upward trend of online activity has continued into the new year, after 2020 saw a 56.4% increase in business.

Each Rosie’s has an OTB area which features live simulcasting from up to 20 tracks on a daily basis.

TVG led the way in February with a handle of $5,239,968. When added to January’s $5.7 million figure, they are up 45.9% over the same two-month period from a year ago. Twin Spires, up 34% during the same time frame, handled $2,472,071 in February while Xpressbet, up 38.03%, took in monthly wagers totaling $1,362,762. NYRABets, newest of the four Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) services to do business in the Commonwealth, handled $375,553 and their combined two-month tally of $874,064 is a 73% boost from last year.

The overall two-month handle total was $20,140,787 compared with $14,147,851 in 2020, a 42% rise. Interestingly, both the thoroughbred and harness handle have grown proportionately at the same 42% figure.

A third VA-Horseplay OTB is located in Collinsville — the Windmill OTB Sports Grill.

In person wagering did well too. The eight simulcast centers at Colonial Downs’ Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums and VA Horseplay OTBs combined to handle $4,926,972 during the first two months. Buckets Bar & Grill in Chesapeake led the way with $1,094,939 and Breakers Sports Grille in Henrico was next with $1,003,862.

An uptick in handle should continue as the next month features key Kentucky Derby prep races most every weekend, leading up to the “Run for the Roses” on May 1.

The $1,000,000 Louisiana Derby (Gr. 2) is next on March 20 at Fair Grounds, which has a trio of Grade 2 stakes on the under card.

Gulfstream Park will host ten stakes in a massive program on March 27 highlighted by the Grade I Florida Derby. The same day, Turfway Park holds their big Derby prep — the $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks Stakes (Gr. 3) — along with five others. And the Dubai World Cup card takes place that morning from Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. Two Virginia owned horses — Extravagant Kid (David Ross) and True Valour (Larry Johnson) — will compete there at 9:30 AM (EDT) in the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint (Gr. I) at six furlongs on the straight. The World Cup post is 12:15 PM.

Bob Baffert’s Authentic won the Kentucky Derby September 5, 2020. The 2021 edition will be May 1. Photo by Coady Photography.

The biggest race day of 2021 to date will take place on April 3 when a trio of major preps occur. The $750,000 Wood Memorial (Gr. 2) is at Aqueduct along with four other graded stakes. Keeneland hosts the $800,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Gr. 2) and five additional graded events. And the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (Gr. I)  headlines out west, and they have five other stakes programmed.

The final Derby prep is the following Saturday, April 10, when Oaklawn hosts the $1 million Arkansas Derby (Gr. I).

The 8-year-old Malibu Moon gelding won most recently March 6 in his 50th career start, when he was a neck better than Jamminwithbrandon in a one-mile starter optional claimer. Divine Interventio had different connections though than he had in his start the week prior. On February 27, he also conquered a dirt miler, going three-wide in the turn and finishing 2 3/4 lengths the best, but was claimed out that race by Gene Gould for $12,500. John Robb took over training duties from Hugh McMahon as a result.

Divine Interventio wins the first of two straight at Laurel on Feb. 27. Photo by Jim McCue.

Bred by the William Backer Revocable Estate, Divine Interventio has 11 wins, 12 runner-up finishes and 10 thirds with earnings of $406,924. He is out of the Out of Place mare, Art Show.

This win, March 6, pushed Divine Interventio’s bankroll over the $400,000 mark. Photo by Jim McCue.

Other Virginia-breds have reached the winners circle in the past several weeks. Distant Thunder had a maiden claiming score March 5 at Laurel at the six-furlong distance. The 5-year-old Wilburg gelding won by a length in gate-to-wire style and crossed in 1:11.91. He is bred/owned by Sam English II and is out of Scotish Tune by Bellamy Road.

Distant Thunder completes a gate-to-wire effort at Laurel March 5. Photo by Jim McCue.

Cool Enough, who earned a maiden claiming triumph this past summer at Colonial, reached the winners circle at Charles Town for his second career score. The 3-year-old Tamarkuz filly prevailed in a seven-furlong claiming race and pushed her bankroll to $29,336 from nine starts. She was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm and is out of the Macho Uno mare, Make Waves.

Well-traveled Mucho Mas, by Mucho Macho Man, came home strong and beat ten others in a Sam Houston claimer after crossing the half in eighth. Bred by Jim & Katie Fitzgerald, the 5-year-old mare has also competed at Churchill, Keeneland, Lone Star, Louisiana Downs, Remington and Oaklawn, where she recorded a maiden special weight victory. Through 20 career outs, Mucho Mas has earned $114,544.

Tiz Auction Time holds off Whats The Chance in a 5 1/2 furlong claimer at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Owner/breeder Michael Anderson’s Tiz Auction Time was best in an 11-horse claiming sprint at Laurel, his second win in three starts this year for trainer Ham Smith. The 4-year-old son of Tizdejavu beat Whats The Chance by three-quarters of a length. Tiz Auction Time is out of My Magnolia by Mineshaft.

Attachment Rate gallops at Churchill Downs in advance of the 2020 Kentucky Derby. Photo by Coady Photography.

Attachment Rate, who competed in the 2020 Kentucky Derby, had a nice showing at Gulfstream Park, connecting in a $65,000 one-mile turf allowance. The 4-year-old Hard Spun colt was seven lengths behind at the third fraction but rallied late to win by one and record his best career speed rating. The winner was bred by Mr. & Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin III and is trained by Dale Romans. Out of the Afleet Alex mare, Aristra, Attachment Rate has $212,422 in earnings.

General admission and parking are free! The best thoroughbred horses and trainers from around the country will run every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for seven weeks with a 1:45 pm post time. Premium tickets and full racing schedule are available at www.colonialdowns.com.

Fans will welcomed trackside with free general admission.

Colonial Downs offers a family friendly atmosphere for everyone, casual dining in the Jockey Club and upscale Turf Club dining, private suites for larger parties, outdoor clubhouse boxes, reserved grandstand seating and a hospitality tent trackside with concession fare open to everyone.

Other race meet highlights include:

·       Approximately $500,000 in daily purses and over $2.75 million in total stakes, including a robust Virginia bred and certified schedule during the meet will attract the best horses and jockeys from around the country to compete on the renowned Secretariat turf course, and second largest dirt track in North America.

·       July 19 – 21 – opening week kicks off with over $400,000 in VA bred and restricted stakes races.

·       August 30 – September 1– closing week offering over $1.2 million in stakes races highlighted by the Virginia Derby^® and Virginia Oaks^® premier races on Tuesday, August 31.

Reserved box seats, located at the finish line, are a popular option for fans.

“As we enter our third year of racing, Colonial Downs looks forward to once again hosting top horses and horsemen from across the country with daily purses offered amongst the highest during the summer months ,” said Jill Byrne, Vice President of Racing Operations at Colonial Downs Group. “The past year of the pandemic has been so challenging for everyone, we can’t wait to see our wonderful fans and supporters safely enjoying the excitement of live horse racing.”

John Marshall, Executive Vice President of Operations at Colonial Downs Group added, “I think we are all ready to put some fun back in our lives. With a variety of ticketing and dining options as well as free general admission, Colonial Downs makes for an entertaining afternoon and evening out for everyone.”

Virginia Derby Day, when fancy hats are most appropriate, is Tuesday August 31.

About Colonial Downs: Colonial Downs Group is a proud business operator in Virginia employing more than 1,000 team members paying over $30 million in annual salaries, wages, and benefits. Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums^® in Richmond, Hampton, New Kent, Vinton, and Dumfries offer innovative historic horseracing (HHR) gaming technology and full card simulcasting. Colonial Downs racetrack in New Kent County hosts live thoroughbred racing on two nationally renowned surfaces – Secretariat Turf Course, the widest turf course in North America at 180 feet wide and on a 1 1/4 mile dirt track, second in length to only the world-famous Belmont Park. Colonial Downs Group has made a $300 million investment in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The company pays more than $32 million in annual state and local taxes plus an additional $12 million in racing industry payments annually.

A total of twelve stakes races worth a combined $1.2 million showcasing Virginia-bred, certified or sired horses will be carded at the upcoming seven-week summer thoroughbred racing season at Colonial Downs. The meet in New Kent will run from July 19 – September 1 with racing every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

All 12 Breeder’s stakes will be on the Secretariat Turf Course.

Six $100,000 black-type stakes for Virginia-bred or Virginia-sired horses will take place, including five on the closing day card. The Jamestown, Camptown, Brookmeade, Edward P. Evans and Punch Line will highlight the September 1 finale lineup. A sixth, the Nellie Mae Cox Stakes, is part of opening day’s card and will complement a trio of Virginia-restricted stakes.

An additional series of non black-type Virginia-restricted stakes, also at the $100,000 purse level, are open to Virginia-bred, Virginia-sired AND Virginia-certified horses. In all, six are scheduled throughout the campaign. The Bert Allen, Meadow Stable and M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes highlight the kickoff card while another pair, the Hickory Tree and Keswick Stables sprint stakes, are on August 2. The Van Clief Stakes is a week later on August 9.

“We are excited once again to be able to run our six Virginia-bred/sired black type stakes at Colonial Downs,” said Debbie Easter, Virginia Thoroughbred Association Executive Director. “With a $100,000 purse for each race, we ought to attract the best Virginia-bred or sired horses in training. The addition of six new $100,000 Virginia Restricted stakes, open to Virginia-certified, bred and sired horses, is a huge new benefit for our Virginia certified owners.”

The dozen stakes will all be contested over Colonial’s renowned Secretariat Turf Course, which is the widest grass racing surface in the country. At 180 feet across, the massive oval is divided in half to create an inner turf course and an outer turf course.

For more information on the summer racing season and a complete stakes schedule, visit colonialdowns.com. The barn area in New Kent will open on July 5.

Congratulations to four Virginia connected horses that competed in the 2018 Yearling Futurity, who will share a $5,000 bonus pool based on career earnings they accumulated through their recently completed 3-year-old racing campaigns. The top earners in bonus winning order were Patriotic Punch ($3,000), Appraised ($1,000), Lady Fox ($700) and Beach Traffic ($300).

Virginia-Certified Patriotic Punch (#7) won a thriller at Pimlico September 25. Photo by Jim McCue.

Virginia- certified/Maryland-bred Patriotic Punch, bred by Charles Reed and Michael Zanella, bankrolled $125,969 from 17 career starts through December 31. The Carpe Diem filly, out of Lori Z’s Punch by Two Punch, reeled off three wins in a row during a five-week period in Maryland last year. She was best in maiden claimer and a pair of starter optional claiming races between September 11-October 17. Overall, she has 10 “top three finishes”. Patriotic Punch spent her Virginia residency at Karen Godsey’s Eagle Point Farm in Ashland.

The Yearling Futurity takes place annually at the Warrenton Horse Show Grounds.

Virginia-bred Appraised also has recorded a trio of victories and ten “top three” finishes. The Shanghai Bobby gelding, bred and raised at Morgan’s Ford Farm in Front Royal, collected his wins in a series of claimers at Delaware Park over a nine-week period last year. Out of the Include mare, Looking Great, he has earned $70,067.

Lady Fox broke her maiden on a showery New Years Day at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.

Virginia-certified, Lady Fox finished 2020 with $56,540 in earnings — third best from the ’18 yearling class — and has kicked off 2021 with back-to-back wins. The Imagining filly, bred by Lady Olivia at North Cliff, LLC., had four runner-up finishes and a trio of thirds through 2020, good for $56,540. This year, she broke her maiden and prevailed in another claiming race, both at Laurel. The Maryland-bred, out of Lady Olivia by Silver Deputy, spent her residency at David Dobson’s Lady Olivia at North Cliff Farm in Rixeyville.

Pictured with Beach Traffic are: VTA President Brooke Royster, Patricia Ramey and handler Junior Johnson.

Beach Traffic, Reserve Grand Champion and winner of the Certified class at the ’18 Futurity, has collected wins at both Gulfstream and Monmouth. The Maryland-bred gelding, by Cross Traffic, has bankrolled $53,365 to date. Out of Pink Sand by Sky Mesa, Beach Traffic was bred by Patricia Ramey and Maciej Szwarc and raised at Ramey’s Hunt Ridge Stables located at Blue Ridge Farm in Upperville. He has hit the board in half of his 16 starts.

When the calendar turned the page to 2021 on January 1, all Thoroughbreds officially became one year older. That means that Ball Chairman and Border Run are now 33 years old, while Trusted Company is 32. Why is this important, other than the fact that they are all of advanced age, a blessing for any horse? Because they are the last three known living offspring of Secretariat, a precious few still providing a direct link to their illustrious sire.

Ball Chairman is the oldest of the group, born March 18, 1988. Purchased as a young broodmare by owner Charles Fipke, she’s also the only one who has spent time overseas – several years at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, visiting elite stallions like Sadler’s Wells and Galileo. To the court of Sadler’s Wells, she produced seven foals, including G1 winner Perfect Soul and Canadian sire Not Impossible. Five of her last six foals (Sheba Gold, Sadler’s Secretary, Secretariat’s Soul, Dance Secretary and Urban Ball) are broodmares that have current runners in training.

After Perfect Soul was pensioned from stud duty at Darby Dan Farm, the stallion was sent home to Fipke’s Kentucky farm.

For a while mother and son had stalls at opposite ends of one barn, although Ball Chairman was out in her pasture almost 24/7. She was eventually moved to a broodmare barn but still only spends time inside during extreme weather or when she needs any medical or routine attention.

Fortunately, medical needs have been few and far between. Her primary health problems include issues related to retaining uterine fluid and chronic arthritis, especially in her left knee.

“She’s super tough,” said farm manager Elke Krohn, heaping praise on a mare who is “really good about letting us know when something is wrong. She’s like, ‘right here guys, I’m not right, this is not good.’” And so far, thanks to those equine signals for help and fast action by her caretakers, she has quickly recovered from any issues.

Recently she lost her younger best friend when the Wild Again mare Recoleta passed away peacefully.

The two mares shared a breakfast together in their pasture one day, and after a little nap only Ball Chairman got up again. But Secretariat’s daughter has found a new pal in 24-year-old Thislillightofmine, a daughter of Kingmambo out of a Sir Ivor mare. That makes her a descendant of Secretariat’s half-brother Sir Gaylord, sire of Sir Ivor. And it just so happens that Thislillightofmine’s leading earners as a broodmare were all by Perfect Soul.

“They get along really well,” Krohn said of the newly-paired mares. At this writing, they were spending their time in an indoor round pen at the back of the big broodmare barn. The weather was changing so much, and a serious cold spell was looming, so it was best to keep them inside.

“She does prefer to be outside, but at least they can roam around and look outside through windows.” Krohn laughingly referred to the temporary quarters as their “indoor condo”, adding that they would get back to their “outside condo”, complete with a run-in shed, as soon as possible.

The latest Borderisms

The only known living son of the Triple Crown winner is royally-bred Border Run, a full brother to both Terlingua and Pancho Villa. There’s a strong family resemblance among the three siblings, and owner Curtis Wright is thrilled to have stumbled across Border Run almost a decade ago, when the gelding was listed for sale on a local website.

Born March 23, 1988, just five days after Ball Chairman, Secretariat’s son was a stakes-placed winner of $155,238. A longtime racing fan and horseplayer, Wright recognized the gelding immediately from his racing days and wasted no time acquiring him for the small Washington farm that he and his wife Margo call home.

After nearly ten years with Wright, Border Run is still doing well. “Despite his age-appropriate teeth, he still enjoys carrots, cookies and peppermints. He can still manage hay too, which can be a problem as they age.”

The owner often waxes poetic about the gelding’s antics, and relayed three ‘Borderisms’ based on recent behaviors that define his personality.

Even at his age, Border Run loves to lie down in the pasture for naps, no matter the weather, and will stay motionless on his side with his best friend Anniversary Year (also sleeping) standing over him. Margo can be unnerved at the sight, and recently she got concerned when the nap seemed unusually long. She called for Curtis. “Once I looked out the window,” he said, “right on cue Border’s head came up and he stood up, no doubt refreshed, with a ‘what’s all the fuss?’ look on his face.”

That’s just one of the looks in the gelding’s repertoire. Another is, “Do you know who my father is?” He flashes that look whenever he is annoyed at something, or during a routine procedure he’s not happy with.

For the longest time, the Wrights had the goats Linus and Lucy; beloved Linus passed away last winter. To keep Lucy company, they acquired a new goat, Tara, and two of her baby nephews. Tara can be very noisy – “braying rapid fire sounding like a car alarm”, said Wright. “Like the venerable Sailor Man, Popeye, Border takes all he can take until he ‘can’t takes no more.’ So he flashes that look with his ears pinned, and Tara realizes she’s gone far enough.”

And then there’s a quirky drinking preference that just may be the reason for his longevity.

Wright goes to great lengths to make sure the horses have a nice clean water source, a 100-gallon trough “replete with goldfish to purify the water”. But Border Run prefers to quench his thirst another way when he can. A low area of the pasture collects rain water at certain times of the year, and it can get up to a foot deep. “So this regally bred individual, the result of years of careful planning, and one who wouldn’t walk through an inch of standing water if his life depended on it, likes to drink from the edges of this happenstance pond.”

He added that soon there will be ducks swimming and bathing in the water, but that won’t change the gelding’s behavior. “This lovable equine curmudgeon will grudgingly share what may be the waters of his Fountain of Youth. I think his GPS went sideways and he believes Ponce De Leon came to this corner of the country.”

Valentine Company

The youngest of the three known Secretariats, at age 32, Trusted Company is the first of them to celebrate an actual birthday this year, since she was born on February 14, 1989. This year the big chestnut Valentine marks her third birthday in the care of Bev Dee’s Bright Futures Farm, who acquired the mare in late 2018 when circumstances changed for her previous owner.

When she first arrived at Bright Futures in early 2019, Trusted Company was such a picky eater that Dee had to offer her food in several different pans like a Smorgasbord. Early on she would eventually eat everything, but then started refusing some of the feed, and didn’t like different food mixed together. But then she acquiesced and started eating out of one bowl.

Unfortunately for Dee, that didn’t last long! “She’s decided she likes variety again, so we’re up to three different kinds of feed at each meal. And each meal yields a new ‘favorite’, so she’s always a step ahead of me.”

Of course, that’s no real problem for Dee, who knows that with senior equines, it’s necessary to cater to their every whim to keep them happy and healthy. And by all appearances, Trusted Company is both.

The mare’s biggest health issue is arthritis, for which she gets a Legend injection every six weeks. “That has helped her tremendously.” She’s also receiving PEMF (pulsing electromagnetic field) treatments two or three times a week. Those support the work the Legend does, explained Dee, helping with any inflammation that might be present but not easily seen.

Clearly the treatments have been working, as Secretariat’s daughter is feeling good. She “pouts” when she’s in the barn, much preferring the great outdoors. “As soon as I open her door to let her outside, she’s bursting with enthusiasm,” said Dee. “She would probably stay there 24/7 if I’d let her.”

Trusted Company’s constant companion remains the 28-year-old gelding Catch This T. Like Ball Chairman’s new companion Thislillightofmine, he descends from Sir Gaylord.

Although the pandemic kept fan visits to Bright Futures at a minimum last year, Dee did manage to hold the annual open house last September. It was a far cry from the usual large crowd, but Trusted Company made the best of it and the fans were thrilled.

“She was the star,” marveled Dee. “She loved the attention (and the cookies) and I think everyone who was here got their photo with her.” The mare obliged almost everyone with an ears-up pose, but sometimes she seemed to tire of stardom. “A few times I think she’d had enough attention and just wanted to nap, so she gave us helicopter ears!”

As the weeks go by with ongoing challenges from the pandemic, there’s always hope. In our small corner of the world, it’s hope that fans will get to see horses again on a regular basis. And for those connected with these three Secretariats, it’s hope that they are the gifts that keep on giving.

Kentucky Derby Day is slated for May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Of the four partner online outlets, TVG handled the most with $5,781,154, a 53% increase over last year’s $3,780,183. Their daily average was $186,488.  Twinspires, with a 50% increase over January last year, took in $2,899,579 in wagers compared with $1,924,191. Xpress, third overall, handled $1,511,187 versus $1,076,650 — up 40% — while NYRABets, newest of the four, saw an 82% gain with $498,510 over last January’s $272,875.

Grand thoroughbred handle tally for the month was $9,591,579 while $1,098,851 was wagered on standardbreds. Both totals are up by 53 and 35% respectively.

A total of $2,440,868 was also wagered last month at the eight in-state Off Track Betting (OTB) Centers. Five are located in Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums in New Kent, Richmond, Hampton, Vinton and Dumfries. The other three are located in restaurant/bars in Henrico (Breakers Sports Grille), Chesapeake (Buckets Bar & Grill), and Collinsville (The Windmill OTB Sports Grill).

Buckets recorded the highest handle of the eight with $513,206 while Breakers was next with $505,400. The most popular thoroughbred tracks, by betting handle, were Gulfstream Park ($417,222), Tampa Bay Downs ($218,263) and Aqueduct ($200,396). The top harness track was Northfield Park at $102,832.

Interest in racing should only increase as the Kentucky Derby prep race season heads into full swing. The last Saturday of this month, February 27, features two stellar stakes for three-year-olds. The $300,000 Fountain of Youth (Gr. 2) is one of eight graded events on the card at Miami’s Gulfstream Park while the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (Gr. 3) — pushed back to this date due to weather — is complemented by the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (Gr. 3).

Things heat up even more in March. A trio of Derby preps are on tap March 6 including the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (Gr. 2), $300,000 Gotham Stakes (Gr. 3) at Aqueduct and the $300,000 San Felipe (Gr. 2) at Santa Anita. Each of the three host tracks has also loaded up on powerful under cards. Tampa has the Grade 2 Hillsborough and Grade 3 Challenger, Aqueduct presents the Grade 3 Tom Foolery and Santa Anita hosts a pair of Grade I’s — the Frank Kilroe Mile and Santa Anita Handicap — and the Grade 2 San Carlos.

The $1 million Rebel (Gr. 2) at Oaklawn takes place the following Saturday with a four pack of under card stakes including the Grade 2 Azeri and $500,000 Essex Handicap. Santa Anita hosts the Grade I Beholder Mile the same afternoon.

Fair Grounds plays host to the $1 million Louisiana Derby (Gr. 2) and a trio of other Grade 2 stakes on March 27. The Fair Grounds Oaks, New Orleans Classic and Muniz Memorial Classic will all appear on that card.

The month closes out with the big Florida Derby card at Gulfstream on March 27. A total of ten stakes will be on the program that day including the Grade 2 Pan American and Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks.