Eighttofasttocatch became a two-time Maryland Million Classic winner when he dusted six rivals.
The 7-year-old Not For Love gelding owned by Sylvia and Arnold Heft won the Classic in 2011 and finished fifth in 2012.
Eighttofasttocatch went on to win the Classic again in 2014, becoming the first three-time winner of the race.
- Fred High toppled favorites Lucy’s Bob Boy and track legend Russell Road to win the 2013 West Virginia Breeders Classic. After moving to the barn of Jerry Robb, the Edward Krishack homebred got his first Classic win in three tries, following a sixth in 2012 and a fourth in 2011.
- Pennsylvania-bred Divine Fortune stepped up to win the 2013 American Grand National-G1 for breeders/owners Jonathan Sheppard and Bill Pape. The win snapped a string of five near-misses in Grade 1 races.
Although this was his only stakes win of 2013, Divine Fortune was named 2013 Eclipse Award-winning steeplechaser.
- Two Grade-1 winning Mid-Atlantic-bred mares brought seven figures at the elite fall mixed sales in Kentucky. Ask the Moon, bred in Maryland by Charles and Cynthia McGinnes and Country Life Farm, was purchased by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings for $1.8 million in foal to War Front. Her Smile, bred by Bill Backer in Virginia and in foal to Ghostzapper, went to SF Bloodstock for $1,075,000.
- For the first time in a decade, Maryland had a new stallion station, with Heritage Stallions in Chesapeake City taking in its first residents. Six stallions joined the roster, four from eight-time Eclipse Award leading breeder Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs, including Kentucky Derby-G1 winner Giacomo and Canadian champion Hunters Bay.
- Other new stallions in the region included Grade 1 winners Corinthian and Any Given Saturday to Bill Solomon’s Pin Oak Lane Farm in Pennsylvania after stints in Kentucky, and sprinter Buffum, ready to stand his first season at Northview Stallion Station in Chesapeake City.
