I thoroughly enjoyed covering the Colonial Turf Cup for Horse Racing Nation. The Colonial Downs staff was very accommodating and I would like to thank them for making our day a memorable experience. Horse racing is supposed to be fun and we had a blast on Saturday. It also didn’t hurt that we made a few dollars, and to that end here are my full card highlights…

CNL 6 Day Flight/Imponente Purse Exacta ($101.40)

CNL 7 Rockin Joe (best bet #1, $6.60), Exacta ($27.60), Trifecta ($66.40)

CNL 11 Hawser ($7.80), Exacta ($49.40)

Double (race 11-12, $15.80)

Pick 3 (10-12, $43.40)

All Along Stakes winner Shared Account - photo by Stacy Edwards

Stakes Recap

Buckland Stakes – Lady Rizzi sat a decent outside tactical trip and gradually wore down Libor Lady. Alan Garcia rode the winner for Linda Rice. If Not For Lust rallied to miss by a head at 23-1 and aforementioned fav Libor Lady was another length back in 3rd.

Grade 3 All Along - We ran into Darrell Wood from the Media Department and he escorted us to the turf course to watch this Graded fair. From our ringside seats we got to see Edgar Prado give Shared Account a smart ride in a stalk and pounce one-length victory over a rallying Dynaslew. Tizaqueena carved out the splits and dead-heated for the show with Casablanca Smile. In my video recap I said Kent D rode Shared Account…sorry about that Edgar! Congrats to winning trainer Graham Motion.

Grade 2 Colonial Turf Cup – Once again we got an up close and personal view from the infield and my Monmouth buddy Two Notch Road took the early initiative with Workin For Hops in hot pursuit. Decisive winner Paddy O’Prado was always traveling well under Kent D (got it right this time, lol) and once he tipped off the rail the race was over in a blink. The Kentucky Derby show finisher was three-lengths to the good at the wire with Workin For Hops passing Two Notch Road for the place. The winning Dale Romans trainee is expected to return to Colonial Downs in July for the Virginia Derby.

That’s a wrap from Colonial Downs. My next scheduled live assignment for Horse Racing Nation is the Grade 2 $750,000 Delaware Handicap from Delaware Park. Wouldn’t you know that the Grade 2 Virginia Derby is scheduled for the same day. Can’t be in two places at once!

2010 Colonial Turf Cup - photo by Stacy Edwards