PHOTO GALLERY: VBF $15,000 Yearling Futurity

Full results and more photos of the winners tomorrow. Click on pictures for a better view.

VIRGINIA-BRED RACE WINNERS

New York Holiday (g, 4yo), Harlan's Holiday - Sequins by Northern Fashion. B - Keswick Stables. Saratoga, 8 /29/2009, clmg, winner’s share of purse: $24,000, 9 f, 1:52.93. ($125,000, yrlg, 2006, ftsaug)

Oneforlove (f, 5yo), Not For Love - One Account by Private Account. B - Paisley Thomas J Dr. Penn National, 8 /28/2009, clmg, winner’s share of purse: $7,800, 6 f, 1:13.87. ($30,000, wnlg, 2004, ftmdec)

Prized Edition (c, 2yo), Prized - Rekindled Romance by Relaunch. B - Hackman James M. Charles Town, 8 /30/2009, mdn sp wgt, winner’s share of purse: $16,800, 6.5 f, 1:22.67. ($5,000, yrlg, 2008, ftmoct)

Que Paso (g, 6yo), Cherokee Run - Gone Private by Private Account. B - Carolyn L. Nicewonder. Remington Park, 8 /30/2009, alwc, winner’s share of purse: $17,616, 8.3 f, 1:42.21. ($57,000, yrlg, 2004, keesep)

Rue D'Argent (g, 5yo), Smart Strike - Street Money by Seattle Slew. B - Hickory Tree Farm, Inc. PID, 8 /27/2009, clmg, winner’s share of purse: $9,000, 8 f, 1:37.91.

Secret Style (f, 4yo), Hussonet - Secret Colony by Cherokee Colony. B - Iselin III C. Oliver Mrs. PID, 8 /29/2009, mdn clmg, winner’s share of purse: $9,300, 8 f, 1:37.79.

Sharon (f, 4yo), Milwaukee Brew - Shorcount by Oh Say. B - Paisley Eugenia D.PID, 8 /29/2009, clmg, winner’s share of purse: $8,000, 6 f, 1:11.13. ($20,000, yrlg, 2006, ftmoct; $37,000, 2yo, 2007, ftmmay)

Subprime (f, 3yo), High Yield - Pleasant Boom by Pleasant Tap. B - Edward P. Evans.Delaware Park, 8 /26/2009, alwc, winner’s share of purse: $23,400, 8.5 f, 1:44.78.

AUGUST VHBPA MEETING SUMMARY

The Virginia HBPA Board of Directors met Tuesday, August 25th, for its regular monthly meeting. The Board reviewed the just completed summer race meet at Colonial Downs and discussed the need to increase purse money for next year's meet.

The Board also discussed better coordination with the VTA on a program of Virginia restricted races to promote breeding in the state.

An election of all 14 Board members was scheduled for December 15th. Members serve three year terms. Any one interested in being a candidate should contact President Robin Richards (goshenfarm@ hughes.net) or Executive Director Frank Petramalo (fpetramalo@msn.com).

PICTURES OF THE DAY

In this photo released by the New York Racing Association, Icon Project, with jockey Julien Leparoux, captures the Personal Ensign stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009.

In this photo released by Benoit Photo, R.D. Hubbard's Spring House and jockey Alex Solis, left, overpower Sir Dave and jockey Joel Rosario, right, to win the Grade II Del Mar Handicap horse race by a narrow margin, on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009, at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

THE BELMONT BIRD WINS TRAVERS – VA-BREDS FINISH THIRD, FOURTH

The Belmont Stakes winner, Summer Bird, splashed his way to victory in the $1 million Travers Stakes at rain-soaked Saratoga Race Course on Saturday. Hold Me Back, who made his last start in the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs was second, followed by Virginia-breds Quality Road and Charitable Man.

In completing the Belmont-Travers double, Summer Bird joins his sire, Birdstone, who did it in 2004. Summer Bird is the 30th horse to win both races.

A crowd of 34,221 (down from last year’s 40,723) braved showers all day for the biggest racing card of the six-week season, capped by the 1 1/4-mile Midsummer Derby.

Summer Bird, with Kent Desormeaux aboard, came into the race off a runner-up finish to Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2. For two weeks, trainer Tim Ice had been saying his colt was ready for a big race, and he surely delivered.

Quality Road, who would have been the Derby favorite before he was sidelined with hoof issues, won the Amsterdam Stakes earlier in the month in his return. But he wasn’t quite ready for the Travers: He bucked jockey John Velazquez off before entering the starting gate, was squeezed between horses at the start and finished third in the seven-horse field.

“He didn't break very good. There was nothing I could do, but he came back and got himself back into the race. He handled it pretty well,” Velazquez said of Quality Road. “There was no room for me to go around the far turn. I had to wait for some running room. Once we got some room, he was starting to run again."

“I thought he was stuck in a difficult spot,” said trainer Todd Pletcher of Quality Road having to race behind the leaders early on and then being stuck between horses. “He ran well. I thought considering everything he ran a good race.”

Lane’s End Stakes (G2) winner Hold Me Back who showed little on Colnial’s turf, closed willingly from last in the seven-horse field to finish second.

"He ran great today. I'm thrilled,” said Hold Me Back’s Racing Hall of Fame trainer, Bill Mott. “We were second best but he ran big."

The winning time was 2:02.83.

(Photos by AP Photos and Skip Dickstein/AlbanyTimes Union)

TRAVERS UNDERCARD SUMMARY RESULTS

KINGS BISHOP: Capt. Candyman Can was declared the winner of the $300,000 King’s Bishop Stakes after first-place finisher Vineyard Haven was disqualified by the stewards for interference in the stretch. Vineyard Haven, ridden by Alan Garcia, bumped Capt. Candyman Can several times as they dueled for the lead.

BALLERINA: Music Note ($13.60) outdueled Indian Blessing in the stretch and splashed her way to a 5 1/4-length victory in the $300,000 Ballerina Stakes for older fillies and mares. Informed Decision, who had a five-race winning streak, was third.

BALSTON SPA: Salve Germania ($50.50), the longest shot in the field at 24-1, finished with a rush and nipped 9-5 favorite Rutherinne by a nose to win the $200,000 Balston Spa on a what had to be a very soft turf course.

VICTORY RIDE: Sara Louise ($6.30), the last horse to defeat Rachel Alexandra, made her 3-year-old debut with a two-length victory over Bold Union in the six-furlong, $110,000 Victory Ride Stakes.

PICTURE(S) OF THE DAY

Our Edge, with jockey Alan Garcia, goes airborne as he jumps a large puddle at the start of the Travers. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union)

Fans stand along the rail with umbrellas before the Travers Stakes horse race at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Virginia-bred Quality Road, the likely favorite in today's $1 million Travers Stakes Gr.I, keeps an eye out for the competition.

(Photo by Nicole Buttis)

YOU CAN HAVE MY HORSE, BUT DON'T TOUCH MY HAT

If it's her you want

I don't care about that

You can have my girl

But don't touch my hat
– Lyle Lovett

Some folks, like Lyle Lovett, are serious about their hats. I’m one of those people. I suppose it could have something to due with a lack of hair. I have uncounted baseball caps and I typically wear one at some point each day. My wife is constantly after me to throw some away, and once, in a weak moment, I even sold some in a yard sale. (What was I thinking?)

But today, I gave one away – on purpose.

I was at Siggi,s barbershop in Warrenton getting a haircut. No, that’s not a typo, Siggi is from somewhere in eastern Europe (based on her accent) and she uses a comma instead of an apostrophe…It works for me. They do a good job in my book and have at least twice been voted “Best Barbershop In Warrenton” by Warrenton Lifestyle magazine.

Today the conversation turned to, of all things, the Travers. The woman cutting my hair (not Siggi), Cheryl, I believe is her name, was impressed to find out that Quality Road and Charitable Man were both born in nearby Casanova. I was impressed that she knew who both horses were.

She informed me that she was going to Charles Town with a group of friends on Saturday to watch and wager on the Travers. I asked her if she would go to a Northern Virginia OTB if one were close by as it is about a one hour drive from Warrenton to Charles Town.

She wasn’t sure. Perhaps. She goes to Charles Town to watch the horses run. On Belmont Day she won $506 on Summer Bird (via a tip from another haircut customer) and on the way out she won $300 from the first slot machine she sat down to play. So she has 806 good reasons to be loyal to Charles Town.

I wish the members of the Virginia General Assembly could have heard this conversation – Cheryl, the barber from Warrenton, VA, heading off to West Virginia to spend her hard earned entertainment dollars with no benefit to the Commonwealth to bet on a horse who was born 10 minutes from the very spot she stands each working day.

And you know what? It happens all the time.

I paid for my haircut and went out to my car to retrieve my Quality Road ball cap. I took it back in and gave it to Cheryl noting “Now, you’re ready for the races.”

VIRGINIANS UPSET $100,000 SARATOGA STEEPLECHASE STAKE

Virginians Jim Carter, and his wife Melinda, own Randleston Farm in Bluemont. They started out some years ago with the modest goal of maintaining a few broodmares, but, as often happens, the barn filled up with a string of flat runners and steeplechasers.

How fortuitous.

Yesterday, the Carters and Virginia-based trainer Jimmy Day of Berryville teamed up with Spy In The Sky and jockey Liam McVicar to upset the $100,000 New York Turf Writers Cup Gr.I at Saratoga.

In doing so, all they had to do was beat a bunch of stakes winners trained by some of the best trainers to ever saddle a jumper at the Spa (or anywhere else, for that matter). Rounding out the order of finish were Sermon of Love (Jonathan Sheppard), Dalucci (Janet Elliot), Swagger Stick (Jack Fisher), Mixed Up (Johathan Sheppard) and Slip Away (Tommy Voss).

Unfortunately, the victorious owner-trainer trio wasn’t there to witness the Grade I win, but if you heard an uproar coming from NW Virginia at around 2:10 p.m. yesterday, odds are it was the Carters and Days cheering him home via TVG. Was that “I Love New York” we heard wafting off the Blue Ridge and on down Piedmont way?

The 10 ¼ length victory paid $43.00 for the longest shot in the field as the 9-5 favorite Slip Away was pulled up and highweight Mixed Up struggled home last of five finishers.

McVicar, a Scottish-born apprentice who works for the Day stable in Virginia, said, “I didn’t want to hit the front too early because I had a ton of horse all the way around. I was trying to bring him back, hold him for 10 or 12 strides on the turn. Then it was time to kick on and win the race.”

(NYRA Photos)

NY TURF WRITER’S CUP WINNER HAS BLUE BLOOD

According to Joe Clancy of the Steeplechase Times/Saratoga Special, students of pedigree would have taken note of the Spy In The Sky…

Spy In The Sky didn’t start life as an underdog. Bred by Gainsborough Farm, he hails from a rich family.

His dam Monaassabaat is a half-sister to the dams of Grade I winner Storming Home and 2009 Ballerina starter Music Note. Spy In The Sky’s granddam It’s In the Air was a champion for Harbor View Farm and trainer Laz Barrera.

Part of the Kiaran McLaughlin barn as a 2-year-old in 2006 Spy In the Sky broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park in 2007 but didn’t quite live up to his breeding on the flat and was sold to Day as a jump prospect. Since then, he’s won three times and earned $146,480 over jumps while just missing several times on the flat.

McLaughlin checked on his former pupil in the paddock, and smiled afterward.

“It’s fun to see – Grade I, Saratoga,” he said. “We had him as a 2-year-old, they sent him to Gainsborough and they moved him on. It’s great to see that they have other lives.”

Trainer of Horse of the Year Invasor and a stable full of stars, McLaughlin missed the steeplechase potential – though he did recognize one trait.

“He was slow – he wanted 2 miles and you could tell that early,” he said. “I wish I knew which ones wanted to do that. They don’t tell you.”

PICTURE OF THE DAY

David and Liz Lis got the opportunity to meet the great filly Rachel Alexandra after winning a drawing called the Triple Crown Connection.

(Skip Dickstein /Albany Times Union)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Ashley Herriman places the silks for the jockey who will be aboard Quality Road at post position No. 4 during the 140th running of The Shadewell Travers Stakes on Saturday at the Saratoga Race Course.

(Photo by Erica Miller/The Saratogian)

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO...

Hmmm...

BOARD/BORED OF THE FLIES

The August Virginia Racing Commission meeting was interesting. An owner, who is also an attorney, was there to appeal a disqualification. His was the first item on the agenda and the stewards presented their reasons for the DQ, and then the owner presented his appeal endeavoring to explain why the stewards were wrong.

When the commissioners left the room to deliberate, Iain Woolnough, the former GM of Colonial Downs who now runs the Virginia Harness Horse Association, pointed to a box on the floor covered in a white kitchen garbage bag.

“That’s a box of dead flies,” Iain whispered.

Say what?

When the commissioners came back in to affirm that they would uphold the steward’s ruling (to no one’s surprise as it has to be a glaring ERROR for the commission to override the stewards), the agenda moved forward. The next item revealed the mystery behind the box of dead flies.

Three homeowners from Brickshire – the housing development immediately adjacent to Colonial Downs – were there to tell the VRC about their on-going battle with flies. Frankly, it seemed likely that this could get ugly in a hurry.

Thankfully, that was not to be. The spokesman for the group could not have been more professional in his presentation of the problem. His description even included some humor. He made it clear that Colonial Downs was trying to help them, but nothing seemed to be working.

So what exactly is the problem? Well, when the horses leave Colonial Downs at the end of each Thoroughbred meet, swarms of flies descend on Brickshire and its human residents. The same thing happens on a smaller scale after the Harness meet (presumably made a bit better by the cooler fall weather).

The flies hang around and torture everybody for about two/three weeks and then they begin to dissipate and/or die. The folks at Brickshire think that's too long, and who can blame them?

Over in the war zone, Colonial Downs utilizes a wide array of resources to combat the problem including parasitic wasps and various insecticides.

The residents seem to think the problem is the manure (which is hauled out for the most part on a daily basis), but the other experts in the room seemed to believe the problem wasn’t the manure, but the manure producers – the horses.

J.D. Thomas, Colonial track superintendent, pointed out that Colonial does more to fight flies than other tracks where he has worked including Delaware Park. Dale (as I’ve called him since the sixth grade) concluded that he thought it was the horses leaving that caused the problem. The hypothesis was based on simple logic.

If the problem was the manure, Brickshire would be under siege the entire Thoroughbred and Harness meet. If the horses being there was the problem, the fly infestation would begin when the horses arrived.

A bunch of folks with various initials after their names seemed to agree. Yesterday, it was suggested that it might be a coincidence that the flies relocate when the horses leave, but it’s unlikely that the folks at Brickshire would find that explanation plausible.

Colonial Downs’ senior management vowed to do everything possible to solve the problem and the VRC promised to monitor the situation on behalf of the homeowners.

Everybody agreed that they didn’t like flies (a landmark achievement – unanimity!).

We would simply advocate that the problem could be solved by a flock of sheep or a herd of cows arriving the same day the last horses leaves the grounds…Not terribly scientific, but $2 says it works...

VTA AUGUST BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING SUMMARY

The Board of Directors of the VTA met on Tuesday, August 25. This was the first meeting for the nine new board members now serving two year terms.

Directors Present: William Backer; Chris Baker; Robert Bouse; Dr. Maurice Casey; Wayne Chatfield-Taylor; James H. Falk, Sr.; Jill Gordon-Moore; Dr. E. C. Hart; Leanne Hester; Joan Jones; Louisa Lenehan; Jim Morris; Ernest M. Oare; O. J. Peterson, III; Brooke Royster; Mignon C. Smith; Dr. Jens Von Lepel.

Also Attending: Glenn Petty; Heather Stanley.
After some initial housekeeping, it was the consensus of the Board to defer election of the new officers to the September 2009 Directors’ meeting. (This was a blessing for the four directors who were absent!)

The Executive Director endeavored to give a comprehensive overview of the Association, including the history of Virginia Thoroughbred breeding and racing, the Association’s role in that history, and the challenges today facing Virginia’s Thoroughbred industry in general and the Association in particular.

He stated that the major obstacle facing Virginia’s industry is the Virginia legislature’s reluctance to foster growth in the pari-mutuel system. A restricted system in turn stifles the ability to grow the Virginia Breeders Fund, which provides the means and incentives to grow Virginia breeding and racing. Subsequently, much business has been lost to neighboring states with Breeders Fund’s ranging from four-times to ten-times larger.

Extensive discussion ensued regarding solutions to the challenges presented.

The ED recommended that, at the September Directors’ meeting, working committees be formed and charged with pursuing solutions to the challenges noted. He requested:

1) A committee to address a Delaware, Maryland Virginia (DelMarVa) racing/breeding consortium concept;
2) A Finance Committee to address the Association’s financial concerns/needs; and
3) A Membership Committee, tasked with growing the VTA's membership base, developing membership additional new benefits, and soliciting sponsorship for membership events.

Finally, he also noted that the new Directors are welcome to contact him regarding participation on the current Virginia Breeders Fund Committee and/or the newly formed Virginia Racing Improvement Group (a Virginia Racing Commission project).

The next meeting is scheduled for September 28 or 29 TBD. Input from both VTA members and non-members is always welcome.

EVANS EXACTA IN THE TRAVERS?

Virginia breeder and owner Edward P. Evans is having an amazing year. While he has consistently stood alone atop the breeders list in the Commonwealth by earnings for all of this decade, this year he has bred and/or raced six Grade I stakes horses (by our count, and we may have missed one!).

(Evans is content to run his Spring Hill Farm in Casanova, VA with the help of manager Chris Baker with a minimal amount of public fanfare. Here, the pair were caught in the background of the photo of one of the sale toppers at the recent Saratoga Yearling Sale.)

Back at Belmont Park on July 4, Evans did something that perhaps no other Virginia breeder has accomplished when Cat Moves and Lime Green ran first and second in the $300,000 Prioress Stakes Gr.1. He also owns both fillies.

It’s possible a Virginia-breeder has bred a win/place combo in a Grade 1 stakes, but we can’t find any record of it for at least the past thirty-five years. The Chenerys were close with Secretariat and Riva Ridge in the Marlboro Cup, but, while RR was bred by The Meadow, he was foaled in Kentucky. Not sure the Marlboro Cup was graded at that point either as it may have been the inaugural running.

On Saturday, Evans is poised to repeat that record-setting performance when his homebred Quality Road (Gr.I winner) tangles with Charitable Man (Gr.II winner, Gr.I placed). Evans races QR, and he sold Charitable Man at the 2007 Keeneland Fall Yearling Sale (Don’t worry, he bought one at Keeneland September ’06 – Spritely, most recently third in the $300,000 Go For Wand Stakes Gr.I at Saratoga).

The other Grade 1 stakes performer is Casanova Move most recently third in the $600,000 Alabama Stakes Gr.I also at Saratoga.

Not bad...and it’s still August.

MINOR’S ATTEMPTS TO BECOME RACETRACK OWNER THWARTED

Virginia-bred millionaire internet entrepreneur Halsey Minor’s endeavors to gain control of both Hialeah and the Magna racetracks have hit various roadblocks.

In Florida, a Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge has denied Minor’s ’s efforts to prove John Brunetti does not own the famed South Florida racetrack.

Regarding purchasing Magna’s available racetracks, it appears Minor has given up in frustration due to the lack of cooperation from MEC bankruptcy officials.

He recently told the Paulick Report all about it.

NEWS FLASH: KY DERBY BIRD OUT OF TRAVERS

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird will not run in Saturday's $1 million Shadwell Travers Stakes Gr.I as his connections remain leery about running him just 11 days after undergoing throat surgery to repair an entrapped epiglottis.

"We've decided to err on the side of caution: we're going to pass this race up and aim down the road at the Breeders' Cup," trainer Chip Woolley announced at 8:45 Wednesday morning.

"There's one little spot underneath the epiglottis kind of pushing up just a tiny bit. After studying it and looking at it, we're going to hold off, make sure the horse is okay, not take any chances with the rest of his career for one race."

Woolley said that Mine That Bird would likely leave Saratoga early next week for Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico where he will train for a couple of weeks before shipping to Southern California to train for the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 10.

Here are the post positions for Saturday’s Travers Stakes:
1 — Hold Me Back (15-1)
2 — Charitable Man (6-1)
3 — Warrior’s Reward (8-1)
4 — Quality Road (8-5)
5 — Our Edge (15-1)
6 — Summer Bird (3-1)
7 — Kensei (7-2)

VIRGINIA HORSES CAN’T CAPTURE ALABAMA

There was a concern that Rachel Alexandra might enter the Alabama and literally run off from the other three-year-old fillies. That is exactly what happened, but it wasn’t Rachel that cruised to a 11 length victory, but Delaware Oaks Gr.II victor Careless Jewel.

Trained by Josie Carroll, Donna and Vern Dubinsky’s Careless Jewel acted up while loading in the starting gate, then had to be steadied by Robert Landry as she went wide on the first turn. Despite the antics, the gray/roan filly was stalking the early leader, Be Fair, who clicked off fractions of :23.33, :47.35 and 1:12.14. Soon after the six-furlong marker, Careless Jewel took the lead from Be Fair and began opening up a clear advantage on the far turn.

Careless Jewel hit the quarter-pole ahead by three lengths, opened up by seven with a furlong remaining, and continued her charge into the stretch. She drew off with every stride while Milwaukee Appeal and Casanova Move gave a fruitless chase. The final time for 10 furlongs on the ‘good’ main track was 2:03.24.

Milwaukee Appeal, also based at Woodbine, finished runner-up by 3 3/4 lengths under John Velazquez. Virginia-bred Casanova Move (Edward P. Evans) was third with Jose Lezcano aboard.

Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds and Bill Andrade, Careless Jewel is by Tapit, out of the Hennessy mare Sweet and Careless. She has now earned $582,846.

Virginia-owned Funny Moon, who won the Gr.I Coaching Club American Oaks in her last outing, trailed in seventh.

(Photos by AP Photos and Jay Moran via Flickr)