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MATCH Series Set For 2021 Return On Preakness Weekend

Anticipation is building as the Mid-Atlantic Championships Series (MATCH) prepares for its return May 14-15 at Pimlico Race Course after a one-year hiatus.

This year's MATCH Series, to be run at racetracks in Maryland and Virginia only, will extend through Dec. 26, 2021. It will offer 24 stakes valued at $2.75 million and $282,000 in bonus money for owners and trainers.

There will be six races in each of four divisions: 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt; Fillies and Mares, 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt; 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt; and Fillies and Mares, 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt. The minimum purse for all the stakes is $100,000.

The first four stakes in the Series will be held Preakness weekend:

$150,000 (Grade 3) Allaire DuPont for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles (Friday, May 14)

$250,000 (Grade 3) Pimlico Special for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles (Friday, May 14)

$100,000 Skipat Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs (Saturday, May 15)

$150,000 (Grade 3) Maryland Sprint Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs (Saturday, May 15)

Please note that nominations for all the MATCH Series events at Pimlico close Tuesday, May 4. Horses are nominated to each Series stakes; there is no overall nomination process for the Series.

Owners and trainers will compete for $63,000 in divisional bonuses and the overall MATCH Series champion will net $30,000 in bonuses for its owner and trainer. In addition, the Maryland Horse Breeders Association will pay a $3,000 bonus to the breeder of the top points-earning Maryland-bred and $3,000 for the top points-earning Maryland-sired horse. If the top points-earner is both Maryland-bred and -sired, the breeder would get $6,000.

There will be three days with all four division stakes on the same program: Aug. 23 at Colonial Downs, Sept. 18 at Laurel Park and Dec. 26 at Laurel. The July 4 and July 31 programs at Laurel will each have three MATCH Series races. The remainder will be run on different days.

The complete schedule is available here.

The 2020 MATCH Series, which included eight racetracks in the region, was canceled because of the COVID-19 shutdown. The partners late last year opted not to participate in 2021 because of lingering issues but indicated a desire to offer a full schedule in 2022.

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New Study Shows Virginia Horse Racing Industry Has $542.1 Million Economic Impact

“And they're off…”

When it comes to the horse racing industry in Virginia and the economic impact it is generating, that's an appropriate metaphor. According to a newly released study, the industry generated an estimated economic impact of $542.1 million in the Commonwealth in 2019.

“What we're finding is that jobs are coming back, horse racing related expenditures are up, and tax revenue to the state is increasing,” said John Hannum, Executive Director of the Virginia Equine Alliance. “These are all very positive signs that the racing industry is moving in the right direction and benefiting the Commonwealth's agribusiness and related businesses. Racing was at a low point in 2014 after the closure of Colonial Downs' racetrack. The General Assembly took a number of steps, most notably the passage of Historical Horse Racing machines in 2018, that provided the revenue to re-open the track and fund the revitalization of the industry. The study points to the enormous strides the industry has made since 2014.”

The study was commissioned by the Virginia Equine Alliance, the industry's organizational body that promotes the racing and breeding industry throughout the state. Chmura Economics and Analytics (Chmura), a research consulting firm in Richmond, VA, conducted the study.

Highlights of the new study include:

Overall economic impact for 2019 of $542.1 million.
Annual horse-related expenditures by Virginia horsemen estimated at $239.44 million in 2019.
Overall total in state tax revenue for 2019 estimated at $26.5 million.
Estimated total economic impact of horse racing events and visitor spending in Virginia was $68.7 million in 2019.
Jobs supported in 2019 by the horse racing and breeding industry estimated at more than 5,000.
The average amount spent by horsemen in Virginia to care for, train, and board a race horse is estimated at $14,663.

“The Commonwealth has a rich history of breeding and racing Thoroughbreds, from even before the days of Triple Crown-winning Secretariat from Caroline County and continuing to today. The industry is an important part of our agriculture economy, especially in rural parts of Virginia,” said Bettina Ring, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry.  “A successful horse industry means that more farms remain economically viable, which in turn makes it easier to maintain and conserve productive farmland throughout the Commonwealth. I am pleased that the results of this study support that Virginia continues to be a place where the horse industry can thrive.”

Karen Godsey, owner of Eagle Point Farm, a 200-acre Thoroughbred training center in Ashland, VA has seen first-hand the benefit of the Thoroughbred industry coming back stronger in the last few years.

“Our industry has really seen a tremendous turnaround,” Godsey said. “I've been able to recruit and retain more workers, because I am able to pay them a higher per-hour rate than before. I've also had to rent out two additional farms for more horses.”

D.G. Van Clief, Chairman of the Virginia Racing Commission stated: “much of the industry's success over the last few years has been the result of the entire industry coming together and working for the shared goal of revitalizing racing. We are now in a position to grow the sport and add racing days. I am excited about the prospects for racing in the state.”

According to this study, the economic impact is likely an underestimation of the full potential impact in 2019. For example, Colonial Downs race track in New Kent, VA, was only open for nine months in 2019, versus a full 12 months. On the racing side, there were 18 race days, attracting 42,000 spectators. In future years, those racing days are expected to likely double, generating even more of an economic impact.

“We're eager to see how these numbers increase when life gets back to normal and we have a full year of activity at the venue,” Hannum said.

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Tickets To Colonial Downs Meet Go On Sale Monday

Live racing returns to Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent County, Va., in July, August and September with premium tickets going on sale Monday, March 15. General admission and parking are free. The best Thoroughbred horses and trainers from around the country will run every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for seven weeks from July 19 through Sept. 1. Post time each day will be 1:45 pm. Premium tickets and full racing schedule are available at www.colonialdowns.com.

Colonial Downs offers a family friendly atmosphere for everyone, casual dining in the Jockey Club and upscale Turf Club dining, private suites for larger parties, outdoor clubhouse boxes, reserved grandstand seating and a hospitality tent trackside with concession fare open to everyone.

Other race meet highlights include:

· Approximately $500,000 in daily purses and over $2.75 million in total stakes, including a robust Virginia bred and certified schedule during the meet will attract the best horses and jockeys from around the country to compete on the renowned Secretariat turf course, and second largest dirt track in North America.

· July 19 – 21 – opening week kicks off with over $400,000 in VA bred and restricted stakes races.

· Aug. 30 – Sept. 1 – closing week offering over $1.2 million in stakes races highlighted by the Virginia Derby® and Virginia Oaks® premier races on Tuesday, Aug. 31.

“As we enter our third year of racing, Colonial Downs looks forward to once again hosting top horses and horsemen from across the country with daily purses offered amongst the highest during the summer months,” said Jill Byrne, Vice President of Racing Operations at Colonial Downs Group. “The past year of the pandemic has been so challenging for everyone, we can't wait to see our wonderful fans and supporters safely enjoying the excitement of live horse racing.”

John Marshall, Executive Vice President of Operations at Colonial Downs Group added: “I think we are all ready to put some fun back in our lives. With a variety of ticketing and dining options as well as free general admission, Colonial Downs makes for an entertaining afternoon and evening out for everyone.”

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Four 2018 Virginia Yearling Futurity Participants Share $5,000 In Bonus Awards

Congratulations to four Virginia-bred/certified horses that competed in the 2018 Yearling Futurity, who will share a $5,000 bonus pool based on career earnings they accumulated through their recently completed 3-year-old racing campaigns.

The top earners in bonus winning order were Patriotic Punch ($3,000), Appraised ($1,000), Lady Fox ($700) and Beach Traffic ($300).

Maryland-bred Patriotic Punch, bred by Charles Reed and Michael Zanella, bankrolled $125,969 from 17 career starts through Dec. 31. The Carpe Diem filly, out of Lori Z's Punch by Two Punch, reeled off three wins in a row during a five-week period in Maryland last year. She was best in maiden claimer and a pair of starter optional claiming races between Sept. 11 and Oct. 17. Overall, she has 10 top-three finishes. Patriotic Punch spent her Virginia residency at Karen Godsey's Eagle Point Farm in Ashland.

Virginia-bred Appraised also has recorded a trio of victories and ten top-three finishes. The Shanghai Bobby gelding, bred and raised at Morgan's Ford Farm in Front Royal, collected his wins in a series of claimers at Delaware Park over a nine-week period last year. Out of the Include mare, Looking Great, he has earned $70,067.

Lady Fox finished 2020 with $56,540 in earnings — third best from the '18 yearling class — and has kicked off 2021 with back-to-back wins. The Imagining filly, bred by Lady Olivia at North Cliff, LLC., had four runner-up finishes and a trio of thirds through 2020, good for $56,540. This year, she broke her maiden and prevailed in another claiming race, both at Laurel. The Maryland-bred, out of Lady Olivia by Silver Deputy, spent her residency at David Dobson's Lady Olivia at North Cliff Farm in Rixeyville.

Beach Traffic, reserve grand champion and winner of the “certified” class at the 2018 Futurity, has collected wins at both Gulfstream and Monmouth. The Maryland-bred gelding, by Cross Traffic, has bankrolled $53,365 to date. Out of Pink Sand by Sky Mesa, Beach Traffic was bred by Patricia Ramey and Maciej Szwarc and raised at the Hunt Ridge Stables at Ramey's Blue Ridge Farm in Upperville. He has hit the board in half of his 16 starts.

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