The two horses atop the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll will both be in action this weekend.
Four-year-old Dame Dorothy, a Pennsylvania-bred, is the 9-5 favorite in Saturday’s Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses Handicap at Belmont Park. And Stellar Wind, the Virginia-bred three-year-old, is favored at 5-2 in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita.
Dame Dorothy, a daughter of Bernardini out of the Woodman mare Vole Vole Monamour, received every first-place vote to secure a clear victory in the poll of older horses. She was one of a trio of Pennsylvania-breds atop that list (and six PA-breds on the two lists). Dame Dorothy was bred by Derry Meeting Farm and is owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who paid $390,000 for her when she was a yearling. Her signature win this season came in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
Dame Dorothy was followed by two other Pennsylvania-breds — Page McKenney and Kitten’s Point — and then Virginia-bred Long On Value and New Jersey-bred Green Gratto.
Stellar Wind, a daughter of Curlin out of Evening Star, by Malibu Moon, was also the clear, though not unanimous, choice of voters. She was bred in the Old Dominion by Keswick Stables & Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, purhcased at acution for $86,000 by Barbara Houck, and subsequently sold privately to current owners Hronis Racing LLC. The beaten favorite in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, she achieved her season highlight in winning the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks.
Pennsylvania-breds took three of the four spots following Stellar Wind, with Mr. Owen (who races in France) in second, She’s a Big Winner in fourth, and Granny’s Kitten in fifth. West Virginia-bred Get the Sensation was third.
Pennsylvania-breds dominated the two lists, taking six of the 10 spots, including the top three among older horses. Virginia-breds accounted for two of the runners, with one horse each bred in New Jersey and West Virginia. Half of the top 10 are males, and half are females.
The list is restricted to horses that have run in 2015 and were bred in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware, and the Carolinas.
POLL RESULTS
Stellar Wind took nearly every first-place vote among three-year-olds. Photo courtesy of Santa Anita Park.
TOP MIDLANTIC-BRED OLDER HORSES
- Dame Dorothy (40) — Pennsylvania
- Page McKenney (25) — Pennsylvania
- Kitten’s Point (21) — Pennsylvania
- Long On Value (13) — Virginia
- Green Gratto (7) — New Jersey
Others receiving votes: Valid, Shaishee, Ben’s Cat, Awesome Flower
TOP MIDLANTIC-BRED THREE-YEAR-OLDS
- Stellar Wind (37) — Virginia
- Mr. Owen (27)– Pennsylvania
- Get the Sensation (19) — West Virginia
- She’s a Big Winner (13) — Pennsylvania
- Granny’s Kitten (9) — Pennsylvania
Others receiving votes: Saham, Capar Girl, Amplified, C R S Angel, Bridget’s Big Luvy, Nasa
Participating Voters: Ted Black (freelance writer), Michael Campbell (Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey), Cindy Deubler (Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred), Linda Dougherty (freelance), Debbie Easter (Virginia Thoroughbred Association), Anne Frederick (Maryland Horse Breeders Association), Cricket Goodall (Maryland Horse Breeders Association), Jim Hague (freelance), Nick Hahn (freelance), Carol Holden (West Virginia Breeders Classics), Jeff Nations (freelance), Kate Painter (West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association), Vinnie Perrone (freelance), Frank Petramalo (Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association), David Richardson (Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association), Brian Sanfratello (Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association), John Scheinman (freelance), Dan Tordjman (freelance), Frank Vespe (The Racing Biz), Bill Watson (freelance), Lydia Williams (freelance), Bobby Zen (freelance).
Note — Not all participating voters will vote in every poll.
UPCOMING STARTS
- Stellar Wind — 6/20/15, G2 Summertime Oaks, Santa Anita, 5-2 morning line
- Dame Dorothy — 6/20/15, G3 Bed o’ Roses Handicap, Belmont Park, 9-5 morning line
