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| LR=Lost Rider, OC = Off Course |
As part of a six race card on a spectacular autumn day, the $15,000
Old Dominon Turf Championship is the grand finale for the series for
Virginia-bred and Virginia-sired horses at various jump meets both Spring and
Fall in the Old Dominion.
The series primary sponsor is the Virginia H.B.P.A. with the
Virginia Thoroughbred Association and the Virginia Horse Industry Board kicking
in purse money for the ODTC which concludes the annual series.
Everything went according to plan as nine horses went to
post including the 2011 winner of the race Alix White’s Tu Baku. He was joined by other veterans of the series
including Sara Collette’s Wahoo, Daybreak Stables’ Wolverton and Rebecca
Shepherd’s Pride of the Fleet. The field
also included Colleen Mahoney’s Colleen’s Charm, Michael Bordwell’s Class Code,
Mede Cahaba’s Complete Dyno and John Baffa’s Prized Pupil.
The race got started well enough, but things soon got
interesting. Along the backside Willie McCarthy came off of Colleen’s Charm
and, shortly thereafter or as a direct result of the incident, Simon Hobson
(somewhat reluctantly back in the saddle) left the course on board his
Daytime. Hobson’s Seeking Daylight
gelding looked no worse for the wear and all of Hobson’s tack seemed to be
intact and functioning.
The comment on the viewing stand was direct “either Simon
just left the course or everybody else just went off course.”
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| WOLVERTON (L) and PRIZED PUPIL (R) (Douglas Lees Photography) |
As they came around the turn for home and headed down the stretch
John Baffa’s Prized Pupil (Tommy Lee Jones, Boddy Mackenzie) hooked up with
Daybreak’s Wolverton (Jimmy Day, Gustav Dahl) for a furious duel in late
stretch. Baffa’s four-year-old Prized
gelding prevailed by a nose to the delight of his long-time Warrenton-based
owner and his wife Sally.
Immediately following the race and Steward’s Inquiry was
announced while the unofficial winners were declared as Prized Pupil first,
Wolverton second and Pride of the Fleet third.
Hobson did not appear to claim foul nor did McCarthy who was unseated.
The Devil’s Bag perpetual trophy presentation ensued with
the Bafa and Jones families enjoying the moment and John Baffa openly and
frequently declaring his disbelief as veteran trainer Jones grinned in the
background. Perhaps he knew something?
After the handshakes and presentation photos, an awkward
wait ensued. A few minutes later, announcer
Mike Hughes summoned “all the riders in the sixth race” to the Stewards’ Stands. Shortly, all riders appeared in various forms
of dress and trudged up the steps to an audience with the officials.
After a brief meeting, the Steward’s declared the race “void”
as all starters save Colleen’s Charm (who lost her rider) had gone off course. Evidently, some of them more than once!
A terrible disappointment for the Baffa’s who went from
joyous to meaningless winners in a matter of minutes. Not to mention, the lost purse money for all
the top finishers and their connections…
It really was “going great until it wasn’t.”
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| BEFORE THE STEWARDS RUINED ALL THE FUN (Amy Petty Photo) |
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