Greyvitos may have captured headlines with his big stakes win Sunday in Remington Park’s $400,000 Springboard Mile Stakes, but other Virginia-breds scored nice wins recently including River Deep, Bird Call and Swordfish.
River Deep, a 3 year old Arch colt, began his racing career with just one “in the money” finish in his first four starts. Since then, he has bagged a third, second and most recently, four straight wins including a dominating 7 1/4 length triumph this past weekend at Laurel. In that $45,000, 1 1/16th miles allowance optional claimer, the Phil Schoenthal trainee took the lead from just before the third fraction and powered home convincingly in 1:45.52. He surprisingly paid $13.40. Bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm & F and F Stable, River Deep was again piloted by jockey Sheldon Russell. The winner is out of the Congaree mare, River Fancy. In 2017, River Deep has earned $119,300 from nine starts. Morgan’s Ford Farm, who also owns the horse, collected a 25% bonus as well from the HBPA/VTA Mid-Atlantic incentive program.
River Deep won his fourth straight race in dominant fashion December 16th at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.
Bird Call, a 5 year old Birdstone gelding bred by Lazy Lane Farms, LLC, won a $10,500 claiming race at Penn National by three-quarters of a length over Lord Baltimore. The victor raced in second throughout then came on in the stretch to capture his fourth lifetime win. The six furlong event featured a large field of 12. Bird Call, out of Silent Greeting by Secret Hello, has bankrolled $51,4812 in career earnings now from 25 starts. Owner/trainer John Jacavone earned a 25% bonus courtesy of the same incentive program.
Swordfish angled out from third with a five wide move in mid-stretch, closed fast on the outside and got up in the final stride to capture a $14,850 claiming race during Remington Park’s closing weekend. The 4 year old Summer Bird gelding topped an eight horse field at the six furlong distance. The winner, bred by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, is out of Hawaiian Love by Not For Love. In twelve starts this year, Swordfish has 9 “top three” finishes including a trio of wins, good for $60,654 in earnings.
Greyvitos (blue silks) heads to the finish in the $400,000 Springboard Mile Stakes December 17th at Remington. Photo by Dustin Orona.
Several Virginia-breds competed in stakes around the country this past weekend as well. Code West and Sticksstatelydude both took respective fourth place finishes in the Jeffrey Hawkins Memorial Stakes at Remington and the Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds. Trappe Me Later finished sixth in Tampa Bay’s Sandpiper Stakes and One Go All Go was eighth in the Grade 3 Tropical Turf Stakes at Gulfstream.