Since the annual Virginia Breeders Awards ceremony and Virginia Gold Cup Races were pushed back to the weekend of June 19-20 at Great Meadow, we will announce a 2019 award winner each day over a 14 day period. We’ll also post it to the Virginia Thoroughbred Association’s facebook page.
Today’s (April 6) award winner is: Top Virginia-Bred/Sired 2-Year-Old Male – Embolden. The Nancy Terhune and Ernest Frohboese-bred colt had “top three” finishes in all six of his 2019 starts on the way to bankrolling $181,000 in purse monies. Two of those were wins at Colonial Downs — one on opening day and the other on closing day. He connected early in a maiden special weight race, then later in the $100,000 Jamestown Stakes. He also finished 2nd in the black-type Atlantic Beach Stakes at Aqueduct and 3rd in the Grade 3 Futurity Stakes at Belmont. Owned by the Dare To Dream Stable and trained by Michael Stidham, Embolden is by The Factor out of Silver Heart by Lion Hearted. He was a $95,000 purchase at the 2019 Ocala Breeders’ Sale for 2-year-olds in training.
Embolden wins the Jamestown Stakes for 2-year-olds over the Colonial turf. Photo by Coady Photography.
Previously announced winners are:
Top Virginia-Bred/Sired 2-Year-Old Filly – Bella Aurora. The Carpe Diem filly’s consistent 2019 campaign included top three finishes in all six of her starts. She reached the winner’s circle in three of those at Laurel — a maiden special weight in August, an allowance optional claimer in November and in December’s Gin Talking Stakes. Bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm, she also finished second in the Jamestown Stakes at Colonial and third in the Anne Arundel County Stakes at Laurel. Bella Aurora earned $141,140 last year. She is out of Street Interest by Street Cry, is trained by Mike Trombetta and is owned by Country Life Farm. The filly was an $87,000 purchase at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale.
Bella Aurora (#4) was best in the Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.
Top Virginia-Bred/Sired 3-Year-Old Male – Chess Chief. The Into Mischief colt bankrolled $274,970 last year helped in part by “top four” finishes in several Derbies around the country. After winning a maiden special weight at Fair Grounds last March, Chess Chief went on to a fifth place finish in a key Derby prep — the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. From that point, the well traveled Dallas Stewart trainee finished second in the West Virginia Derby, third in the Oklahoma Derby and fourth in the Indiana Derby. All were Grade 3 stakes. He also ran in the Grade I Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Chess Chief was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm and is out of the Mineshaft mare, Un Blessed. He is owned by the Estate of James J. Coleman, Jr. and was a $145,000 purchase at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton New York Yearling Sale.
Chess Chief wins a $46,000 allowance at Fair Grounds to kick off his 2020 campaign. Picture courtesy of Hodges Photography.
Top Virginia-Bred/Sired 3-Year-Old Filly – Out for a Spin. The Hard Spun mare pretty much secured this award when she captured the Grade I Ashland Stakes at 52-1 odds last April at Keeneland. The Dallas Stewart trainee beat six other sophomore fillies and won by a neck over Restless Rider with Paco Lopez in the irons. Out for a Spin was also victorious in an allowance race at Fair Grounds three weeks before the Ashland. After competing in the Kentucky Oaks, the Dallas Stewart trainee only ran two other times last year. She was runner-up in the Bob Fortus Memorial Stakes (black-type) at Fair Grounds and was third in an allowance optional claimer at Churchill. Bred by the William Backer Revocable Estate, Out for a Spin earned $364,610 in 2019. She is out of My Mammy by Came Home, and is co-owned by the Commonwealth Stable, Randy Bradshaw and Stonestreet Stables.
Out for a Spin captured the April 6th Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Keeneland.
Top Virginia-Bred/Sired 3-Year-Old Turf Filly – Holly Hundy. The now four-year-old Yes It’s True filly reached the winners circle three times in 2019 including once at Colonial Downs in the Camptown Stakes September 7. Kent Desormeaux directed that 3 3/4 length victory in Holly Hundy’s only non-west coast race of ten last year. She also prevailed twice at Santa Anita — in a maiden special weight and in an allowance optional claimer. Bred by Lazy Lane Farms and owned by David & Holly Wilson, Holly Hundy bankrolled $154,473 in 2019. She is out of Cryptos’ Best by Cryptoclearance and was a $180,000 purchase at the Ocala two-year-old sale.
Holly Hundy was best in the Camptown Stakes September 7 on Colonial Downs’ closing night. photo by Coady Photography.
Visit the “News” section of vabred.org to read about the first 6 award winners.