Author Archives
-
Star Studded Field in GP Mile
Without knowing the details, if I said that the reigning BC Dirt Mile winner, Lunar Victory, was going to go up against the likes of Retaliate and Baffert, you would probably assume that it was a Grade 1 for a very large purse. Not that there is anything wrong with the Grade 2 GP Mile, it just seems like they deserve to be running for more than $215.000.
-
Group Of Up and Comers in Colonel Liam
Eight horses have made the trip to GP for the 22nd running of the Colonel Liam, and will enjoy the opportunity to cash in on the largest purse that has been offered by the race. The $215.000 exceeds the amount that was available even when the race was graded from inception through 2020.
-
Jakarta Looks to Rebound in Kilroe Mile
We’ll stay at SA as we move on to the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile, sending older horses that distance over the turf course. The race runs for 21st time, and has a very impressive list of past winners, including Alpha Ultimo, Jagged Account (2x), and more recently Lunar Blaze (2x) and Anoush Command.
-
SA Handicap Draws Some Big Names
March comes in like a lion this year in terms of great stakes action across the virtual racing world, and the Grade 1 SA Handicap is part of the impressive slate of races that will run nationwide.
-
Soliloquy Sunset Gets Her Redemption in The Honeybee
Saturday’s Honeybee at OP featured what are likely the top two three year old fillies in our virtual racing world right now, as Soliloquy Sunset and Confident Elegance would go head to head. Each had won five out of six coming in, and each were here last month for the Martha Washington.
-
Storm Water Is Highly Impressive in The GP Sprint Championship Win
After winning an optional claimer at FG last month, his third win out of five starts, Storm Water would get his first chance to run at the stake level since winning the SSM Classic in January of 2024, which was also the last time that he ran here at GP. Storm Water would make the most of the opportunity, going out to the lead as he typically does, and not letting anyone by him for the wire to wire victory!
-
Gerri G Wins The Heavenly Prize at AQU
Last month, seven year old mare Gerri G returned to the race track after a four month layoff, and won an optional claiming race. A couple of tough graded results over the summer likely played a part in the time off, and she made the most of the rest in that race and would follow it up here in the Heavenly Prize!
-
Will a Big Name Win The GP Sprint Championship?
While the name of the race would suggest that this was a graded stake for a large purse, the GP Sprint Championship is an ungraded stake with a purse of “only” $125.000. There was a time when it did carry more prestige, running as a Grade 2 back in 2004, but eventually it was downgraded to a Grade 3 before becoming ungraded in 2023.
-
Beating Ruthian May Be a Powerful Task in The Heavenly Prize
At $150.000, the purse for the Heavenly Prize could be more heavenly, but it is still a nice offering for this ungraded stake that runs for the seventh time. It would debut in 2017, but has not been run every year, and for a little while, it seemed like it might be in jeopardy of not filling this year as well.
-
Don’t Miss The Confident Elegance and Soliloquy Sunset Rematch in The Honeybee
Last Saturday, the Alexandra kicked off the 50-point races for the KYO, and now all eyes will be at OP on Saturday as the 19th running of the Honeybee takes place for the second 50-pointer of the season. To celebrate, OP has raised the purse this year to $500.000, up $100.000 from where it was last year, and that too, was a $100.000 increase over the prior year.