It was a Super Sunday for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, and it was a pretty good Sunday for Virginia-bred horses too. Of the 7 that started in races around the country on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon, 6 finished either first or second.
Congratulations to Chas’s Legacy and Lenstar, who won races at Sunland and Gulfstream respectively, and to runner-ups Talk Less, Nancy’s Gone Wild, Pardontori’sfrench and Tiz Unbeatable.
Pardontori’sfrench (outside) just missed on Super Bowl Sunday at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.
Chas’s Legacy was sent off as the betting choice and he did not disappoint. The 6 year old Bernardini gelding, bred by the Estate of Edward Evans, raced in third through the first three fractions of the 1 mile, 70 yard claiming event, took control at the top of the stretch and won by 4 3/4 lengths. He is out of Our Legacy by Kingmambo, and has now won $122,868 from 26 career starts, with six victories.
Lenstar collected his first lifetime win convincingly in a six furlong, $46,000 maiden special weight race. The 3 year old son of Shackleford beat five others in gate to wire fashion and crossed 6 1/4 lengths ahead of the runner-up. Bred by the Lazy Lane Farms, Lenstar had started five previous times in the same class before connecting Sunday at Gulfstream. He is out of the Cryptoclearance mare, Cryptos’ Best.
Four Virginia-breds also reached the winner’s circle in the week leading up to the Super Bowl. All scores came in the Mid-Atlantic region so the owners of the quartet each received a 25% bonus courtesy of the HBPA/VTA incentive program.
Tiz Our Time and Wild Affair both won at Charles Town on back-to-back evenings. At first blush, the former appeared to lose to Dirty Laundry February 1st in a $23,000 maiden special weight race, but after a stewards inquiry, the winner was DQ’d and placed fifth. 5 year old Tiz Out Time, one half length shy at the wire, was elevated to first and bagged her first lifetime victory in 13 starts. She was bred by Sam E. English, is owned by Sam English, II, and is by Tiz Wonderful out of Exquisite Option by Silver Deputy.
Wild Affair avoided any drama in collecting her first lifetime score. She simply took control of her 6 1/2 furlong maiden claimer at the quarter mark and powered home to win by 4 1/4 lengths on Groundhog Day. The 4 year old daughter of Up Periscope was bred and is owned by the Vermont Farm. She is out of the Black Tie Affair mare, Vermont Gilan.
Aix En Provence, bred by James Falk, is shown in the winners circle at Laurel in 2014. The 9 year old got her 10th win February 3rd at Laurel. Photo by Jim McCue.
On the next afternoon, the classy Aix En Provence earned career victory number ten in her 57th start. The 9 year old daughter of Rock Slide went gate to wire in a six furlong claiming race at Aqueduct. Bred by James Falk and owned by Prestine Racing, the victor held on to win by three-quarters of a length in an event that saw three horses claimed out of the seven that started. Aix En Provence is out of Parisiana by Mutakddim, and has now earned $328,122 in purse winnings.
Desert Jewel gained her fifth straight “in the money” finish at Penn National that night courtesy of a strong final furlong. The 4 year old daughter of Include angled out sharply from third in the stretch and crossed handily by 4 1/2 lengths. Bred by the Morgan’s Ford Farm and owned/trained by Michael Salvaggio, Desert Jewel gained her third career score and increased her winnings to $73,794.