The last few days of 2020 and first few of 2021 saw a total of 17 Virginia-Certified horses reach the winners circle, including four that spent their six-month residency in the Commonwealth at Woodbery Payne’s Ingleside Training Center in Montpelier Station — War Tocsin, My My Girl, Left Leaning Lucy and Oh My Papa.
War Tocsin captured a seven-furlong, $40,000 allowance race at Parx December 30 while pushing his career bankroll to $135,043. The 5-year-old Violence gelding, a Kentucky-bred, is owned by Trin-Brook Stables, Inc. My My Girl was best in a $42,801 waiver maiden claimer at Laurel January 3 in a gate-to-wire performance. The 3-year-old Dialed In filly dominated as the 1-5 heavy betting choice and crossed the wire 4 3/4 lengths in front. The Maryland-bred previously finished second in her lifetime bow— a maiden special weight — and is owned by Down The Stretch Racing.
My My Girl wins a waiver maiden claimer at Laurel January 3. Photo by Jim McCue.
The final two winners from Ingleside were New York-breds that each finished first in recent claiming races at Aqueduct. Left Leaning Lucy is a David Donk trainee that gained her second career win. The 4-year-old The Lumber Guy filly boosted her earnings to $61,610 for owners Ochre House Stable and Boston Boyz Racing. Oh My Papa is a 5-year-old Discreet Cat gelding whose bankroll shot into six-digit range with the win, to $103,373. A coast-to-coast winner by 3 1/2 lengths, he is trained and co-owned by Rudy Rodriguez with Michael Imperio and now has three wins to go with a pair of seconds and thirds.
It was fitting that breeder/owner Larry Johnson’s Xmasinthecity won during yuletide season. The 5-year-old City Zip horse, out of Allwewantforxmas, finished a neck better than Whats The Chances in a 5 1/2-furlong claimer that went for $20,055. The Michael Trombetta trainee has five “in the money” finishes from ten lifetime starts. Xmasinthecity spent his residency at Johnson’s Legacy Farm in Bluemont.
Xmasinthecity (inside) is a neck better than Whats The Chances in a January 3 claiming race at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.
Tivano, a 4-year-old Race Day gelding, won his fourth career race, also at Aqueduct. Trevor McCarthy, Colonial’s leading rider the past two seasons, had the winning mount for owners Eric Cannataro & Kelly Breen. Tivano has bankrolled $74,988 from nine life starts. He spent pre-racing time at Patrick Nuesch’s Braeburn Training Center in Crozet.
Galazo earned his second victory in a $29,062 waiver claiming race at Laurel. The Maryland-bred won by three-quarters of a length for owner, the Winners Circle Partners. The victor is a 4-year-old gelding by Bayern out of Seeking Options and has accumulated $71,318 in winnings. His residency was spent at Patricia Ramey’s Hunt Ridge Stable at the Blue Ridge Farm in Upperville.
Pennsylvania-bred Hello Gracie broke her maiden at Laurel in a $26,532 six-furlong race. The Dale Capuano trainee is by Dialed In and was ridden by former Colonial top jock Sheldon Russell. She spent six months prior to racing at Diane Manning’s Castalia Farm in Keswick.
Lady Fox broke her maiden on a showery New Years Day at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.
Lady Fox is another Certified program alum who broke through for her first lifetime win at Laurel. The 4-year-old Imagining filly was best at 1 1/16 miles in a $24,372 maiden claimer New Years Day. The Maryland-bred is out of Lady Olivia and spent her residency at David Dobson’s Lady Olivia at North Cliff, LLC in Rixeyville.
Other holiday week Certified winners include Senrima, American Chestnut and My Candy Box, who all won at Penn National. Sprite’s Lady, Jumpintoaction and Uncle Manny all prevailed at Parx. Swirling Candy connected at Gulfstream (no award) and finally, Blue Sky Painter scored at Laurel.