Speed proved deadly in a pair of dirt stakes for sophomores Sunday at Colonial Downs on the Arlington Million undercard.

Neither Carmelina, in the seven-furlong Penny Chenery for fillies, nor Regalo, in the one-mile Petramalo Mile, saw another horse’s hind end at any point en route to their victories. Regalo, in his first start since being gelded, dueled early and late before prevailing by a nose over Awesome Ruta to win in 1:33.71 – one hundredth of a second off the track record.

One race later, Carmelina made the front and kept on trucking, winning by a neck in 1:21.09 for seven-eighths. That was .22 seconds shy of the track record.

“Watching the track so far today, this track has been lightning fast,” said Carmelina’s trainer, Butch Reid. “I told [jockey Mychel Sanchez] to get her forwardly placed, and when she outbroke [Cap Classique], who I thought was the other speed in the race, Mikey did the right thing and went on with her.”

Carmelina, a three-year-old, Pennsylvania-bred Maximus Mischief filly owned by Cash Is King and LC Racing, now has five wins from a dozen starts, and the winner’s share pushed her earnings to more than $340,000.

Carmelina paid $4.80 to win and topped an exacta, with 3-1 Cap Classique, that returned $7.20 for a one-dollar wager.

Regalo, trained by Brittany Russell for Goodfellas LLC, flashed enough talent early on that Russell sent him to the Jerome this past January. But he ran poorly there and then in the Miracle Wood at Laurel Park, and that led to his being gelded and a little vacation.

Also by Maximus Mischief, he won the Petramalo Mile in a stunner by a nose, with favored Hades running third. Regalo returned his backers $36.60 and topped an exacta that returned $109.90 for a dollar.

He now has three wins from six starts and earnings just shy of $150,000.

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