The First Annual Virginia Millions Day
by Amanda Saunders

It was a day of turf racing. Ten races total, $1 million in purses, and three stakes races all held on the famous Secretariat turf course. It was Virginia's day at the races and the day that could put Colonial Downs on the map...and the thousands of fans who jammed the tiny grandstand did not leave disappointed.

Art Fan Before the Virginia Oaks © 2004 Amanda Saunders

The first stakes race on the card was the inaugural $200,000 Virginia Oaks for three-year-old fillies going a mile and an eighth. Heading the field was two-time stakes winner Galloping Gal, trained by Ken McPeek and ridden for the first time by leading jockey Edgar Prado. The dark bay daughter of Victory Gallop was sent off at 5-2 despite losing her last race to graded stakes winner Stellar Jayne. But unfortunately, today would not be her day to shine. At the break, the Hamilton A. Smith trained filly Art Fan took the lead, extended that lead to four and a half lengths at the top of the stretch, and held on to win by a length and three-quarters over a charging Galloping Gal.

Completing the field were Vous, Minge Cove, Le Grand Belle, and Adventure. The bay daughter of Lear Fan was ridden by the Eclipse Award winning jockey Ryan Fogelsonger and now has a record of 9-3-1-2.

The Grade 3 $200,000 All Along Breeder's Cup going one and one-eighth miles for fillies and mares three-year-olds and up proved to be an exciting race featuring graded stakes winners Film Maker and Sand Springs, stakes placed Noisette, and stakes winners Brandala and With Patience. The horses looked calm and collected in the saddling paddock and not in the least bit bothered by the 90+ degree weather. As much as the 2-1 favorite Film Maker demanded this reporter's attention, it was Noisette who was the head-turner. Tall, dark, and gorgeous, the William I. Mott trained four-year-old daughter of Broad Brush was clearly the best-looking in the field of seven and although she had yet to win a stakes, she was sent off at 5-1.

Film Maker In the Winner's Circle © 2004 Amanda Saunders

At the break, jockey Richard Migliore sent Noisette straight to the front to everyone's surprise. The filly's previous races showed that she had a come-from-behind style, but she took the lead and held it over With Patience and Sand Springs while setting moderate fractions. Coming into the stretch, it looked as if Noisette would hold on, but charging hard on the outside was Film Maker, ridden by Edgar Prado. The other filly's momentum proved to be too much as Film Maker went on to win by three lengths, Noisette held on easily to finish second with Lady Linda, With Patience, Tanwi Spring, Brandala, and Sand Springs rounding out the field. A four-year-old daughter of Dynaformer, Film Maker is trained by H. Graham Motion and is owned by Courtlandt Farms. When asked if Noisette was fading in the end, Migliore responded, "No, she was tired...we were just second best."

The long-awaited Grade 3 $500,000 Virginia Derby for three-year-olds going a mile and a quarter was jammed with talent; Five stakes winners, three graded stakes winners, and one Edgar Prado who was, of course, riding the favorite Kitten's Joy. Sent off at 9-5, chestnut son of El Prado had won five straight races, three of which were Grade 3 stakes races, before surprisingly losing to Prince Arch in his last start. Prince Arch, the third choice at 3-1, was four for eleven lifetime was was coming off that win over Kitten's Joy in a Grade 3 stakes at Churchill Downs. The bay son of Arch is trained by Ken McPeek and ridden by Brice Blanc. The second choice at 5-2 was the James A. Jerkens trained Artie Schiller, also a son of El Prado, who was coming off a three-race winning streak which included an allowance, a nongraded stakes, and a Grade 3 stakes.

At the break, it was the undefeated gelding Jane's Luck who took the lead and extended it to ten lengths by the three-quarters pole before fading badly at the top of the stretch. Artie Schiller swept to his outside and attempted to take the lead, but a hard-charging Kitten's Joy came up on the far outside and rocketed in the stretch, winning by a driving two and three-quarter lengths with Artie Schiller finishing well in second. It was four and three-quarter lengths back to Prince Arch, and another twelve and three-quarter lengths back to Lipan in fourth. Class Concern, Jane's Luck, Irish Laddie, and No Place Like It completed the field.

Kitten's Joy, trained by Dale L. Romans, extended his record to six wins in nine starts with two seconds and all six wins coming on the turf. Look for this colt to contend the Breeders' Cup Turf at the end of the year. And with that, this is TurfAngels.com reporter Amanda Saunders signing off, look for me at other Virginia/Maryland stakes days in the near future.

Kitten's Joy Before the Virginia Derby © 2004 Amanda Saunders