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2020 Virginia Breeders Fund Awards Pay 40%

Virginia-bred Largent’s (Into Mischief) three stakes and two allowance wins in 2020 triggered an $81,738 Virginia Breeders Fund bonus award for Lazy Lane Farm in Upperville, tops among any horse and breeding farm in the Commonwealth. Lazy Lane Farm in Upperville topped all breeders with $176,385 in overall bonus earnings courtesy of 17 winners.

Virginia Breeders awards took a big step forward in 2020, averaging 40% of each winning purse at tracks across North America compared with 22% in 2019.

“I’m extremely excited that the Virginia breeders are starting to reap the rewards from the growing revenue streams we have now in Virginia,” said Virginia Thoroughbred Association Executive Director Debbie Easter. “We certainly don’t breed as many horses as we once did, but I have to believe that our breeders are as happy as they have ever been. What other state pays a 40% breeders bonus for a win anywhere in North America? What’s even better is I expect that percentage to increase in the coming years. Right now, it really pays to breed horses in Virginia.”

A total of $50,000 in stallion awards were distributed among three owners with 15 winners and combined purse earnings of $345,510. Horses sired by Smallwood Farms’ Friend or Foe won six and took $34,470 of the stallion reward pool. Mr. Buff led the way again with a trio of stakes scores in New York.

Between Virginia-bred and stallion awards, $1 million in bonuses will be distributed via the Breeders Fund. The Virginia Breeders Fund is generated by 1% of every dollar wagered in Virginia on live racing and via OTB and ADW betting.

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Virginia Breeders Fund Awards Pay 40 Percent For Wins At North American Tracks In 2020

Virginia-bred Largent's three stakes and two allowance wins in 2020 triggered an $81,738 Virginia Breeders Fund bonus award for Lazy Lane Farm in Upperville, tops among any horse and breeding farm in the Commonwealth. Virginia Breeders awards took a big step forward in 2020, averaging 40 percent of each winning purse at tracks across North America compared with 22 percent in 2019.

“I'm extremely excited that the Virginia breeders are starting to reap the rewards from the growing revenue streams we have now in Virginia,” said Virginia Thoroughbred Association executive director Debbie Easter. “We certainly don't breed as many horses as we once did, but I have to believe that our breeders are as happy as they have ever been. What other state pays a 40 percent breeders bonus for a win anywhere in North America? What's even better is I expect that percentage to increase in the coming years. Right now, it really pays to breed horses in Virginia.”

Lazy Lane Farm in Upperville topped all breeders with $176,385 in overall bonus earnings courtesy of 17 winners. Largent, a Todd Pletcher trainee that is headed to the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, led the way with five wins including a pair of early season allowance scores at Gulfstream, Virginia-bred wins in the Edward P. Evans and Bert Allen Stakes, and a season-topper in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale Stakes, good for a $25,000 bonus. Lazy Lane's Creative Genius also chipped in with four wins from a busy 13-start year.

Mr. and Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin III were next with 13 wins and bonus earnings of $119,993. Five different horses won a pair of races including Virginia Beach, who delivered a $18,997 bonus in capturing the M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes at Laurel. Attachment Rate, Holding Fast, Hold Me Black and Assume each had two wins while their Passion Play, with an allowance win at Delaware, produced a $15,958 bonus.

Audley Farm Equine was third in bonus winnings of $63,199 with seven wins. Tasting the Stars tied for the fourth highest bonus, $18,997, by winning the Brookmeade Stakes. The 5-year-old Bodemeister mare is four-for-six lifetime but made only two starts in 2020. Steeplechase jumper Curve of Stones earned a pair of $6,332 bonuses by winning the National Sporting Library Stakes in Middleburg and the International Gold Cup at Great Meadow.

Morgan's Ford Farm was next with Breeders' prize earnings of $59,526 from nine winner's circle trips. Chess Chief, a 5-year-old Into Mischief horse trained by Dallas Stewart, captured a pair of allowance races at Fair Grounds while Lynchburg recorded a maiden special weight win at Colonial Downs last summer. Bear Trappe and Appraised chipped in with two wins apiece.

Jim and Katie FitzGerald bankrolled $55,923 in bonuses from eight winners. Tan and Tight, a 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare, delivered their bonus high of $15,789 from a maiden special weight score at Aqueduct while Soldado's two allowance wins at Gulfstream returned a pair of $11,000-plus rewards.

Kenny Had a Notion's trio of wins gave breeder Althea Richards a series of five-digit bonuses. The now 3-year-old Great Notion gelding connected in late July with a maiden special weight triumph at Delaware followed by wins in the Jamestown and Maryland Million Nursery Stakes, both at Laurel. The three combined to produce $54,882 in awards.

The William Backer Revocable Trust parlayed ten wins into awards of $44,411, topped by Day Dayenu's maiden special weight win at Woodbine and a $13,050 bonus. Divine Interventio had three victories, which helped lead the 8-year-old Malibu Moon gelding to his 30th career “top three” finish. Hilltop Harmony and First Talent also collected a pair of wins.

Larry Johnson, Chance Farm and Carlos Moore & Jill Gordon-Moore round out the list of breeders that scored total reward monies of $30,000 or more. Nine-year-old Sir Rockport, bred by Johnson's Legacy Farm, continued a series of strong late career showings with six wins in 2020. The son of Rockport Harbor also had five in 2019. He has now recorded 11 of 15 lifetime scores as either a 7- or 8-year-old. Brooke Royster's Chance Farm rode Upgrade Me's success as a 4-year-old to four individual bonus outings, though Red Pepper Mill's maiden special weight triumph at Colonial last summer produced a $10,132 payday. Boldor's allowance win at Oaklawn last winter triggered the third highest breeders bonus, $22,290, for the Moore's. The 5-year-old Munnings gelding is trained by Steve Asmussen.

A total of $50,000 in stallion awards were distributed among three owners with 15 winners and combined purse earnings of $345,510. Horses sired by Smallwood Farms' Friend or Foe won six and took $34,470 of the stallion reward pool. Mr. Buff led the way again with a trio of stakes scores in New York — the Haynesfield, Jazil and the Empire Classic Handicap. The 7-year-old gelding has amassed $1.2 million from 15 lifetime outs. In 2020 alone, he bankrolled $307,500. Goodluckchuck, sired by Anne Bonda Hartman's Big Picture, won three races at Laurel to produce a $10,002 bonus payout. Four different horses by Susan Minor's Fierce Wind got to the winners circle a combined six times last year.

Between Virginia-bred and stallion awards, $1 million in bonus monies will be distributed via the Breeders Fund. A total of 32 different breeders shared in the prize pool, which came from 137 winning Virginia-bred horses that accumulated purse earnings of $2,308,840.

The Virginia Breeders Fund is generated by one percent of every dollar wagered in Virginia on live racing and via OTB and ADW betting. Each year, the Virginia Racing Commission approves how the money in the Fund is allocated. A large portion is set aside for payments to breeders of registered Virginia-breds that win races at any track in North America. There is a $25,000 cap on any single award.

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Pletcher Lands Three, McGaughey Two On Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitation List

Grade 1 winners Say the Word and Storm the Court, and three stakes winners from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher, lead a list of 16 horses invited Sunday to the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The third running of the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus World Cup Turf, introduced in 2019 to serve as a companion race to the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), will be run Jan. 23. The Pegasus Turf has been won previously by eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar (2019) and Zulu Alpha (2020).

The Pegasus World Cup Turf and Pegasus World Cup will be part of an extraordinary program featuring seven graded stakes, four contested on the turf. Stakes on Pegasus Day will also include the $200,000 Inside Information (G2), $125,000 William L. McKnight (G3), $125,000 Marshua's River (G3), $125,000 La Prevoyante (G3) and $125,000 Fred Hooper (G3).

The 12 horses given first preference for the Pegasus World Cup Turf are (in alphabetical order):

Anothertwistafate – Owned by Peter Redekop B.C., Ltd. Trained by Peter Miller
Breaking the Rules – Owned by Phipps Stables. Trained by Shug McGaughey
Colonel Liam – Owner by Robert and Lawana Low. Trained by Todd Pletcher
Cross Border – Owned by Three Diamonds Farm. Trained by Mike Maker
Doswell – Owned by Joseph Allen LLC. Trained by Barclay Tagg
Largent – Owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. Trained by Todd Pletcher
North Dakota – Owned by Allen Stable Inc. Trained by Shug McGaughey
Pixelate – Owned by Godolphin, LLC. Trained by Michael Stidham
Say the Word – Owned by Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm. Trained by Philip D'Amato
Sharp Samurai – Owned by Owned by Red Baron's Barn LLC, Rancho Temescal LLC, Mark Glatt. Trained by Mark Glatt
Social Paranoia – Owned by The Elkstone Group, LLC. Trained by Todd Pletcher
Storm the Court – Owned by Exline-Border Racing, LLC, David Bernsen LLC, Susanna Wilson and Dan Hudock. Trained by Peter Eurton

The also eligible horses (in order of preference):

Next Shares – Owned by Debby Baltas, Richard Baltas, Christopher Dunn, Jules Iavarone, Michael Iavarone, Jerry McClanahan, Ritchie Robershaw, Mark Taylor. Trained by Richard Baltas.
Field Pass – Owned by Three Diamonds Farm. Trained by Mike Maker
Analyze It – Owned by William H. Lawrence. Trained by Chad Brown
Greyes Creek – Owned by OXO Equine LLC. Trained by Chad Brown

Limited seating is available and tickets can be purchased at Pegasusworldcup.com.

Fans can watch and wager on the Pegasus World Cup at 1stbet.com and xpressbet.com.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, winner of 16 of the past 17 Championship Meet titles at Gulfstream Park, has an intriguing trio of contenders for the Turf in Largent, Social Paranoia and Colonel Liam.

Largent is an improving son of Into Mischief who enters the Pegasus off a victory Dec. 12 in the Fort Lauderdale (G2). The gelding has won six of nine career starts and has won four of his five starts at Gulfstream.

Pletcher-trained Social Paranoia, a 4-year-old son of Street Boss, prepped for the Pegasus at Gulfstream Dec. 16 by winning an allowance optional claiming event off a five-month layoff. Social Paranoia earlier in the year won the Appleton (G3) at Gulfstream.

Pletcher's third entry is the lightly raced Colonel Liam, a 4-year-old son of Liam's Map who enters the Pegasus off an impressive 3 ¼-length victory Dec. 26 in the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Barclay Tagg, who trained the recently retired Tiz the Law to victories in last year's Florida Derby (G1), Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers (G1), comes into the Turf with Doswell. The lightly raced 6-year-old raced only once as a 2-year-old. The son of Giant's Causeway broke his maiden as a 5-year-old and ended 2020 with a second-place finish behind Largent in the Fort Lauderdale.

It took seven races for North Dakota to win his first race, but the Shug McGaughey-trained 5-year-old has since won three of five races with his last being the Nov. 21 Red Smith (G3) at Aqueduct. McGaughey will also send out Breaking the Rules, a 6-year-old son of War Front who comes off a fourth-place finish in the Knickerbocker (G2) in October and a third-place finish in the Fort Lauderdale (G2).

Say the Word, a 6-year-old Ontario-bred by More Than Ready, enters off a third-place finish Nov. 27 in the Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) for trainer Philip D'Amato after winning the Northern Dancer Turf (G1) in October at Woodbine. The gelding finished fourth in his only other race at Gulfstream, that coming in 2018.

Storm the Court ships in from Santa Anita for trainer Peter Eurton. Winner of the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), the son of Court Vision was sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) last year before moving to turf and finishing seventh in the Hollywood Derby (G1) and second last time out in the Mathis Brothers Mile (G2)

Cross Border will attempt to give trainer Mike Maker back-to-back wins in the Pegasus Turf after saddling last year's winner, Zulu Alpha. The 7-year-old son of English Channel was second in last year's Sword Dancer (G1) and won the Bowling Green (G2), both at Saratoga. He comes into the Pegasus off a second-place finish in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds.

Sharp Samurai was beaten a nose by Jesus' Team for the place in the Breeders' Cup Mile. The 7-year-old gelding, based at Santa Anita with trainer Mark Glatt, was second last year in the Pacific Classic (G1), Eddie Read (G2) and City of Hope (G2). His last victory was the 2018 City of Hope. Sharp Samurai is also on the invitation list for the Pegasus.

Pixelate, trained by Michael Stidham, comes into the Pegasus off a victory Dec. 26 in the Woodchopper at Fair Grounds. The Godolphin homebred and son of City Zip won the Del Mar Derby (G2) in September and was fifth in the Belmont Derby (G1) in October.

Anothertwistafate, winner Jan. 2 of the San Gabriel (G2) at Santa Anita and Sept. 10 Longacres Mile (G3), is invited to the Turf and is on the reserve inviation list for the Pegasus.

The Pegasus Turf also-eligible list is led by Next Shares, who will try to make his third trip to the Pegasus Turf the charm after a seventh-place finish in the 2019 edition and a 12^th place finish last year. The 8-year-old would enter this year's event off a third-place finish Jan. 2 in the San Gabriel.

The reserve invitation list also includes Field Pass. The Ontario Derby (G3) winner is trained by Mike Maker, who saddled last year's Pegasus Turf winner Zulu Alpha. Trainer Chad Brown, who won the inaugural Pegasus Turf with Bricks and Mortar, has two on the reserve list in Red Bank (G3) winner Analyze Itand OXO Equine's Greyes Creek.

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Pletcher Gets An Unexpected Third Candidate For Pegasus Turf In Colonel Liam

Todd Pletcher ended his holiday weekend in a unique situation, reports the Daily Racing Form (DRF). After Colonel Liam's win in the $75,000 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park, the trainer could be gearing up to run three horses in the Pegasus World Cup Turf on Jan. 25.

Colonel Liam made light work of his rivals with a 3 1/2-length victory on Saturday, recording a final time of 1:40.95 for 1 1/16 miles. This was the son of Liam's Map's second win from three starts on the turf, and his first start since a fourth-place finish in the Saratoga Derby on Aug. 15.

“I thought it was an impressive race – he had to make a bit of an early move and kept going,” Pletcher told DRF. “He's really taken to the turf. We saw that when he won the allowance race at Saratoga. He got into a little trouble in the stakes at Saratoga. We gave him a little freshening, he came back and trained great, and we're really happy to have him back. Hopefully this earns him a spot into the Pegasus Turf. It is an invitational, so I'll lobby for it.”

Pletcher's other two candidates for the Pegasus World Cup Turf are recent allowance winner Social Paranoia and Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes victor Largent. The first list of invitees will be announced on Jan. 3.