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VI’s champion race horse Actspectation is dead

- Legendary speed horse has the most wins in the Greater Virgin Islands & won 5 Chief Minister’s Cups
Actspectation, seen here on an exhibition run at Ellis Thomas Downs on December 26, 2012. Photo: VINO/File
Actspectation in 2009. Photo: Andre 'Shadow' Dawson/File
Actspectation in 2009. Photo: Andre 'Shadow' Dawson/File
Owner of Actspectation Violet ‘Letty’ Hodge confirmed the death of the legendary horse to this news site today, September 22, 2015. Photo: VINO/File.
Owner of Actspectation Violet ‘Letty’ Hodge confirmed the death of the legendary horse to this news site today, September 22, 2015. Photo: VINO/File.
Actspectation dominated horse racing in the Greater Virgin Islands over a decade ago. Photo: Andre 'Shadow' Dawson
Actspectation dominated horse racing in the Greater Virgin Islands over a decade ago. Photo: Andre 'Shadow' Dawson
SEA COWS BAY, Tortola, VI- One of the most successful and celebrated horses in the Virgin Islands, Actspectation has died.

Virgin Islands News Online was informed that the retired champion horse that generated Virgin Islands pride from 2001 to 2005 was euthanised today, September 22, 2015.

Owner of Actspectation Violet ‘Letty’ Hodge confirmed the death of the legendary horse to this news site.

“This morning we had to put him down. It was his age. I guess it was his time to go,” she said.

“He wasn’t looking too good for the past couple of days and then I didn’t know whether he was in pain or anything so I had a vet come in this morning to check and she was trying different things and she [the vet] said that she thought it was time. So I went along with her,” said Hodge.

19 straight wins for Actspectation still stands as a record

“I am so heartbroken. What can I say…Actspectation put the BVI on the map when it came to horseracing and he continued with 19 straight wins and five Chief Ministers Cups. Those are records that won’t be broken anytime soon,” said Hodge.

Actspectation, fondly called ‘Act’, officially ended his 40-race career at the then Little "A" Racetrack in Sea Cows Bay in December 2005 with a three-length victory over Sprint Yack in a seven furlong $4,000 sprint.

The race card was appropriately dubbed, "Farewell to a champion, the true Virgin Islands Champion".

The champion horse would return to the track, however, and was retired again in 2007 and finally in 2009.

Actspectation was brought to the Virgin Islands by L&B Stables from Miami in 2000 and won his first race on December 26, 2001.

Following his 19-race winning streak, Act was honored with a VI postage stamp and was featured on a CCT Global Communications $20 phone card.

The famous 'Act' was never put to pasture and was often paraded at various race meets much to the delight of racing fans who were very familiar with 'Act’s' accomplishments and the joy that he brought to Virgin Islands horse racing over a decade ago.

19 Responses to “VI’s champion race horse Actspectation is dead”

  • OJ (22/09/2015, 17:59) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
    wow I guess like human animals do die also and the shock is no less. he was the Greatest Horse in the VI.. Wow Two of our greatest have pass.
  • ccc (22/09/2015, 18:14) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    So sad!
  • horse fan (22/09/2015, 18:41) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    Act the legend, the best race horse to ever ran in the Virgin Islands. Going 19 straight victories, he brought out ppl from all walks of life to Little A Race Track now the Ellis Thomas Downs, Tortola. He did the same thing @ Clinton Phipps Park, St. Thomas and Randall "Doc" James Racetrack on St. Croix, he made us proud. Those were the great days of horseracing in the VI. Act was a Galiant Soldier who defended his country. To Letty and Bob and your team u did a great job in taking care of him, he lived life to the fullest, he was the fittest horse I know off. I'm deeply saddened to hear of his passing. I know u would have done whatever it took to save him, like President Obama said to the world on the passing of Nelson Mandela he was with us and has gone on he now belong to the ages. I say Actspectation now belong to the ages. Stay strong and God Bless you all.
  • ...... (22/09/2015, 19:26) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Rest in peace, ACT. You were the greatest in the entire Virgin Islands.
  • just asking... (22/09/2015, 19:39) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    No funeral service?
    • Act (22/09/2015, 21:14) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      Obviously you are not a true virgin islander. For when act dominated the sport he was a symbol of BVI pride when he took the track the USVI was forced to see that Tortola can be better over them.

      Even in softball they would make stupid comments that Tortola man can only pitch when in fact we would go down there and beat them and our players went down there and made their league a success.

      But act was the symbol of dominance and BVI pride even people who did not like horse racing cheered for him. He is gone but like alot of our great heroes should not be forgotten. There needs to be a statue of him by the entrance of the track. But sadly we here dont like to honor true heroes.
    • @ just asking.... (22/09/2015, 21:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      why don't you host one boss?
  • You.www.com (22/09/2015, 23:14) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    rest in peace Act. Also really uptown the greatest of all we miss you all.....jah bless
  • condolences from rock city (22/09/2015, 23:26) Like (0) Dislike (3) Reply
    PRIMERICA is who killed ACT years ago. He was strained!
    • Yes (23/09/2015, 08:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Go and come again!!! Do you remember how many ACT strained? When you get the count come and write again rock city....
    • .... (23/09/2015, 11:47) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      Funny Rock City. Still was the Champ in the hearts of many though. Rented horses don't count..
  • Black Silk (22/09/2015, 23:33) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    i bet the photo minister done told SB to have a press release on this..old media hungry DO IT NOW
  • gamblers (23/09/2015, 00:09) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    ACTSPECTATION made us money.
  • dog (23/09/2015, 00:19) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Isn't this the second successful horse past his prime that has been put down by their owner? I question the pattern of solution. It is a business so I guess if they are not performing for a return it is cheaper to put them down. I can't help but think another alternative is possible.
  • Fairwell Act (23/09/2015, 01:47) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    I had seen him race before about 5 times before he faced Timber Yield. Timber Yield was a big beautiful horse. Made Act look like a colt. Seeing them together you could not believe that Act had a chance. They went around once, neck and neck and then on that corner of the back stretch, Act slipped into turbo drive and that was that. I knew I had seen greatness. Truth be told, the greatness was not only the horse but at the time, his owners. If that horse had other owners, he would have never won that many races. His owners would have succombed to "throwing" races. Because they did not, we have the legacy of the greatest race horse the Virgin Islands has ever seen.(My opinion after seen 16 of those 19 wins.) Whatever you want to say about Bob and Letty, you have to give them this Jacket. What a ting if he could have only made little Actspectations. That's another thing, other owners would have put him down a long time ago. "A gilding that I can't make any more money on." Congratulation to all those that aided in cementing a legacy that we will be telling our great great grandchildren about. "It had a speed demon them called, Actspectation......."
  • My boy (23/09/2015, 08:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I will miss seeing him coming out ach race day on exhibition
  • Sad News (23/09/2015, 11:57) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    My first horse race was when he and He's a cateye were competing against each other, What a horse. He will truly be missed. R.I.P. Actspectation
  • a Big Actspectation Fan (26/09/2015, 13:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I will miss seeing him blow out any other horse from 5-6-7-8 Horse lengths going,
    Act was my favorite . He was the demon from L & B stables. No other horse could match up with '
    Him . We love you act RIP......
  • Allenwood (23/01/2016, 00:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
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