Nick's Picks: Colonial Downs picks July 27, 2024 * The Racing Biz

Nick’s Picks: Colonial Downs picks July 27, 2024

Nick Hahn
July 27, 2024

He’s probably the only public handicapper who’s ‘capped every race at Colonial Downs since Day One, and he’s back for more in 2024: Nick’s Picks returns with picks and analysis for every day of the Colonial meet.

DATE/POST TIME: July 27/1:30
RACES: 9
CARRYOVERS: None

RACE 1

Opening with starter/optional claimers in a turf route led by Colonial winner Wicked Finn and Colonial challenger Bail Out.

5. Wicked Finn	Curtis climbs aboard a son of Wicked Strong that chased stakes company after winning at Colonial last summer.
4. Runaway Harry	Heavy Tomlinson rating suggests transition to turf shouldn’t be an issue for Presque Isle acer of late.
2. Skipperini	Back-to-back wins before being competitive in allowance company for Skipperini, having a solid 2024.

RACE 2

In a turf route, the field is so varied that among these claiming veterans, there has been no head-to-head, except Colonial last summer.

6. Sandpiper Memories	Sharp Beyer in last race and now is coming back to the turf off the claim where she has seen much of her success.
4. Aziza	Aziza had it going well before a couple of softer ground starts seemed to set her back. Makes her 2024 debut.
7. Clouds of White	A few starts in tougher company after a claiming win, Trombetta and Johnson come back to a turf route.

RACE 3

Another field with varied backgrounds but on the dirt; there will be plenty of front-end speed where winners have come from.

7. Classic Diva	Without a true closer in the field and the bias, looking for one to emerge and hold on, like Woodberry Payne’s new pupil.
6. Photo Finish	Out of the Penn Oaks and into a “non-winners of three,” looks a little suspicious but ran pretty well and fast prior.
8. Corinth	Munoz, a co-leader at the beginning of the week in the trainer standings, wins on the dirt so can’t dismiss totally.

RACE 4

A two-year-old field of ten maidens on the dirt…at Colonial? Only two here have starts but good starts.

10. Say You Love Me	Trombetta’s gray had solid works at Laurel before the tune-up. Second and third work back are more vital than the last one.
2. Suzies Pride	Longshot Leanne saddles back quickly after Suzie made nice debut at Colonial July 19, when Hester also logged first win of the meet.
7. Magic Mark	Munoz, referred to early as the dirt master at Colonial, starts a Bernardini-sired filly out of Keeneland’s fall yearling sale.

RACE 5

Third straight dirt races at Colonial, this time with nine three-year-olds going seven furlongs. Unlike earlier, this field has closers.

3. Think Big	Starting slow in a muddy debut at Churchill, look for Stidham’s Twirling Candy filly to get going better.
1. D’oro Unbridled	Correas’ colt also looking for better start off a Churchill start and comes off a layout loaded with solid morning works.
5. Street Earnings	Casse’s Street Boss gelding is the other hard-closing prospect that has produced a 70+ Beyer, one of three in the field.

RACE 6

Back to the turf for a mile is a field of eight “non-winners other than” where each horse started at a different track in their last race.

1. Eastern Empress	Improving with each US start after racing in England, Clement’s filly delivered a Monmouth maiden-breaking win in June.
2. Kara and Colleen	Coming off numerous tries on the synthetic to win on the dirt, Correas tries the mile on the turf and may find the lead.
4. Union Suit	Motion took over the training reins and wants to find a different surface and distance that works; trust his instincts.

NICK’S NOTES

Picks continue below.
Earlier in the meet, trainer Mary Eppler won a race, giving her the distinction of winning one in the current meet as well as one on grand opening day in 1997. On Friday, trainer Gary Williams duplicated that feat, sending out Band Leader to rally outside on the turf to win the third, a maiden claimer. Antonio Gallardo delivered the winner. On September 1, 1997, Williams sent out Hagley’s Hero with Carol Rice aboard to win the fourth race on Colonial’s opener.
In the title chases, Ben Curtis, coming off a three-win day on Thursday, leads for the riding title with eight wins followed by Trevor McCarthy (6) and then Horacio Karamanos, Mychel Sanchez, and Jevian Toledo with five apiece. Among the trainers Brittany Russell is on top with six wins ahead of Michael Trombetta, Michael Stidham and Carlos Munoz all tied for second with four wins each. Russell is 6-for-13.

RACE 7

Front Run the Fed has traveled the racetrack nation since winning the Van Clief last year and goes for the Colonial hat trick.

7. Ambivalent	Just ahead of Front Run the Fed was Ambivalent at Churchill in a race won by Just Might, another Colonial acer.
4. Alogon	There are several easy ways to overlook Allard’s Alogon who finished second to Nobals in last year’s Da Hoss at Colonial.
6. Remuda	Russell reunited with his winning mount last summer at Laurel, his debut in a turf sprint. Now debuts at Colonial.

RACE 8

In this turf sprint field of eight, the speed nearly flows from the rail to outer gate, and there should be enough inside.

5. Bouncer	With frontrunners on the inside and closers to the outside, the best angle may be a stalker in the middle trained by Casse.
8. Judge Davis	Shug’s gelding hasn’t taken full advantage of quick early paces recently but is getting better at it.
6. Maya Prince	Half of the wins in Maya Prince’s career came at Colonial, half of his starts everywhere else wind up in the money.

RACE 9

Many turf sprinters here had a tough go in their next start after collecting their maiden wins, not many maidens repeat.

6. Oishi	Beyers support Oishi’s recent solid efforts in stakes company, at least over many here.
8. St James the Great	Just before Colonial’s meet started, Sheldon moved up after the wacky start in the Kent put him in a pinch.
4. The Process	DeVaux’s More Than Ready colt battled in allowance company in last start, a neck away from a win.