VIRGINIA-BRED RACE WINNERS

April's Dixie Bell (f, 3yo), Parker's Storm Cat - Kim's Victory by Spartan Victory. B - Sandy Valley Farms. Laurel Race Course, 10/23/2010, mdn clmg, $4,560, 6 f, 1:14.25.

Chick In Slacks (f, 4yo), Whywhywhy - Rosa Vanozza by Alysheba. B - Patricia R. Turner. Belmont Park, 10/20/2010, clmg, $16,200, 8.5 f, 1:46.04.

Fur Lined (f, 4yo), Trust N Luck - Mittens by Storm Boot. B - William M. Backer. Laurel Race Course, 10/22/2010, clmg, $9,120, 8 f, 1:37.87.

Her Smile (f, 2yo), Include - Hepburn by Capote. B - William M Backer. Penn National, 10/23/2010, alwc, $19,200, 5.5 f, 1:04.54.

I'm A Wahoo (g, 3yo), Bernstein - Sonoma Meadow by Meadowlake. B - Lazy Lane Farms Inc. Thistledown, 10/23/2010, clmg, $3,360, 8.3 f, 1:44.55. ($7,000, yrlg, 2008, ftmoct)

Mr. Madison (g, 6yo), Wild Rush - Shorcount by Oh Say. B - Eugenia D. Paisley. Delaware Park, 10/19/2010, clmg, $9,000, 8.3 f, 1:44.38. ($40,000, wnlg, 2004, ftmdec)

My Mama Gator (f, 2yo), Gators N Bears - Song Book by Notebook. B - Equinvest LLC. Calder Race Course, 10/23/2010, str alwc, $12,600, 5 f, 1:00.60. ($2,000, yrlg, 2009, ftmoct)

North Freeway (f, 2yo), Jump Start - Shawnee Country by Chief's Crown. B - Morgan's Ford Farm.
Delaware Park, 10/19/2010, mdn clmg, $15,750, 6 f, 1:12.44. ($15,000, wnlg, 2008, ftmdec)

Sharp Affair (g, 4yo), Black Tie Affair (IRE) - Sharp Factor by Sharpen Up (GB). B - Paul Maxwell.
Suffolk Downs, 10/18/2010, clmg, $3,240, 8.3 f, 1:45.79.

To The Mat (f, 4yo), Matty G - Wild Punch by Two Punch. B - Althea D. Richards. Charles Town, 10/24/2010, clmg, $6,600, 6.5 f, 1:22.65.

Toccet's Charm (g, 3yo), Toccet - Ruler's Charm by Cape Town. B - Audley Farm, Inc. Delaware Park, 10/19/2010, clmg, $10,200, 6 f, 1:11.31. ($16,000, yrlg, 2008, ftmoct)

A GRADE 1 OPPORTUNITY

Christmas Kid at Colonial Downs

Saturday’s VTA awards reception at Spring Hill Farm will be a great chance to honor the year-end champions of last year, to see the seven Grade 1 stakes wins by Virginia-breds so far in 2010 and to see one of Virginia’s most productive Thoroughbred farms.

Edward P. Evans’ Spring Hill Farm will host the event which will feature cocktails and hors’ dourves while showing off their broodmare barn and some of its most accomplished residents. Over the past few years, broodmares at Spring Hill have produced the likes of Horse of the Year St. Liam and the graded stakes winners Christmas Kid, Cat Moves, Light Green, Malibu Prayer, Charitable Man, A Little Warm and Quality Road. In 2009, Virginia-breds produced at the Casnova nursery won over $4.1 million.

Spring Hill manager Chris Baker is rounding out the roster for the broodmare showing and considering the likes of Grade 1 winner and former Virginia-bred Horse of the Year Christmas Kid in foal to Elusive Quality. Others possible in the queue for the broodmare showing include Dark Sky (Storm Cat – Media Nox by Lycius) in foal to Street Cry, Raging Fever (Storm Cat – Pennant Fever by Seattle Slew) in foal to Smart Strike, Storm Minstrel, Gold Mover, Grade 1 winner Light Green, Spritely and Weekend Strike among others.

The reception gets underway at 4:30 with the broodmare showing starting around 5pm.

Virginia-bred Champions to be honored include Toccet’s Charm (Two-Year-Old Male, bred by Audley Farm), Tizahit (Two-Year-Old Female, Morgan’s Ford Farm), Researcher (Older Male, Virginia Tech Foundation), Rollicking Affair (Older Female, Dresden Farm), Eishin Boston (Steeplechase, Audley Farm) as well as Quality Road (Three-Year-Old Male), Malibu Prayer (Three-Year-Old Female), Pleasant Strike (Turf): Malibu Prayer and Cat Moves (Sprint) which were bred by Evans. 

Tickets are $25 for VTA members and their guests and $50 for non-VTA members.  For more info contact the VTA office vta@vabred.org or 540-347-4313.

SECRETARIAT AT THE BOXOFFICE

Secretariat slipped to sixth in the weekend box office bringing home $6,917,000. The movies total gross now exceeds its estimated $35 million budget at $37,360,000 through just three weeks.

Box office champ for the week was Paranormal Activity 2 ($41 million), followed by Jackass 3D ($21.6 million), Red ($15 million), Hereafter ($12 million), The Social Network ($7.3 million) and Secretariat ($6.9 million).

Thoroughbred Racing Film Premieres at Film Festival

Arthur Hancock

Thoroughbred, a fascinating new film that takes viewers behind the scenes of big-time horse racing, will receive its East Coast Premiere at the Virginia Film Festival.

The feature length documentary, directed by Charlottesville’s Academy Award winning filmmaker Paul Wagner, will screen on Sunday, November 7 at 1:15pm at the Culbreth Theater on the grounds of the University of Virginia.

Virginia Thoroughbred Association Past President Debbie Easter will join Wagner for a Q and A following the screening.

Thoroughbred explores the world of the racehorse, from the breeding shed to the backside, from the auction ring to the winner circle at Churchill Downs. The film profiles owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms, breeders and bloodstock advisors and captures the atmosphere, history and tradition of the sport.

Dubai

The film crew travelled from Dubai to New York to Kentucky to tell an international story, following a handful of horses contending for the 2009 Kentucky Derby including Desert Party, General Quarters and I Want Revenge.

The featured breeder in the film is multiple Derby-winner Arthur Hancock of Stone Farm. The legendary Hancock family got their start in Charlottesville, where Arthur’s great grandfather Confederate Captain Richard Hancock was recuperating from a wound sustained at Gettysburg. Hancock met and married Thomasia Harris and inherited the family farm, Ellerslie. Subsequent generations moved the breeding operation to Claiborne Farm near Lexington, Kentucky.

Thoroughbred was produced by Kentucky Educational Television and will be broadcast nationally on PBS in early May of 2011.

For tickets for the Premier at the Virginia Film Festival, click here. 

For more information about Thoroughbred, click here.

PICTURES OF THE DAY

Friend Or Foe, ridden by Alex Solis, captures the $200,000 Empire Classic at Belmont Park, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010, in New York. (Photo by Horsephotos.com/NTRA)

General Maximus and Javier Castellano winning the $125,000 Hudson Stakes at Belmont Park, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010, in New York. (Photo by Horsephotos.com/NTRA)

First-time starter Inglorious, with Chantal Sutherland in the irons, closed from last to first to capture Sunday's $150,000 Fanfreluche Stakes at Woodbine. The Donver Stable-owned daughter of Hennessy missed the start from post one, giving her four rivals a head start before  recovering impressively for the 1 3/4-length victory. (Photo by WEG/Michael Burns Photography)

Sam-Son Farm homebred Strong Hotep recorded his second stakes score of the season in Sunday’s $100,000 Mobil Stakes at Woodbine. The Mark Frostad trainee repelled an upper stretch challenge from Stormy Lord and opened up in the final 40 yards for an emphatic 3 3/4-length score. Riley Ripasso, a maiden, was third. (Photo by WEG/Michael Burns Photography)

Frankie Dettori riding Casamento win The Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster racecourse on October 23, 2010 in Doncaster, England (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Jockey Steven Arnold riding So You Think returns after winning the Tatts Cox Plate during Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley Racecourse on October 23, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac)

THIS WEEKEND AT COLONIAL DOWNS

BREEDERS CLASSIC AT CHARLES TOWN

Barbara Armstrong and Gaven-Ty Racing LLC's Princess Cecilia and Kendrick Carmouche win the $75,000 West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders' Classic Stakes on Satuday October 16th at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.

David M. Raim's Golden Set (Jeff Runco), Travis Dunkelberger up, win the $75,000 West Virginia Farm Family Insurance Vincent Moscarelli Memorial Breeders' Classic Stakes on Satuday October 16th at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.

Runco and Raim made it back-to-back wins when Stow White (J. Acosta) won the $75,000 West Virginia Divison of Tourism Breeders' Classic Stakes. 

 Taylor Mountain Farm LLC's Henry the Lover (James Casey) and Gerald Almodovar win the $75,000 West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association Onion Juice Breeders' Classic Stakes. 

Casey and Taylor Mountain also turn back-to-back wins when Taylor's Flight (Rodney Soodeen) win the 75,000 West Virginia  Lottery Breeders' Classic Stakes. 

 Albert P. Letts' Trouble Makin (Renee Schlesinger) and jockey Gustavo Larrosa win the $75,000 West Virginia  Dash For Cash Breeders' Classic Stakes.

Nancy L. Terhune's Aspenglow, ridden by Travis Dunkelberger and trained by Gary Capuano, win the $250,000 West Virginia Jefferson Secutiry Bank Cavada Breeders' Classic Stakes. 

Coleswood Farm, Inc.'s Sea Rescue and Xavier Perez upset the $500,000 West Virginia  Breeders' Classic Stakes on Satuday October 16th at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. The Jeff Runco trained Brahms colt paid $116 to win and was part of a $222 exacta.  Favored Russell Road, a product of the VTA Stallion Auction, finished fourth.

 Ken Lowe, Jr.'s Devonspaintedlady (J. Acosta up) trained by David Walters win the $75,000 West Virginia Breeders' Classic Distaff Stakes on Satuday October 16th at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.

(Photos by Timothy Jacobsen)

$40,000 PATRIOT PACE AT COLONIAL DOWNS

Eric Mollar’s Vlos scored a sizzling 1:48.0 wire-to-wire victory in the $40,000 Patriot Invitational Pace Sunday afternoon under sunny skies at Colonial Downs.

The 6 year old Dragon Again horse came to Virginia fresh off a 1:48 2/5 record-equaling trip at Pocono Downs on October 8th. That finishing time, fastest ever at Pocono, had been authored by two other pacers over the years.

Colonial’s all time fastest mile was a 1:47 4/5 effort set in 1998 by Ultimate Falcon. Vlos came one tick shy of that mark on Sunday.

Tom Jackson directed the heavy favorite to initial fractions of :25 3/5, :52 4/5 and 1:20 4/5. Vlos took a 1 ¼ length lead into the top of the stretch over Roy Orbisong and extended it another half length at the finish. Daryl Bier’s Roy Orbisong held on for second over fast closing Barber Pole. the winner paid $3.80.

KATE CHENERY TWEEDY LECTURES AT VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Kate Chenery Tweedy, daughter of Penny Chenery and Jack Tweedy, recently gave a lecture at the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond about her family and their farm.

Tweedy has also recently published a new book Secretariat's Meadow which celebrates the farm, the family—especially Chris Chenery and his daughter, Penny—and Secretariat. The story is told with the assistance of her coauthor, Leeanne Ladin.

More than 300 photos, most of which have never been seen, offer a magnificent visual journey to complement this special story in one of America's greatest sports moments.

To watch and listen to the lecture, click here.

PICTURES OF THE DAY

Tom Queally riding Frankel wins The Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket racecourse on October 16, 2010 in Newmarket, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Daryl Jacob riding Diamond Brook (L) leap the second last fence to win The Best Mate Beginners' Steeple Chase at Exeter racecourse on October 19, 2010 in Exeter, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Glyn Schofield riding Hay List walks around the bend during 'Breakfast with the Best" ahead of the 2010 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse on October 19, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images AsiaPac)

A GRADE 1 CELEBRATION

Quality Road

On Saturday, October 30, we will be gathering at Edward P. Evans’ Spring Hill Farm to toast the 2009 Virginia-bred champions. As we are so close to the end of 2010, we also thought it would be a good opportunity to take note of the great performances of 2010 and to wish the Virginia-bred Breeders Cup entries good luck as they head off to Churchill Downs.

To date, and we are sure that our host is looking to add two more to the scoreboard, Virginia-breds have won seven Grade 1 stakes in 2010.

Quality Road, who is pointed at the $5 million Breeders Cup Classic before heading down the road to Lane’s End, has won three Grade 1 races this year – The Donn, The Metropolitan Mile and the Woodward. Stabemate Malibu Prayer, who is aiming for the Lady’s Classic, adds the Ruffian Gr. I to the Spring Hill trophy case.

Larry Johnson-bred Victor’s Cry won the Shoemaker Mile Gr.I at Hollywood Park on the same day that Quality Road won the Met.

The other two Grade 1’s belong to 2008 Virginia-bred Horse of The Year Winchester. While prepping for the Breeders Cup Turf, he has won the Manhattan and the Turf Classic both at Belmont Park.

So, next Saturday as we celebrate 2009, we will also have a chance to congratulate (and watch via DVD) these Virginia-breds winning some of the most important races of the year.



Winchester

 Other Virginia-bred graded stakes winners include A Little Warm (Jim Dandy Gr.II), Class Bopper (Zeke Ferguson Memorial Hurdle NSA III) and Position Limit (Adirondack Gr.II).

Virginia-bred listed, open and restricted stakes winners to date are Argent Affair (Fancy Buckles), Bopolene (Oakley), Diva Maria (Sport Of Queen’s Hurdle), Doing Great (Maryland Million Lassie), Elusive Gift (John D. Marsh), Frisky Thunder (Van Clief), Giant Mover (Brookmeade), In The Rough (Coconut Grove), Pink Pallet (Jamestown), Researcher (Charles Town Classic), Silverside (Gran Premio Claudio Carudel), Sir Whimsey (R.R.M. Carpenter, Jr. Memorial) and Summer Laugh (Blue Hen).

For more information on the event click here or contact the VTA 540-347-4313 or vta@vabred.org.

VIRGINIA-BRED RACE WINNERS

Ditch (c, 3yo), Gulch - Key Causeway by Giant's Causeway. B - Evans Edward P. Delaware Park, 10/16/2010, clmg, $8,400, 8 f, 1:42.18.

Hot Summer (f, 2yo), Malibu Moon - Summer Delight by Quiet American. B - Lazy Lane Farms Inc. Monmouth Park, 10/17/2010, mdn sp wgt, $27,000, 6 f, 1:11.93. ($180,000, yrlg, 2009, keesep)

I Ain't Lyin' (f, 3yo), Yes It's True - Exceptionally by El Prado (IRE). B - Audley Farm. Parx Racing, 10/12/2010, mdn clmg, $13,200, 6 f, 1:10.64. ($85,000, yrlg, 2008, keesep)

Leobuster (g, 5yo), Housebuster - Leotive by Our Native. B - Noffsinger Glenn R. Dr. Charles Town, 10/13/2010, clmg, $6,600, 6.5 f, 1:18.80.

More Than Steady (g, 3yo), More Than Ready - Monabella by Lando (GER). B - Audley Farm. Laurel Race Course, 10/16/2010, alwc, $15,960, 8.5 f, 1:46.12.

Mr. Madison (g, 6yo), Wild Rush - Shorcount by Oh Say. B - Eugenia D. Paisley. Delaware Park, 10/12/2010, clmg, $8,400, 8.5 f, 1:45.73. ($40,000, wnlg, 2004, ftmdec)

Silver Tie Affair (c, 4yo), Black Tie Affair (IRE) - Silver Design by Cozzene. B - Mr & Mrs Samuel H Rogers Jr. Laurel Race Course, 10/11/2010, clmg, $9,120, 9 f, 1:50.29. ($21,000, yrlg, 2007, ftmoct)

Tap Night (c, 3yo), Pleasant Tap - Day Mate by Dayjur. B - Edward P. Evans. Belmont Park, 10/11/2010, clmg, $16,200, 8 f, 1:36.53.

EMO’S HE’S A CONNIVER WINS INTERNATIONAL GOLD CUP

It’s going to be a long winter's wait for Ernie and Betty Oare.

The noted Virginia horsemen have been trying for over forty years to capture the Virginia Gold Cup run annually just down the road from their Warrenton, VA base. The Oares have come close – really close. But the famous four mile timber race has alluded them time and time again including back in the early 1970’s when Oare rode Seven Corners Timber Champion Allen B.J. only to have his girth break mid-race.

Oare, who is selling the overwhelming majority of his horses this week in Ocala, is hanging on to the International Gold Cup winner. He recently told Steeplechase Times, “I’ve been trying to win the Virginia Gold Cup for 40 years. I really have. I’d rather win that than any other race. If I sell him, I’m going to have to start all over again.”

Oare who has trained, owned and ridden racehorses since he married Betty in 1964, returned to training his own stock in earnest in 2008 concentrating on Tampa, Colonial Downs and Delaware Park. Apparently, somewhere along the way, Oare forgot about one of the basic truisms of horse ownership – they accumulate. Turn the clock forward to 2010, and Oare was conditioning a stable of 30 horses.

Deciding to reduce the stable to a more manageable size, Oare opted to clean house and start over. That said, a horse that can go three and one-half miles over timber is not easy to find and the last half-mile to the Virginia Gold Cup distance of four miles makes the search all the more tricky, so retaining the specialist He’s A Conniver makes perfect sense.

Oare’s patience was rewarded on Saturday when the eight-year-old gelding went flag-to-wire to win the $50,000 International Gold Cup at Great Meadow.

In doing so, He’s a Conniver collected his second straight victory turning back a challenge by Bon Caddo and winning by 2 1/4 lengths.

Jumping comfortably on the lead in the late stages of the testing 3 1/2-mile timber race, He’s a Conniver found himself on the far outside with jockey Jody Petty after the last fence, while Merrifield Farm’s Bon Caddo took the inside route under Christopher Read for the battle to the finish line. But Petty kept He’s a Conniver under pressure and maintained his advantage to the finish line.

Finishing a good third in a field of seven was Mrs. S. K. Johnston’s Swagger Stick, a timber-racing newcomer who is trained by Jack Fisher and was ridden by Willie Dowling.

He’s a Conniver ran the distance on the Great Meadow course in 7:36.

Bred by Racing Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, He’s a Conniver opened the fall timber season with a sparkling 27-length victory in the $35,000 National Sporting Museum Chronicle Cup at the Virginia Fall races in Middleburg on Oct. 2.

Oare is a member of the board of directors of both the Virginia H.B.P.A. and the Virginia Thoroughbred Associaiton.

FOREST BELL WINS OLD DOMINION TURF CHAMPIONSHIP

Jeff Murphy did a great job of positioning Virginia-bred Forest Bell at the start of the $10,000 Old Dominion Turf Championship at the International Gold Cup meet on Saturday at Great Meadow.

The finale of the Virginia-bred/sired series was looking to be the exclusive domain of Debra Kachel’s Love Colony who had won all three prep races, but Hobson used his advantageous starting position and a quick early sprint to seize control of the race.

The four-year-old by Forestry gelding, out of Mambo Bell by Kingmambo, who was bred by Edward P. Evans and trained by Simon Hobson, drew away to a commanding lead and was never challenged winning by some 17 lenghts. Lilith Boucher’s Jot’s Jib was second and Love Colony was third. The final time was 2:18 4/5.

Complete order of finish: 1) Forest Bell, Jeff Murphy – jockey, William Russell – owner, Simon Hobson – trainer, $6,000; 2) Jot's Jib, Richard Boucher, Lilith Boucher, Lilith Boucher, $1,800; 3) Love Colony, Paddy Young, Debra E. Kachel, Ricky Hendriks, $1,000; 4) Tom's Dilemma, Muiris Hinchion, Rehilian Racing Stable, David M. Bourke, $500; 5) Tiefordancen, Matthew McCarron, Felix J. Nuesch, Neil R. Morris, $400; 6) Rockmani, Jacob Roberts, Celtic Venture Stable, Charles J. McCann, $300; 7) Bremo's Bluff, Lucy Horner, Donovan K. Bell, Donovan K. Bell.

The race was sponsored by the Virginia H.B.P.A., the Virginia Thoroughbred Association and the Virginia Breeders Fund.

DOUGLAS LEES' PHOTOS OF THE INTERNATIONAL GOLD CUP

Douglas Lees of Warrenton, VA already has two Eclipse Awards for photography to his credit. We wager he's got a great shot at a third with the photo below take during the maiden timber race at Shawan Downs. (Both horse and rider walked away.) Below that, are his photos of the races at Great Meadow last Saturday.

Another Eclipse Award winner for Doug Lees?



Bon Caddo, Music To My Ears (IRE) and He's A Conniver.





He's A Conniver.




He's A Conniver.



He's A Conniver headed for the finish line.



Doug Fout and He's A Conniver.



Doug Fout, Betty Oare, Ernie Oare, Jody Petty, an unidentified Porsche executive and Robert Duval.

Forest Bell winning the $10,000 Old Dominion Turf Championship.

Frank Petramalo, Amy Petty, Glenn Petty, Will Russell, Diane Russell and Jeff Murphy.

MORE PHOTOS OF THE INTERNATIONAL GOLD CUP

He's A Conniver in the winner's circle. (Photo by Valerie Oare)

Betty and Ernie Oare watch He's A Conniver being unsaddled. (Photo by Glenn Petty)

Doug Fout, Betty Oare, Ernie Oare, Jody Petty and an unidentified Porsche excuctive. (Photo by Glenn Petty)



Post-race interview. (Photo by Glenn Petty)



Under starter's orders. (Photo by Glenn Petty)

Forest Bell winning the $10,000 Old Dominion Turf Championship. (Photo by Glenn Petty)

Forest Bell in the winner's circle. (Photo by Margie Eastham)

Rockmani. (Photo by Glenn Petty)

Bremo's Bluff. (Photo by Glenn Petty)

Forest Bell. (Photo by Glenn Petty)

Timefordancen. (Photo by Glenn Petty)

Jot's Jib. (Photo by Glenn Petty)

Love Colony. (Photo by Glenn Petty)

Tom's Dilemma. (Photo by Glenn Petty)

Frank Petramalo, Amy Petty, Glenn Petty and Will Russell. (Photo by Margie Eastham)

Glenn Petty and Ernie Oare. (Photo by Amy Petty)