Nick's Picks: Colonial Downs picks August 17, 2024 * The Racing Biz

Nick’s Picks: Colonial Downs picks August 17, 2024

Nick Hahn
August 17, 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: August 17, 2024/1:30
RACES: 9
CARRYOVERS: Picks 6, $12,240

RACE 1

Opening on the turf, a field of six routers include a Grade 3 contender, a Brazilian import and a filly seaking a Colonial three-peat.

6. For Flying	Motion’s Drosselmeyer filly was the runner up in the Grade 1 Diana, in Brazil! This year won a nice optional claimer at Delaware prior.
1. Loved Reiko	Beyers point to being the best here but hasn’t started in 10 months. If anywhere near being the same horse good enough to win.
2. Next Episode	Saville’s filly goes to for the Colonial Downs hat trick in a six-horse field. Perhaps tempting compared to a potential start at Laurel

RACE 2

Two-year-olds tackle a turf mile with five making their career debuts in an eight-horse field. Experience could matter here.

3. Ready for Peace	Karamanos gets the mount on a two-year-old More Than Ready colt for Ignacio Correas in a field where anything goes.
8. Meistersinger	Would expect Casse’s gelding to have the lead early one and be a threat if lonely on the lead.
5. Mr Miles	Thre breeding of some of the first times could surprise when lineage shows up on the turf course.

RACE 3

Don’t look for a recent win since somewhere around Valentine’s day as these fillies and mares look for love in this condition.

2. Macassa	Spending most of her career on synthetic, a new trainer tries turf, a new track, a new condition after a recent upswing.
5. Starry Hope	McGoey passed on running Friday to go here where firmer going could make a difference at this level in her 43rd start.
1. Cupids Dream	It was left between Cupids Dream and Love Unlimited to close out an affectionate trifecta for these heartbreakers since Valentine’s Day.

RACE 4

Of the ten two-year-old turf sprinters, Lightner’s Lazio has the best race so far but seven others make their debut.

7. Warheart	Most things being even here, it’s hard to go against jockey Ben Curtis emerging as the riding leader for Ross.
2. Global Phenom	Off a sharp work on the firt, Brion’s filly could generate another landmark win. Curlin bloodline helps.
6. City of Oscars	The best Tomlinson in the field is owned by Casse’s Oscar Performance colt. As competitive with anyone here.

RACE 5

Standing out in this field of non-winners of two claimers going 1 & 1/16th on the turf is Larry Rivelli’s first starter of the meet.

9. Big Big Star	Brion’s gelding had the lead a Saratoga but couldn’t finish. The Lemon Drop Kid line on turf is meaningful.
7. Mr Scatter	Now with a win on dirt, Correas’ gelding seeks one on turf where his bloodlines with may him competitive.
3. Border War	If Toner’s gelding comes close to running back to his winning Colonial effort in July, it should be enough to prevail.

RACE 6

Two nine-year-old, three eight-year-olds and three seven-year-olds have a tussle in a $10,000 claiming turf route.

3. Fatima’s Blessing	Made one win at Monmonth in 2024, out of several real chances in deep fields that should have produce others.
11. Grand Journey	Sharp win at Gulfstream demonstrates that Angel’s veteran is capable as he seems to win every two months when on the track.
5. Castagno	The seven-year-old gelding has had six different trainers in the last ten months yet somehow three wins.

NICK’S NOTES

Picks continue below.
Jockey Ben Curtis won three of the first four races on Friday’s night racing slate to comfort his riding title chances while Antonio Gallardo delivered two winners as the nine card card was completing. Those are familiar names at Colonial Downs this season.
The list of winning trainers on Friday evening included some veterans not necessarily new to Colonial Downs but not typical of who you might have seen in former eras. Keith Desormeaux (Curtis), Wayne Catalano (Curtis), Eddie Kennelly (Curtis), Jonathan Thomas (Vincent Cheminaud) and Mark Casse (Gallardo) all won races on Friday evening.
A local Virginia angle winner was the Morgan’s Ford homebred, Binnie, who won a Virginia-restricted allowance turf sprint off a closing bid in her first start in 2024 after finishing fourth in the Maryland Million Juvenile Fillies race in December of 2023. The three-year-old filly is trained by Brittany Russell who was in England watching the race sometime near midnight. When jockey Jevian Toledo led Binnie into the winner’s circle he wasn’t alone being joined by owners Wayne and Susie Chatfield-Taylor who found battling the Friday night traffic from Front Royal, Virginia rewarding.
Former Colonial jockey Stevica Djuric saddled Big Lick Farm’s, Cap’n Dusty in the sixth race Friday evening for trainer Sarah Nagle so that jockey Jorge Ruiz could deliver a patient ride to win another Virginia-restricted allowance, this time going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf. Djuric, who won most of his career starts at Colonial Downs saddles Locomotive in the finale Saturday evening, a first time starter in a maiden claiming race. Djuric’s only other starter of record was Bomboloni in July of 2022 who won and was claimed in his first start at Laurel Park. According to Djuric, Bomboloni is back in the Braeburn barn in Crozet, Virginia after being claimed back out of a race at Charles Town in February for Djuric to train. Bomboloni is expected to make his next start at Colonial Downs later in the meet.
A final congrats from Friday evening for trainer Angel Rodriquez, getting his first win of the meet with Jurassic Chick in the eighth race, a maiden claiming win in a turf sprint. It was the first win in the meet for Rodriquez who exercise rides personally many of the horses he trains.

RACE 7

A field of eight, where surface changes and class make pace analysis, class may be bigger in a turf sprint for maidens.

1. Agent Kelly	What Boniface likely realling wanted to see early in the meet was an honest try over the firm going. He should get that here.
8. Flat Cap	Despite that recent poor showings, don’t discount what Curtis could bring to McGoey’s gelding when on the turf.
4. Deniston	Brion’s first time starter seems to have nice bloodlines on both the Sire and Dam side.

RACE 8

This turf route for allowance horses shows how Beyers may lead you astray in lieu of trip and class handicapping.

2. Echo Lane	Critchon’s colt showed some winning ability at Gulfstream before competing in stakes company.
5. The Addison Pour	Russell’s Tonalist gelding has been consistent when on turf for the last fifteeen months or so.
4. Hot Blooded	Maker’s mature six-year-old may be running at the best of his career right now.

RACE 9

Stevica Djuric, as mentioned before, starts his second thoroughbred of his training career to threaten his 100% win rate.

7. No Cents Non Cents	One of two in for Godsey, the other a first timer. The other Godsey DQ’d to third in his last start but should winning potential.
11. Ben’s Hero	One of six in this field including No Cents Non Cents that battled three weeks ago at the same distance, track and class level.
4. Pretty Jimmy	Look for improvement from Cooney’s gelding as Curtis seems to be gaining command of the surfaces at Colonial Downs.