Women and the West Virginia Breeders Classic

Women and the West Virginia Breeders Classic

Photo courtesy

Susan Cooney trained Leva Mae in the 22 nd running of the $125,000 West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders Classic in 2008. Based in Boyce, her career earnings are now close to $7 million. By Vicky Moon Part One

In the fall of 1986, Carol Holden and Sam Huff were riding back to Middleburg following an afternoon of racing at Laurel Park Racecourse for the first ever Maryland Million. That event was founded by broadcaster Jim McKay, a horse lover, as was Sam, at the time announcing Washington NFL games on the radio.

“On the way home, Sam asked why we couldn’t do the same in West Virginia,” recalled Carol, a lifelong horsewoman and partner of the West Virginia native and NFL Hall of Famer.

“I told him we didn’t have enough horses to do the same program,” she added. “The Maryland Million, like the Breeders Cup, is based on nominated stallions and their nominated offspring.”

At the time Carol was the administrator of the West Virginia Thoroughbred Development Fund and familiar with the horse population. Sam wanted to promote the thoroughbred industry in his home state.

“ And, as you probably know, “ Carol said, “‘Can’t Do’ is not in Sam’s vocabulary.”

One year later in the fall of 1987, The West Virginia Breeders’ Classics (WVBC) races based in Charles Town were established. Since then, it has grown into a spectacular annual event awarding more than $28 million in purses over the years.

The 34 th edition of the WVBC will take place on Saturday, October 10 at the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. Post time is 7 p.m.

Carol, now president of the West Virginia Breeders, recalled the process of launching this racing venture 34 years ago.

“We discussed opening the races to all West Virginia bred and sired horses, along with a group called “raisers”, which were horses brought into the state as weanlings and stabled there for one year,” she said. “Even including those three groups, we only had 154 horses nominated to the first year of the Classics in 1987.

As president, Carol has demonstrated how women in racing play a significant role in the sport of Thoroughbred racing. Through the years, 26 women are credited with victories as trainer. This includes Susan Cooney, who trained Leva Mae in the 22 nd running of the $125,000 West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders Classic in 2008.

For more information on the races: www.wvbc.com