Jaxon Traveler, Alwaysinahurry Lead Nominations For Star De Naskra At Pimlico

Multiple stakes winner Jaxon Traveler, stakes winners Alwaysinahurry and Shackled Love, and graded-stakes placed Hemp head a list of 16 horses nominated to the $75,000 Star de Naskra Saturday, Aug. 21 at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

The Star de Naskra for 3-year-olds is among four $75,000 stakes restricted to Maryland-bred/sired horses on the Maryland Pride Day program, joined by the Miss Disco for 3-year-old fillies, also sprinting six furlongs; 1 1/16-mile Find for 3-year-olds and up; and 1 1/16-mile All Brandy for fillies and mares 3 and older, both on the grass.

West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler was a 10-length debut winner last September at Pimlico and capped an undefeated 2-year-old season by defeating state-breds in the Maryland Juvenile Futurity at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md. Winner of the April 24 Bachelor at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., he was second to stablemate Mighty Mischief in the Grade 3 Chick Lang May 15 at Pimlico and made his two most recent starts on synthetic and grass, running third in the July 15 Grade 3 Quick Call at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Dale Capuano trains Mopo Racing's Alwaysinahurry, who emerged from multiple stakes-winning stablemate Kenny Had a Notion's shadow with a commanding victory over Mighty Mischief in the July 4 Concern at Pimlico. Kenny Had a Notion, also nominated, was entered at Pimlico Sunday.

ZWP Stable, Inc. and Non Stop Stable's Shackled Love won the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms March 13 at Laurel but has finished sixth in three subsequent starts, the Federico Tesio, Chick Lang, and Bald Eagle Derby, the latter 1 ½ miles on the Pimlico turf July 24. Narrow Leaf Farm's Hemp ran third in the Chick Lang and exits a runner-up finish after setting the pace July 2 at Charles Town in Charles Town, W. Va.

Six-time stakes winner Street Lute and Grade 3-placed Edie Meeny Miny Mo are prominent among 15 nominees to the Miss Disco. Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute won five straight stakes last fall and winter at Laurel and captured an off-the-turf Stormy Blues June 13 at Pimlico. Most recently, she finished sixth, beaten 2 ½ lengths, in her first try on dirt and against older horses in the 5 ½-furlong M. Tyson Gilpin July 19 at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va.

Holly Hill Stables' Edie Meeny Miny Mo is undefeated at Pimlico, capturing an April 23 waiver maiden claimer by 4 ½ lengths and romping by six in a June 13 optional claiming allowance, her first two career starts. Last out, the Miguel Vera trainee ran second as the favorite after setting the pace in the July 31 Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Most popular among horsemen was the Find, whose 29 nominees include 2019 Maryland Million Turf winner Mr. d'Angelo; 2020 Maryland Million Starter Handicap winner Beltway Bob; Cannon's Roar, second in the 2020 Maryland Million Turf and third in the West Virginia Speaker's Cup Aug. 7 at Mountaineer Park in New Cumberland, W. Va.; and dirt stakes winners Air Token, Alwaysmining, and Cordmaker.

The All Brandy attracted 27 nominations led by Danger Zone, 2-2-1 in seven starts since being moved to the turf this winter at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.; Dendrobia and Quiet Company, respectively second and third in the five-furlong Jameela July 4 at Pimlico; Fool Yourself, a winner of two straight for Preakness Meet leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez; and Artful Splatter, a multiple stakes winner on dirt.

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Virginia-Certified Program Dispenses Record $1.77 Million In Awards In 2020

Virginia's Certified Residency program took another big step forward last year, paying out a record $1.77 million in rewards versus $1.35 a year prior despite a COVID-19 pandemic that limited racing opportunities in spring and saw reduced purse levels in some cases.

A total of 486 wins in 2020 came from 328 individual horses, versus respective numbers of 338 and 212 in the prior.

“These are exciting times to do business in Virginia,” said VTA executive director Debbie Easter. “This is the most lucrative of the three year-round incentive programs we offer. Despite the issues everyone faced in a challenging year, we still distributed almost $1.8 million in residency awards. And we expect that to grow to $3.1 million in 2021. Historical horse racing revenues have just started kicking in as well so there is lots of growth still to come. It's exciting,” she added. “Doing business in Virginia really pays right now.”

The average certified win award was $3,644. A total of 173 bonuses went to 4-year-old horses, 257 to 3-year-olds and 56 to 2-year-olds. Of those victories, 225 of the 486 wins came in West Virginia, tops among the Mid-Atlantic states. Furthermore, 104 came in Pennsylvania, 87 in Maryland, 36 in New York, 19 in Delaware, 10 in New Jersey and 5 in Virginia, but the 2020 Colonial Downs meet was cancelled after six days to COVID-related issues.

The top owner from bonus monies paid out was Taylor Mountain Farm, with $80,1260. They had six horses earn multiple awards topped by Rush to the Castle with four. The 5-year-old Windsor Castle gelding won four straight allowance races at Charles Town. Their College Kid, with three wins, scored in back-to-back Charles Town allowance races in October while Sweetin Bread also had three, including an allowance score. Candyforacause, Hero's Man and Lufty's Kisses won two each.

Runner-up John Casey bankrolled $62,658 in bonuses led by Coach Rube, a 4-year-old Windsor Castle filly who had four wins at Charles Town. Three of those came in consecutive allowance events during August and September. Casey's Love Happy and Take Time each won three while Fancy Castle, Wish in the Castle, and Feisty and Sassy collected a pair.

Four stakes wins by Maryland-bred Street Lute pushed Lucky 7 Stables' reward total to $46,000, third best among recipients. After breaking her maiden Sept. 7 at Delaware, the 3-year-old Street Magician filly won the Small Wonder Stakes there, then captured the Gin Talking, Sweet Halo and Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship Stakes at Laurel. She was one of four Virginia-certified horses to win five races last year.

Huntertown Farm's Star of Night was the winningest certified horse with six, all at Charles Town, which resulted in $43,488 in bonus monies. The 4-year-old Creative Cause filly was six-for-seven in 2020 and her only blemish was in an allowance race where she lost by a head. She finished the year with three stakes victories in the Sylvia Bishop Memorial, West Virginia Tourism Office Breeders Classic and My Sister Pearl Stakes.

O'Sullivan Farms finished fifth in the bonus standings courtesy of a big year from their 5-year-old Midshipman mare, Dubai Was Lit. The consistent West Virginia-bred, responsible for much of the $41,818 in awards, won a four-pack of allowance races at Charles Town, and finished second in another four.

The rest of the top ten owners, by earnings, includes Larry Johnson ($38,975), Corrales Racing ($26,653), Nancy Heil ($26,237), Javier Contreras ($23,531) and James Wolf ($21,506). Both O'Sullivan Farms and Larry Johnson had other partnerships that produced wins and bonuses on top of their individual totals.

Other certified horses that won $100,000 stakes, and capped $10,000 awards, include Larry Johnson's Never Enough Time, who won a pair — the Alma North at Laurel and Skipat at Pimlico. Corrales Racing's Air Token won five races, highlighted by Laurel's Concern Stakes. Others at Laurel included Karan's Notion in the Maryland Million Sprint Handicap for Nancy Heil, and Miss Leslie in the Anne Arundel County Stakes for BB Horses. Eddie F's Racing's Chowda captured the Gander Stakes at Aqueduct.

Two others earned a capped award from maiden special weight wins in New York. A One A Racing's Apurate was best Oct. 22 at Belmont while Woodslane Farm's Wolfie's Dynaghost crossed first November 14 at Aqueduct.

Joining Street Lute and Air Token with five wins each were Ronney Brown & John Cefalu's Bold Valor and Robert Cole's Sniff. The victories all came at Charles Town except Sniff's most recent, which was at Mountaineer.

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