Edited Press Release

Last year’s champs seek to defend their crowns in three of four Virginia restricted stakes races Saturday at Colonial Downs.

Accounting for all legs of the All Stakes 50-cent Middle Pick 4, the stakes action begins in race 4 with the $125,000 Brookmeade for fillies and mares at 1-1/16 miles, followed by the Edward P. Evans at one mile. The final two legs include the $125,000 Punch Line and the $125,000 Tyson Gilpin/Glenn Petty, both at 5 1/2 furlongs with the latter of the pair restricted to fillies and mares. Post time for Saturday’s 11-race program is 1:35 p.m. ET.

In the Punch Line, Determined Stables and Kingdom Bloodstock’s Determined Kingdom returns to Colonial Downs on Saturday in search of his third straight triumph in the event. A field of seven Virginia-bred or -sired 3-year-olds and up enter the 5½-furlong turf sprint.

Having won each of the last two Punch Lines by over five lengths, Determined Kingdom appears poised to do equivalent damage. The 5-year-old turf sprint specialist trained by Phil Schoenthal exits an allowance win at Laurel Park. The classy son of Animal Kingdom debuted against local stakes company in 2021 before going on to win the Jamestown at second asking–the first of four stakes titles on his resume. Schoenthal calls Victor Carrasco to leg up on the 4-5 morning line favorite.

One of Determined Kingdom’s main rivals is Larry Johnson and Bruce Quade’s Embolden, also trained by Schonethal. The 7-year-old horse ran second to his stablemate in each of the last two editions. Made 5-2 in the morning line, Embolden draws post 6 and will be piloted by Mychel Sanchez.

In search of her third straight $125,000 Tyson Gilpin/Glenn Petty Stakes on Saturday, English Racing Stables’ Chambeau will square off against six foes, none hotter than Madison Avenue Racing Stable and Jagger’s Mystic Seaport. Written for Virginia-bred or -sired fillies and mares going 5½ furlongs on the Secretariat Turf Course, the Tyson Gilpin/Glenn Petty will conclude the All Stakes 50-cent Middle Pick 4.

Although Chambeau didn’t make her first start until her 5-year-old season, her debut was a winning effort, as she wired the field in the 2022 Tyson Gilpin/Glenn Petty. With the repeat in 2023 and a score in the Camptown Stakes, the now 7-year-old has won half of her 10 career starts. Previously trained by T.J. Aguierre, the Karakontie mare is now in the hands of conditioner Ferris Allen III. Chambeau’s one start with Allen came last November when she ran fourth at Laurel Park. Horacio Karamanos gets the call.

Since running fifth to Chambeau in the 2023 Tyson Gilpin/Glenn Petty, Mystic Seaport has won eight of 11 races. Claimed from Linda Albert for $16,000 in October, the 4-year-old Midshipman filly is now trained by Jamie Ness. In search of her first stakes score, Mystic Seaport was made 8-5 in the morning line and will be guided by Mychel Sanchez from the far outside post.

The Brookmeade will see a rematch of last year’s top two finishers as Susan Moulton’s Tufani will try to turn the tables on Country Life Farm’s Galilei. Two of the top turf routing Virginia-bred or -sired fillies and mares, they will face four other older distaffers going 1 1/16 miles over the Secretariat Turf Course.

In 2023’s edition of the Brookmeade, Tufani led through all calls but the one that matters most, as Galilei ran her down in the final stages. Since then, the Mike Stidham trainee has proven her class beating open company in the Pago Hop at Fair Grounds. The 4-year-old Distorted humor filly will be rejoined with jockey Ben Curtis and break from the rail.

Since her score in the 2023 Brookmeade, Galilei has not returned to the winner’s circle for trainer Mike Trombetta; nonetheless, the 5-year-old Lemon Drop Kid mare with two local wins at the Brookmeade distance remains dangerous. Trombetta will bring two to the Brookmeade party, as Galilei’s stablemate Continentalcongres enters off a gate-to-wire win at Laurel Park. The 5-year-old Constitution mare was made 3-2 in the morning line and attracts the services of Horacio Karamanos, who piloted Galilei to victory in the 2023 edition.

The Edward P. Evans is the only one of the stakes quartet without last year’s winner, though it does include Reiley McDonald’s Passion Play, winner of the 2021 Evans and last year’s runner-up. Four of the Mary Eppler trainee’s six wins have come across the local turf. Similar to his last three campaigns, the 8-year-old has been rested up to target the Colonial Downs meet, as the gelded son of Hold Me Back has not raced since winning September’s Bert Allen Stakes.

The favorite in the Evans Double B Racing Stables’ Repo Rocks, winner of the Westchester (G3) and the Toboggan (G3), both on the main track. Trained by Rick Dutrow Jr., Repo Rocks has never raced in his home state. The New York shipper’s running lines are populated with the likes of crème de la crème dirt runners Cody’s Wish, Zandon, and Life is Good. With more than $800,000 in career earnings, the 6-year-old gelded son of Tapiture will be running for his 10th win. Ruben Silvera, aboard for Repo Rock’s score in the Westchester (G3) last spring, gets the call.

The bad news for Repo Rocks: he is winless in three tries on the turf.

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