With the annual Virginia Breeders Awards ceremony and Virginia Gold Cup Races pushed back to the weekend of June 19-20 at Great Meadow, we thought announcing a 2019 award winner each day over 14 consecutive days would be a nice way to bring good news to the Commonwealth’s equine community.

Visit this site often through April 7 — a different award winner will be revealed daily. We’ll also post it to the Virginia Thoroughbred Association’s facebook page, and a recap will appear in upcoming e-mail newsletters.

Today’s (March 30) award winner is — Top Virginia-Bred/Sired Older Dirt Male – Mr. Buff. The 6-year-old Virginia-Sired gelding won five black-type stakes in New York last year which helped cement his status as top contender in this category. The New York-bred is by Friend or Foe, who stands at Smallwood Farm in Crozet. Owned and bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Mr. Buff won the Jazil, Saginaw, Evan Shipman and Alex Robb Stakes along with the Empire Classic Handicap in 2019, all of which took place on the NYRA circuit. He also competed in a pair of Grade I’s — the Clark Stakes at Churchill and the Woodward at Saratoga — and bankrolled $455,750 for the year. The John Kimmel trainee is already 2-for-2 in 2020 and courtesy of a February 22 win in Aqueduct’s Haynesfield Stakes, saw his earnings soar into seven digit range, to $1,051,536. Mr. Buff is out of Speightful Affair by Speightstown.

Top 2019 Virginia-Bred Older Turf Mare – Ferdinanda. The 5-year-old Giant’s Causeway mare bankrolled $141,460 last year from a pair of wins and three runner-up finishes in seven starts. Owned by Ann Backer and bred by her late husband’s (William) Revocable Estate, Ferdinanda won the Brookmeade Stakes at Colonial Downs by six lengths in September with Forest Boyce in the irons, and an allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream in April. Her second place finishes were at Saratoga, Belmont and Gulfstream. The Barclay Tagg trainee also competed in the Grade I Flower Bowl Invitational October 6 at Belmont where she was sixth. Overall, Ferdinanda has earned $282,700. She is out of the Came Home mare, My Mammy.

Top 2019 Virginia-Bred Over Fences – Dapper Dan. The 8-year-old gelding won $45,400 from eight starts in 2019 that included a win, a second and a trio of thirds. Bred by Mr. & Mrs. Bertram Firestone, the son of Pleasantly Perfect captured the fall Steeplethon at Great Meadow during the International Gold Cup card and was runner-up in the spring race’s edition. Dapper Dan collected his thirds at Aiken, Pine Mountain and at the Middleburg Fall Races. The Neil Morris trainee is owned by Donna Rogers and is out of the War Chant mare, Wardrobe.

2019 Virginia Owned Horse – Bellafina. The Kentucky-bred filly is owned by Virginia businessman Kaleem Shah who previously won this category in 2015 with Dortmund. Bellafina bankrolled $858,725 last year with a stellar campaign that included a trio of big stakes wins at Santa Anita — the Grade 2 Santa Ynez and Las Virgenes, and the Grade I Santa Anita Oaks. The now 4-year-old Quality Road filly also finished second in a pair of other Grade I events — the La Brea Stakes and Breeders Cup Filly/Mare Sprint. Out of the Malibu Moon mare, Akron Moon, Bellafina has six graded stakes wins overall with earnings of $1,446,725. She was 43rd in earnings last year among all competing horses. Shah co-owns his award winner with Mrs. John Magnier, Michel Tabor and Derrick Smith.

2019 Virginia Certified Male – So Street. The Maryland-bred gelding made 7 starts in 2019 and earned $158,933 in purse monies. The now 3-year-old son of Street Magician captured an allowance race on the Colonial Downs opening day program in August and sandwiched that between a waiver claiming win at Pimlico in May and a victory in the Howard County Stakes in September at Laurel. The Jamie Ness trainee was bred by Larry Johnson and is owned by Bunnymeade Racing, LLC. So Street is out of the Mr. Greeley mare, So Vain.

2019 Virginia Certified Filly – Dyna Passer. The Kentucky-bred filly, owned/bred by Woodslane Farm in The Plains, bankrolled $185,810 last year. As a 3-year-old, Dyna Passer won a maiden special weight at Belmont in May, was fifth in the Grade I Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes in July and finished third in the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes (black type) in September. The daughter of Lemon Drop Kid also scored a runner up and a trio of third pace finishes. To start 2020, Dyna Passer won an allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream March 22nd.

 

Colonial Downs Group, which includes the Virginia racetrack that reopened last summer and Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums at three other in-state locations, announced Wednesday that it will transition its closed restaurants to provide 20,000 free “grab and go” meals for police officers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, grocery store employees and other workers on the “front lines” of the response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The company closed its facilities on Mar. 15. The meals will be provided starting Apr, 1, with day-before ordering requested. Groups of 10 or more are encouraged to sign up. Details are available here.

The company also announced Wednesday that its employees will be paid in full for the month of April, and that any time spent away from work as a result of COVID-19 will not impact workers’ status.

“With our facilities closed we have the capacity to help them, in our own small way, by using our kitchens to provide free meals to Virginia’s community heroes,” said Aaron Gomes, the chief operating officer for Colonial Downs Group.

Colonial’s 18-date race meet is scheduled for July 23-Aug. 29.

The follow appeared in Thoroughbred Daily News (www.tdn.com) on March 25.

The challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic have led to new protocols for Thoroughbred breeding to minimize risk of infection among farm staff and related personnel charged with transporting and handling horses.

The Jockey Club recommends that all North American, Central American, and Caribbean Thoroughbred stud farm operations at a minimum follow guidelines from the Kentucky Department of Ag Guidelines for COVID-19: Breeding Shed Activity issued by E.S. “Rusty” Ford from the Office of the State Veterinarian, Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

With vans and individuals visiting multiple facilities each day during the breeding season, it is important to adopt standard practices in how people and horses visiting sheds are managed. The essential elements enumerated in the guidelines are reproduced below with permission from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture:

Submission of documentation for mares booked to be bred would best be done electronically. We’ve seen numerous reports where handled paper can be contaminated.

Eliminate outside individuals (van drivers and mare attendants) from coming into the prep area and shed. To accomplish this, the van would arrive,the mare would be offloaded and handed off to a shed employee (using the shed’s shank) who would handle the mare through the process. The van driver and anyone accompanying the mare to the shed should remain outside in the parking area while maintaining social distance with other individuals.

After cover, the mare would be returned to the loading area and handed off to the attendant for loading onto the van. If there is need for amare’s attendant to witness the cover, this should be accomplished from outside–looking in, videotaped or virtually.

The shank would be cleaned before returning to the shed or reuse and attendant would wash hands [recommended addition by The Jockey Club:or preferably disinfected with acceptable products efficacious in preventing the spread of viral or bacterial agents and the use of disposable gloves by attendants are recommended where practicable].

Breeding equipment (leg straps, collars, boots etc.) would be cleaned before reuse [recommended addition by The Jockey Club: or preferably disinfected with acceptable products efficacious in preventing the spread of viral or bacterial agents and the use of disposable gloves by attendants are recommended where practicable].

Additionally, maintaining enhanced biosecurity in our daily activity is essential to all of these mitigations.
The Kentucky Horse Council also provided guidelines Wednesday.

The best advice at this time is to use common sense, practice social distancing, disinfect and wash your hands frequently. As the situation evolves and if and when additional information is available, it will be shared here. The best advice at this time is to use common sense, practice social distancing, disinfect and wash your hands frequently.

Tips for Equine Businesses During COVID-19

Your business is important, but your health and the health of your staff, family and clients is paramount during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author: Kimberly S. Brown. Updated: Mar 19, 2020; Original:Mar 17, 2020

Time outside with your animals (and apart from people) is encouraged, but be aware that the virus can be found on many surfaces, including pet hair.

With the recommendations from the CDC, requirements put in place by some states, and the general fear in the United States, horse businesses are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We pulled together some tips and ideas that might help you manage this uncertain time.

The good news is that horse folks are familiar with biosecurity, so we should be leaders in our communities in stopping the spread of this virus. We know about quarantine, we understand limiting contact (social spacing), and we are very familiar with disease spread in animals. Now we just have to apply this to humans!

What We Know

The following clinical signs of illness can appear 2-14 days after exposure, according to the CDC. Keep in mind that not everyone will show clinical signs once exposed, but they can still carry virus to others. It is important to protect those with underlying physical problems from contracting the virus; thus the “social distancing” and good biosecurity.

The betacoronavirus that causes COVID-19 is SARS-CoV-2 (formerly 2019-nCoV).

The CDC notes that the most frequent clinical signs of disease are:
Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath
Through March 19, the CDC reported that in the U.S.:
Total cases: 10,442
Total deaths: 150
Jurisdictions reporting cases: 54 (50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and US Virgin Islands)

Keep in mind that tests currently are limited throughout the United States, so experts expect exposure and case numbers to rise considerably as testing is expanded. Just like what we discovered with the spread of West Nile virus in the United States equine population, it spreads quickly and the more you look, the more you find.

Riding Lessons/Boarders

Some people won’t want to give up riding lessons or coming to the barn. Use common sense if you continue to have lessons or boarders at your facility.

Older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. These individuals should be self-quarantining until the height of the contagious period has passed. That means you might have to convince them to stay away and you might have to do more for their horses if they can’t come to the barn.

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. That means you might have to cancel lessons or schedule lessons for fewer people at one time so they can maintain about 6 feet of distance between individuals in the barn and in the arena. If riders or boarders are unable or unwilling to do this, you might have to excuse them from lessons until the pandemic has passed.

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
The virus can live on objects (fomites), including hands, metal, plastic, cardboard, etc.

New research shows that the virus is detectablein aerosols for up to three hours
on copper for up to four hours
on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and
on plastic and stainless steel for up to two to three days.

That means most items in the barn (bits, brushes, buckets, door/stall handles, tack, etc.) can be home for the virus for a short time

How to Protect Yourself, Your Staff and Your Clients

According to the CDC, you should:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Twenty seconds is about how long it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice through. Make sure to scrub under your nails and between your fingers. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care. The CDC offers these tips of what to do if you are sick. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash. Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

If you are NOT sick:

You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask). Facemasks are in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.
Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets and sinks.
If surfaces are dirty, clean them first: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

How to Clean

Again, the CDC offers some great tips on proper cleaning techniques.
To disinfect: Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work. Use disinfectants appropriate for the surface. Disinfectant options include: Diluting your household bleach. To make a bleach solution, mix:
5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water
OR
4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water

Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.

Alcohol solutions. Ensure solution has at least 70% alcohol.

Other common EPA-registered household disinfectants. Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens pdf icon[7 pages]external icon claims are expected to be effective against COVID-19 based on data for harder to kill viruses. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time, etc.).

Employees, Family, Staff, Visitors

The CDC offers information to businesses about how to manage your activities and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Actively encourage sick employees to stay home:

Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F [38.0° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g., cough suppressants). Employees should notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick.

Ensure that your sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that employees are aware of these policies.
Talk with companies that provide your business with contract or temporary employees about the importance of sick employees staying home and encourage them to develop non-punitive leave policies.

Do not require a healthcare provider’s note for employees who are sick with acute respiratory illness to validate their illness or to return to work, as healthcare provider offices and medical facilities are extremely busy and not able to provide such documentation in a timely way.
Employers should maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member. Employers should be aware that more employees might need to stay at home to care for sick children or other sick family members than is usual.

Separate sick employees:

CDC recommends that employees who appear to have acute respiratory illness symptoms (i.e., cough, shortness of breath) upon arrival to work or become sick during the day should be separated from other employees and be sent home immediately. Sick employees should cover their noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or an elbow or shoulder if no tissue is available).

Emphasize staying home when sick, respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene by all employees:

Place posters that encourage staying home when sick, cough and sneeze etiquette, and hand hygiene at the entrance to your workplace and in other workplace areas where they are likely to be seen.

Provide tissues and no-touch disposal receptacles for use by employees. Instruct employees to clean their hands often with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95% alcohol, or wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Soap and water should be used preferentially if hands are visibly dirty.

Provide soap and water and alcohol-based hand rubs in the workplace. Ensure that adequate supplies are maintained. Place hand rubs in multiple locations or in conference rooms to encourage hand hygiene.

Perform routine environmental cleaning:

Routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, countertops, and doorknobs. Use the cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas and follow the directions on the label.

No additional disinfection beyond routine cleaning is recommended at this time.

Provide disposable wipes so that commonly used surfaces (for example, doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, desks) can be wiped down by employees before each use.

Advise employees before traveling to take certain steps:

Check the CDC’s Traveler’s Health Notices for the latest guidance and recommendations for each country to which you will travel. Specific travel information for travelers going to and returning from China, and information for aircrew, can be found at on the CDC website.
Advise employees to check themselves for symptoms of acute respiratory illness before starting travel and notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick.

Ensure employees who become sick while traveling or on temporary assignment understand that they should notify their supervisor and should promptly call a healthcare provider for advice if needed.

If outside the United States, sick employees should follow your company’s policy for obtaining medical care or contact a healthcare provider or overseas medical assistance company to assist them with finding an appropriate healthcare provider in that country. A U.S. consular officer can help locate healthcare services. However, U.S. embassies, consulates, and military facilities do not have the legal authority, capability, and resources to evacuate or give medicines, vaccines, or medical care to private U.S. citizens overseas.

Additional Measures in Response to Currently Occurring Sporadic Importations of the COVID-19:

Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure.

If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19, employers should inform fellow employees of their possible exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace but maintain confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employees exposed to a co-worker with confirmed COVID-19 should refer to CDC guidance for how to conduct a risk assessment of their potential exposure.

Pets and Animals

The AVMA has stated that infectious disease experts and multiple international and domestic human and animal health organizations agree there is no evidence at this point to indicate that pets become ill with COVID-19 or that they spread it to other animals, including people.

The AVMA went on to say:
If you are not ill with COVID-19, you can interact with your pet as you normally would, including walking, feeding, and playing. You should continue to practice good hygiene during those interactions (e.g., wash hands before and after interacting with your pet; ensure your pet is kept well-groomed; regularly clean your pet’s food and water bowls, bedding material, and toys).

Out of an abundance of caution, it is recommended that those ill with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus. Have another member of your household take care of walking, feeding, and playing with your pet. If you have a service animal or you must care for your pet, then wear a facemask; don’t share food, kiss, or hug them; and wash your hands before and after any contact with them.

Dr. Scott Weese of the University of Guelph has more information about dogs and COVID-19 on his blog.
To keep up with all CDC recommendations and alerts, visit their website.

TagsCOVID-19 Tips For Equine Businesses
By Kimberly S. Brown

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

“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.”

“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.”

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 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.”

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.”

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”