Virginia Thoroughbred Association

01/23/2025

We are thrilled to announce that the 100th Running of the Virginia Gold Cup Races on May 3, 2025 will be held at Great Meadow! We look forward to partnering with the Great Meadow Foundation to bring you a day of world-class steeplechase racing, along with all of the iconic traditions and fun activities that you've come to expect from the Gold Cup. 🏆

You definitely don't want to miss out on what promises to be an unforgettable event! Tickets 🎟 go on sale Monday, February 3rd at vagoldcup.com.

See you at the races! 🏇

📸: TJ Monaco

01/22/2025

Congratulations to Turner Kobayashi, VP of Audley Farm Equine, who is the new President of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association! Turner replaces Amy Moore, whose term expired and will now serve the role of Past President. Audley Farm, located in Berryville in the Shenandoah Valley, was named VTA Co-Breeder of the Year in 2023 and has had recent success with Audley-bred horses like Determined Kingdom (6 VA-bred stakes wins at Colonial Downs), Low Mileage (2023 Jamestown Stakes winner) and Galilei (2023 Brookmeade Stakes winner). Best to Turner and his Board for a great 2025, and beyond!

01/17/2025

Best wishes to Virginia-bred Gigante who looks to expand on his million dollar-plus bankroll Saturday in the $100,000 Col. E.R. Bradley Stakes at Fair Grounds where he is the 7-2 early favorite in a full field of 14! The 5-year-old Steve Asmussen trainee was bred by Ann Mudge Backer & Smitten Farm. The Not This Time horse enters with a banloroll of $1,127,650 from 18 career starts. The Bradley Stakes is Race 10 and will go to post at 5:30 PM (EDT). (Hodges Photography)

01/16/2025

Congratulations to Virginia-Certified Bernietakescharge (inside), a 4-year-old filly who collected a nice allowance win over the weekend at Aqueduct! The daughter of Take Charge Indy beat Next On Stage by a neck in the $82,000 one mile dirt race. The winner's bankroll surged to $272,080 from 14 starts. New York-bred Bernietakescharge spent his 6-month Virginia residency at Rofe Racing's Hickory Tree Farm in Middleburg. Detail on the VTA's incentive programs can be found at vabred.org. (Adam Coglianese photo)

01/16/2025

📣Spread the word 📣: tickets for the 100th Running of the Virginia Gold Cup Races on May 3rd go on sale on Monday, February 3rd! 🤩Mark it on your calendar or set an alarm on your phone so you can be among the first to secure your spot for this historic day!

Visit https://vagoldcup.com/va/tickets on February 3rd to purchase.

Like 👍 this post if we'll be seeing YOU this May to celebrate with us!

📸: Camden Littleton Photography

01/14/2025

https://dailyprogress.com/news/local/zach-and-sara-miller-saved-horse-racing-in-albemarle-county-theyre-not-finished/article_2da104ae-d11b-11ef-a6fa-0b9a3f6a9793.html

When Zach and Sara Miller first met at the racetrack, they could have no idea they would get married, nor that they'd save the track from future development in posterity.

01/14/2025

Attention horsemen --- the condition book for the March 13-15 spring meet at Colonial Downs is now available at Equibase Company! There are many opportunities for Virginia-Restricted horses during the dirt-only meet which will be highlighted by the Virginia Derby & Virginia Oaks. A pair of $150,000 Virginia-restricted overnite handicaps will be contested on March 14 -- The Stellar Wind and The Boston. A pair of $100,000 restricted allowance races, $93,550 restricted maiden races and $43,750 restricted maiden claiming races are also available.

01/09/2025

Meet Brianna Rowe of The Punchy Maverick in Max Meadows, Virginia --- one of many farms in the Commonwealth that welcomes horses participating in the VTA's lucrative Certified Residency program. Brianna is shown with two mares on her farm which is located in Wythe County. For details on all the VTA's horsemen incentive programs, visit vabred.org.

01/07/2025

Here's the schedule of all Virginia's Thoroughbred, Harness, Steeplechase & Point-to-Point Races slated for 2025

Horse racing dates and events for the 2025 calendar year in Virginia are set and include a healthy combination of thoroughbred, standardbred and steeplechas ...

01/07/2025

People call Secretariat Virginia’s greatest athlete for good reason. The thoroughbred racehorse, foaled near Ashland at Meadow Stables, not only won the American Triple Crown in 1973 but set and still holds the record in all three of its races. Yet, until recently, all monuments dedicated to Big R...

01/06/2025

Monday morning views at Rosie's Gaming and Colonial Downs! Don't fret --- the first ever spring race meet in New Kent is just over two months away and is highlighted by the $500,000 Virginia Derby, on dirt, Saturday March 15. The 3-day meet will feature all dirt races, which trackside spectators really seem to enjoy. Get your tickets now, especially for the Derby Day card!

01/05/2025

Crozet, Virginia-based thoroughbred trainer Pat Nuesch is pictured at his Braeburn Farm & Training Center this weekend, bundled up and ready for some snow and even colder temperatures! Pat is shown with a 2-year-old by Cairo Prince out of Our Sweet Girl -- who is participating in the VTA's Certified Residency Program. Details on the lucrative initiative can be found at vabred.org.

01/03/2025

Kentucky Derby prep season kicks into gear Saturday with two stakes races that offer Derby qualification points! The $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes is at Oaklawn and the $150,000 Jerome Stakes --- whose field includes Virginia-bred Omaha Omaha --- is at Aqueduct. And we're just over two months away from Virginia's first ever official Derby prep. Mark your calendars for Saturday March 15th when the Virginia Derby goes to post, on the dirt surface, in New Kent!

01/03/2025

"Welcome to a new era in Maryland Racing. The new Maryland Jockey Club, a non-profit entity operating on behalf of the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority, assumes management of statewide thoroughbred racing as of January 1, 2025.
We're looking forward to many exciting endeavors, most notably the unveiling of a brand-new Pimlico Race Course in 2027. While the planning and construction are underway, numerous innovative programs will debut at Laurel Park. To kick things off, our new Laurel logo represents racing and the State of Maryland.
We hope to see you soon at Laurel!
Wishing you all a happy new year!

Best regards,
Bill Knauf
President & General Manager"

01/02/2025

Wishing everyone involved in Virginia's vibrant horse racing and horse breeding industry a safe, healthy and Happy New Year! There's lots to look forward to in 2025 including a new 3-day spring meet at Colonial Downs (March), the 100th running of the Virginia Gold Cup (May), an expanded summer race season in New Kent, the 90th running of the Montpelier Hunt Races in November, and lots more.

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at the VTA!

12/23/2024

Congratulations to Paterpop Racing's Virginia-bred Goodluckchuck who capped off his 8-year-old campaign with a win last week at Mahoning Valley Racetrack and in doing so, pushed his career bankroll to $276,356! The Big Picture gelding, bred by Heidi Overfelt, was making his 51st start. The consistent performer has finished fourth or better in 16 of his last 17 starts. Goodluckchuck is shown below winning career Race #6 at Laurel in 2021 (Jim McCue photo).

12/20/2024

The new nonprofit Maryland track operator has its work cut out for it, but head Bill Knauf said he believes all the tools are in place for it to succeed.