Virgil W. Raines
Encyclopedia
Virgil W. Raines was an American
Thoroughbred
racehorse trainer
.
Known as "Buddy" Raines, in the 1930s he began working as a stable hand and became an exercise rider, notably for the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
colt Cavalcade
. He went on to condition racehorses for 65 years, working primarily on the U.S. East Coast
and was a regular at Delaware Park and Monmouth Park Racetrack
s.
Buddy Raines met with his greatest success training horses for Donald Ross's Brandywine Stable. He had great success with Cochise, winning several important races between 1949 and 1951, including the Massachusetts
and Arlington Handicap
s and the Saratoga Cup
and set or equaled track records at Suffolk Downs
and Delaware Park.
In July 1950, with the colt Greek Song, Raines won the Arlington Classic
, a race that at the time was one of the most important in America. As a stallion, Greek Song was mated to the mare Lucy Lufton, a granddaughter of the great sire Nearco
. Their union produced Greek Money
who would give Buddy Raines his most important win in 1962 when the chestnut
colt won a U.S. Triple Crown race, the Preakness Stakes
.
In 1966, Raines conditioned Open Fire
to a champion season. The daughter of Brandywine Stable's Cochise, Open Fire won the Delaware Handicap
, the Spinster Stakes as well as the Diana Handicap
en route to being voted Co-U.S. Champion Older Mare.
On a personal basis, Buddy Raines played a major role in the rearing of his grandsons John and Mike Luzzi
who both became jockey
s. One of the family's great memories came in 1991 when the eighty-year-old Raines saddled Timely Warning and watched as grandson Mike Luzzi won the Maryland Million Classic
and the Brooklyn Handicap
.
In 1996 Monmouth Park began awarding the Virgil W. Raines Distinguished Achievement Award
which honors an owner or trainer who has shown a dedication to the sport of Thoroughbred racing through exemplary conduct demonstrating professionalism and integrity. http://www.monmouthpark.com/uploadedFiles/Raines.pdf
Buddy Raines was residing in Aiken, South Carolina
at the time of his death in 2000. He was nominated for induction in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
in 2006. In 2008, Raines was inducted postmumously in the Delaware Park Wall of Fame.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
.
Known as "Buddy" Raines, in the 1930s he began working as a stable hand and became an exercise rider, notably for the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
colt Cavalcade
Cavalcade (horse)
Cavalcade was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse.In the early 1930s, Bob Smith, a trainer with a history of spotting talent, had been hired by heiress Isabel Dodge Sloane to stock her newly formed Brookmeade Stable. A descendant of the 1893 English Triple Crown champion...
. He went on to condition racehorses for 65 years, working primarily on the U.S. East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
and was a regular at Delaware Park and Monmouth Park Racetrack
Monmouth Park Racetrack
Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.Monmouth Park's marquee event...
s.
Buddy Raines met with his greatest success training horses for Donald Ross's Brandywine Stable. He had great success with Cochise, winning several important races between 1949 and 1951, including the Massachusetts
Massachusetts Handicap
The Massachusetts Handicap, frequently referred to as the "MassCap", is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up held annually at Suffolk Downs in Boston, Massachusetts. It is currently an Ungraded stakes race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt. The race received...
and Arlington Handicap
Arlington Handicap
The Arlington Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1929 at Arlington Park racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. Open to 3-Year-Olds & Up, it is currently a Grade III stakes run in July at a distance of 1¼ miles on turf...
s and the Saratoga Cup
Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap
The Saratoga Breeders’ Cup Handicap was, until it was discontinued in 2005, a Thoroughbred race for horses three-years-old and up run at Saratoga Race Course...
and set or equaled track records at Suffolk Downs
Suffolk Downs
Suffolk Downs, a thoroughbred race track in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States opened in 1935. Famous horses that have raced at this track include Seabiscuit, Whirlaway, Funny Cide and Cigar. The MassCap is held there, as well at the annual Hot Dog Safari...
and Delaware Park.
In July 1950, with the colt Greek Song, Raines won the Arlington Classic
Arlington Classic
The Arlington Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-old horses held annually at the end of June at Arlington Park race track near Chicago, Illinois...
, a race that at the time was one of the most important in America. As a stallion, Greek Song was mated to the mare Lucy Lufton, a granddaughter of the great sire Nearco
Nearco
Nearco was an Italian bred Thoroughbred racehorse described by Thoroughbred Heritage as "one of the greatest racehorses of the Twentieth Century" and "one of the most important sires of the century." He was not only unbeaten, winning 14 races at distances from 5 furlongs to 1 mile 7 furlongs ,...
. Their union produced Greek Money
Greek Money
Greek Money was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series, the Preakness Stakes. Out of the English mare, Lucy Lufton, he was sired by Greek Song whose wins included the 1950 Arlington Classic...
who would give Buddy Raines his most important win in 1962 when the chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
colt won a U.S. Triple Crown race, the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
.
In 1966, Raines conditioned Open Fire
Open Fire (horse)
Open Fire was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. Her sire was Brandywine Stable's multiple stakes winner Cochise, and her grandsire was the winner of the 1936 British Classic, the St. Leger Stakes...
to a champion season. The daughter of Brandywine Stable's Cochise, Open Fire won the Delaware Handicap
Delaware Handicap
The Delaware Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid July at Delaware Park Racetrack in Wilmington, Delaware. The Grade II race is open to filles and mares, age three and up, willing to race one and one-quarter miles on the dirt....
, the Spinster Stakes as well as the Diana Handicap
Diana Handicap
The Diana Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race. Named for the mythological goddess Diana, the race is run each year at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Inaugurated in 1939, it is open to fillies and mares age three and up willing to race the one and one-eighth miles on...
en route to being voted Co-U.S. Champion Older Mare.
On a personal basis, Buddy Raines played a major role in the rearing of his grandsons John and Mike Luzzi
Mike Luzzi
Michael Jude Luzzi is an American jockey. He grew up near Delaware Park Racetrack where his grandfather, trainer Buddy Raines, had a major role in raising him and his brother John who also became a jockey...
who both became jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
s. One of the family's great memories came in 1991 when the eighty-year-old Raines saddled Timely Warning and watched as grandson Mike Luzzi won the Maryland Million Classic
Maryland Million Classic
Maryland Million Classic is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in October since 1986 primarily at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland or at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. To be eligible for the Maryland Million Classic, a horse must be sired by a stallion who stands in...
and the Brooklyn Handicap
Brooklyn Handicap
The Brooklyn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Long Island. It currently is a Grade II event open to three-year-olds and up willing to race one and one-half miles on dirt....
.
In 1996 Monmouth Park began awarding the Virgil W. Raines Distinguished Achievement Award
Virgil W. Raines Distinguished Achievement Award
The Virgil "Buddy" Raines Distinguished Achievement Award was established in 1996 by Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey in honor of the trainer, Virgil W. Raines...
which honors an owner or trainer who has shown a dedication to the sport of Thoroughbred racing through exemplary conduct demonstrating professionalism and integrity. http://www.monmouthpark.com/uploadedFiles/Raines.pdf
Buddy Raines was residing in Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South...
at the time of his death in 2000. He was nominated for induction in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
in 2006. In 2008, Raines was inducted postmumously in the Delaware Park Wall of Fame.