Three Virginia-Certified horses reached the winners circle this past weekend and one of them — Big Brown Cat — won her second straight race at Aqueduct.
The three-year-old Big Brown filly authored a gate-to-wire effort in a $50,000 claiming race there April 7th. Jockey Ben Hernandez led the New York-bred to a five length triumph in that six furlong dirt race. On February 15th, she wired the field as well in a 5 1/2 furlong maiden claimer and crossed 4 3/4 lengths the best.
The two-time Empire State winner is owned by C. Robert Valeri, who received a 25% bonus for both victories. Big Brown Cat spent her six month residency at Woodberry Payne’s Ingleside Training Center in Montpelier Station. She is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare, Cat Ferrad.
The day prior, Virginia-Certified horses Marylander and High Fiber both prevailed at Laurel and Charles Town respectively.
The former, a three-year-old Seville colt, captured a $33,000 waiver claiming race with jockey Forest Boyce in the irons. The Rob Bailes trainee won by 1 3/4 lengths at the seven furlong distance. He is owned by Karen Benshoff and spent her time in Virginia at Stephanie Nixon’s Horseshoe Hill Farm in Ashland.
The latter, a three-year-old West Virginia-bred, was best in a 4 1/2 furlong maiden special weight that carried a $23,000 purse. High Fiber prevailed by three lengths in his first lifetime start. He is by Fiber Sonde out of Angle Opportunity by Belong To Me. The victor, owned by Michael Miller, resided at the Whiskey Creek Farm in Berryville before his racing career began.
A Virginia-Certified horse is a horse registered by The Jockey Club, conceived and foaled outside of Virginia, that maintains residency in Virginia for at least a six (6) month consecutive period prior to December 31st of its two-year-old year. Owners of Virginia-Certified horses are eligible for 25% Owners Bonuses for wins at Mid-Atlantic racetracks (NY, NJ, PA, DE, WV, MD & VA). More details and a list of partner farms and training centers is at www.vabred.org.