MORGAN’S FORD-BRED REDEEMED LEADING VA-BRED EARNER IN 2011

REDEEMED (NYRA Photo)

Grade three stakes winner Redeemed, who was bred by Wayne and Susie Chatfield-Taylor’s Morgan’s Ford Farm in Front Royal, was the leading Virginia-bred earner for the 2011 with $479,040 in earnings for the past year.

By Include, out of Early Mass by Pleasant Tap, the then three-year-old Redeemed started his sophomore season by breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park in March.  He followed that win with two allowance win at Belmont in April and July.

In August, the $50,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic yearling, made his stakes debut finishing second to the talented Calebs Posse in the $150,000 Amsterdam Stakes Gr.2 at Saratoga.  He followed up that effort with a second in the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx.

In October, owner Jay Em Ess Stable and trainer Dick Dutrow shipped Redeemed out to Remington Park where he captured the listed $400,000 Oklahoma Derby.  That win set him up for his season finale, a win in the $100,000 Grade 3 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct.

For the year, Redeemed made seven starts with five wins and two seconds and total earnings of $479,040.  His career earnings were boosted to $484,140.

The second leading Virginia-bred earner in 2011 was the multiple Grade 1 winner Winchester bred and raced by Mr. and Mrs. Bert Firestone.  Winchester added to his resume with another Grade 1 win when he captured the $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational at Saratoga.  The son of Theatrical (IRE), out of Rum Charger (IRE) by =Spectrum (IRE) also finished second in the $100 Stars and Stripes Gr.3 and the $150,000 W.L. McKnight Gr.2.

HER SMILE (NYRA Photo)

Winchester finished the year, his fifth racing campaign, with four states one win, one second and one third with earnings of $349,200.  Upon his retirement following the 2011 Breeders Cup, Winchester’s career bankroll was at $1,567,498.

Bill Backer bred Her Smile and sold her privately to celebrity chef Bobby Flay.  In Flay’s colors she won Grade 1 Prioress Stakes at Belmont, placed second in the $150,000 Comely Stakes Gr.3 and third in the $300,000 TVG Acorn Stakes Gr.1 and the Sentient Jet Breedeers’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint Gr. 1.

At season’s end, the filly by Include out of Hepburn by Capote had earned $349,180 a mere $20 less than earnings runner-up Winchester.  At the end of 2011, Her Smile had career earnings of $435,540.