Virginia Certification at Big Lick Virginia

Certifying & Foaling in Virginia

Virginia certification requires a horse to spend 6 months in Virginia prior to December 31 of its 2-year-old year. The benefits are significant – up to a 25% win bonus during the Colonial meet in open races and the same bonus for wins elsewhere in the Midatlantic (MD, DE, NJ, NY, PA) when Colonial is dark. Virginia-certified horses also qualify for conditions and restricted stakes races at Colonial.

Virginia-breds enjoy an even greater bounty. Virginia-breds require that the mare be in residence by September 1 and foal in Virginia. The breeders of Virginia-breds enjoy up to a $25,000 bonus for first, second or third place finishes year round, anywhere in North America. Developers of a Virginia-bred (meaning whoever owned the horse during its first start) receive up to a 25% win bonus as do owners.

Reasons to Certify Horses & Board Broodmares at Big Lick Virginia

Horses residing at Big Lick get premier care. At our 95 acre farm just west of Charlottesville, we have 3 full time staff year-round (and more during the summer). That includes a farm manager who’s been with Big Lick for 30 years, a stable manager who resides on property and oversees care for all the horses on property, and an assistant who’s been with Big Lick for ten years, first in Florida and now in Virginia.
Big Lick Virginia has 15 lush grassy paddocks of varying sizes from ¼ acre to 20 acres, all with 3 or 4-board fencing, automatic waterers and run-in sheds in every paddock.
Mares foaling at Big Lick Virginia are transported to one of several nearby farms (of the mare owner’s choice) that specialize in foaling out.
All horses are fed and checked twice a day and brought in at least once a week to spend time in stall while being groomed, inspected and handled.

To learn more contact Sarah Nagle at 434-381-1079.

I Feel Lucky

A 2yo Florida-bred, I Feel Lucky won the $118,000 Hickory Tree Stakes for Virginia-bred or Virginia-restricted horses at Colonial Downs on Sunday, August 2, 2025, coming from last at the top of the stretch. Owned and trained by Mary Lightner, I Feel Lucky was Virginia Certified at Big Lick Farm in Virginia and trained at Big Lick’s Oak Ridge Training Center.