Nick's Picks: Colonial Downs picks August 23, 2024 * The Racing Biz

Nick’s Picks: Colonial Downs picks August 23, 2024

Nick Hahn
August 23, 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 23/4:40 p.m.
RACES: 9
CARRYOVERS: Pick 6, $680

RACE 1

Short but tough field of two-year-old fillies to start the day on dirt, three starting their careers, with Susan Cooney having entered two.

5. Thousand and Won	Curtis appears to have choice of mounts and takes first-timer over one he rode with a poor result yet solid in the mornings.
4. Tierra Santa	Very winnable race for well-bred Williams filly placing Gallardo aboard a first-time starter. Like the Improbable lineage.
2. Oliviera	Maybe the best bred filly in the field if you like to skip a generation back to Uncle Mo and Yonaguska for Schoenthal.

RACE 2

Ness and Munoz both start a pair to complete the double on the dirt, here at a mile. These are popular veterans claimed often.

3. Goodluckchuck	The turf didn’t work out for “Chuck” so after claiming, McGoey returns to dirt and legs up Karamanos aboard a veteran that often runs well.
4. Zoomer	Hate to look past the Curlin bloodline of Ness’s eight-year-old veteran making his 57th start after being claimed twice just outside a year.
5. Bruce Banner	Campbell starts a five-year-old, one of the younger horses in the field, also after a discouraging turf try. Once a $230,000 purchase.

RACE 3

This field of nine claimers sprinting on the turf has three difficult to separate, especially in that they have two Colonial wins each.

3. Slippin Jimmy	Perhaps with a faster start, McCutchen’s veteran can turn the tables on Backwoods Boogie, though seeing yet again a new jockey.
8. My Boy Blue	Brion’s new gray veteran has a bit of a class edge, and though distance may be backwards recently, has two Colonial sprint wins in 2023.
9. Backwoods Boogie	Eppler found the turf sprint earlier in the meet rewarding and her gelding is fresher than his foe, Slipping Jimmy.

RACE 4

Virginia restricted maidens go a mile on the turf, nearly all having a look at Colonial with encouraging performances.

7. Arctic Outbreak	Lawrence’s colt gained in the late stages of his debut at Colonial earlier this month and moves up to MSW even though Virginia-restricted.
5. Runner Eyes	Casse’s $300,000 Gun Runner colt, one of the few in the field without a start, draws Sanchez to ride. One to view before the race.
2. Buy Tom a Beer	Werneth’s gelding has seen both yeilding and firm turf at Colonial and has run well on both. Moving to a mile makes him look better.

RACE 5

Godsey draws on the rail and side by side in a Virginia restricted turf sprint; considering pace, may have wished they switched places.

1. Rennie	The recent closing efforts of Rennie always make him a threat, battling an emerging Lothario, also in this race.
6. Lothario	Nagle being choosy in her placements is 2-for-4 in the meet and gets a rematch with Rennie and drops a little in class.
5. Band Leader	Williams’ winner from earlier in the meet can’t be dismissed off a maiden score in his 2024 debut. His six career races have been at CNL.

RACE 6

In a turf sprint, there are many threats to DeVaux’s gelding but none with the consistency. Five in the field won their last start.

9. Zartownis	DeVaux’s gelding came up less than a stride short on opening at this level. Hasn’t finished out of the money in four starts this year.
2. Happy Jaunt	Welcome back, Donald Barr! His three-year-old is solid when on the turf. Barr started his training career in 1979.
7. Coast Along	It took a while for Shug’s gelding to break his maiden but did so impressively with the Beyers and the frontrunning margin of victory.

NICK’S NOTES

Picks continue below.
Former major leaguer and current Thoroughbred horse owner Jayson Werth has morning line favorite Dornoch (5-2) in Saturday’s Travers Stakes at Saratoga, a race that could decide the three-year-old champion. However, the World Series ring holder will have an eye on Colonial Downs early in the day on Saturday (around 2:00 EDT) when his Two Eight Racing LLC, along with co-owner West Paces Racing, LLC, starts Capo Donna in the second race at Colonial, a $40,000 maiden claiming turf race going a mile and a sixteenth. Sheldon Russell gets the mount for trainer Raymond Handal. It will be the first start of the meet for both Werth and Handal. Capo Donna is 5-2 on the morning line.
Nicks Picks went five-for-nine on top winners on Thursday marking the seventh out of the last eight racing days with a net positive at the window on top winners. The selections are also paying out at the window. Sometimes it’s not only the right horse but also right bet, and this sport is absolutely wonderful when both are occurring.
On the leaderboards, Ben Curtis with another good week leads all jockeys with 18 wins on the meet, three ahead of Antonio Gallardo with 15. The training title is much closer, with Michael Trombetta taking his turn atop the trainer standings with 10 wins, followed ONE behind by Brittany Russell and Michael Stidham. All have had their turn on top of the trainer standings.

RACE 7

Maiden claimers on the turf go a mile and a sixteenth here, nearly all with different jockeys and three with different trainers.

3. Union Bulldog	In a race largely void of pace, Curtis takes over with a new Stidham trainee, who should be forwardly placed and close.
5. Hallelujah Harris	Maybe the best chance to run with Union Bulldog, but how long can this Texas Red colt match strides?
1. Master Munnings	If Trombetta’s gelding can get the distance, similar to his mile attempt, he could be a spoiler.

RACE 8

Ten claimers go a mile on the turf all nonwinners of three, where and how they got their wins are important.

5. Quokka	In deep turf in a deep field, Quokka delivered as a favorite for Jordan Blair and has some back class.
8. Northern Tick Tock	Won here in ’23; recent tries came versus Laurel allowance rivals
6. Capturethelaughter	May be able to steal the pace on the front end but Mountaineer shippers historically don’t do well at Colonial.

RACE 9

The finale may be top heavy with Tomlinson’s class dropper off the layoff but with previous Beyers that stand out.

3. Pinfire	A respectable effort in his recent start on dirt, but also shows some turf ability in late 2023 season turf efforts at Churchill.
6. Rye Diggitydog	McMahon’s gelding has two solid 2024 starts, including a win, and picks up Karamanos. Tomlinson figure figures significant.
7. Paynted Blue	From the synthetic to turf for Granger’s Paynter sired gelding, picking up Gallardo. Battles Rye Diggitydog for the lead.