Travel WV
written by emily rice
Thoroughbred Horse Racing
IN WEST VIRGINIA
Photo by John Funkhouser .
West Virginia thoroughbred horse racing is a sport that is rich in history . It can be traced back to the days of America ’ s founding fathers , when George Washington ’ s brother , Charles Washington , raced his horses in Charles Town , WV . In the 1930s , trains from Washington , D . C ., would bring spectators directly to Charles Town to watch the races . A legacy sport , horse racing has continued in families for generations .
West Virginia is home to two of the U . S .’ s 77 thoroughbred racetracks : Mountaineer Casino , Racetrack and Resort in New Cumberland , WV , and the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charles Town , WV , which is one of only six tracks in the U . S . that offers year-round racing .
The Charles Town Horsemen ’ s Benevolent and Protective Association ( HBPA ) plays a large part in the area ’ s equine success .
“ We act as facilitators to both of their needs . If a horseman needs help , we are here whether they need help with a medical or dental bill or if they ' ve come upon hard times , we help with that ,” says Darla Gaige of the Charles Town HBPA . “ If a horse needs to retire from racing , we facilitate their transfer to the right organization so they can be safely retired .”
Charles Town has made history multiple times on its track . For example , Barbara Jo Rubin was the first female jockey to win a pari-mutuel race , despite much protest of her riding at all .
“ She had previously been scheduled to ride at Tropical
Park in Miami , FL , but the male jockeys threatened to boycott if she was allowed to ride ,” Gaige says . “ There is also Sylvia Rideoutt Bishop , who started working as a groom at the track at the age of 14 and worked her way up to become the first African American woman to be a professional thoroughbred trainer .”
Bishop would go on to race more than 200 horses before her death in 2004 at the age of 84 . However , her legacy continued through generations , with many family members continuing to ride in the state .
Events like the Charles Town Classic draw nationally ranked , triple crown caliber horses from across the country to compete on West Virginia tracks .
“ One of the biggest events is the Charles Town Classic ,” Gaige says . “ This graded stake race brings the stars of the horse racing world to West Virginia . The 2021 winner was Art Collector , a Kentucky horse trained by Bill Mott , who has competed in the Breeders ’ Cup and the Preakness .”
Other nationally ranked horses that have won the Charles Town Classic include Sleepy Eyes Todd , who raced in the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park and the Dubai World Cup , and Imperative , who raced in the Breeders ’ Cup Classic , the Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita and the $ 1 million TVG Pacific Classic .
“ The local economy requires farmers to produce hay and straw and buy grain and other feed , which supports the local community . An entire year has been invested from
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