Trainer Mike Trombetta and owner Larry Johnson scored the natural double on Commonwealth Champions Day at Colonial Downs, as Hollywood Walk grabbed her first stakes score in the $150,000 Camptown and Sky’s Not Falling took the $150,000 Bert Allen Handicap.
The connections were a nose away from a third score, as the filly Sail Theseven Seas finished second to War Humor in the $125,000 Jamestown, the opening handicap of five for Virginia-bred, -sired and -certified horses. The Camptown, Bert Allen, $150,000 Meadow Stable and $150,000 Nellie Mae Cox brought together Thoroughbreds from all three categories; the Jamestown, Virginia-bred and -sired 2-year-olds.
“You hope to have a day like this,” Johnson said. “You look at the form and you think ‘we could win a few races.’ It doesn’t always turn out that way. The 2-year-old (Sail Theseven Seas), it was her first time on the grass. She was a little green into the stretch and it cost her. The other two (Hollywood Walk and Sky’s Not Falling) ran terrific. They’re all doing really well. I’ve had 10 or 11 seconds this meet, so it’s nice to get a couple firsts.”
Rallying up the rail down the stretch, Hollywood Walk seized the lead with a furlong to go and had just enough left in the tanks to win the 5½-furlong Camptown Handicap by a neck over Mystic Seaport. The 5 year-old Animal Kingdom mare was piloted by Horacio Karamanos.
“I was stuck for a moment in the middle of the turn waiting for someone to move,” Karamanos said. “I saw a hole split to get out, then dropped back inside. It was a perfect trip. I got lucky but it turned out to be a good decision to wait.”
“Karamanos, he likes to win,” Johnson said. “He made a difference in that race. I thought she was going to get stuck, but he dives down to the rail and wins the race. We’ve been trying to get a stake win for her. She’s a half to Mindframe. She’s a really nice filly and just tries every time.”
Larry Johnson and R.D.M. Racing Stable’s Sky’s Not Falling seized command early and ran away from the field late to take the 1 1/16 miles Bert Allen Handicap by three lengths in gate-to-wire fashion. Piloted by Antonio Gallardo, the 6-year-old gelded son of Seville (Ger) was sent off as the 8-5 favorite.
“I saw today there was no speed in the race,” Gallardo said. “Whatever is for free is for free. I didn’t want to rush him but he broke sharp, felt comfortable on the lead, nice and relaxed, and I think that’s why he finished strong.”
In the 5 ½ – furlong Jamestown Stakes, Eric Rizer’s maiden War Humor ran down Virginia Fitz and survived a photo finish over the lone filly Sail Theseven Seas to win by a nose.
Trained by Ollie Figgins and piloted by Forest Boyce, the son of Mosler was sent off at 13-1.
“He’s just improved every race, just figuring out how to run, to be honest,” Figgins said. “Honestly I think the horses he ran against are pretty legit horses. Most likely the Maryland Million (will be next for him), he’s Maryland sired.”
“I thought he ran great,” Boyce said. “Ollie does an incredible job. I thought we were sitting a great trip. He finished strong. Luckily we held on. I realized after the wire (Sail Theseven Seas was coming late). I didn’t think they were getting there. She must have been closing pretty strong.”
WInning her second stake of the 2024 meet, Susan Moulton’s Tufani sat a perfect pocket trip and tipped out in the stretch to score in the Nellie Mae Cox Handicap by two lengths. Earlier in the meet, Tufani took the Brookmeade in a similar dominant fashion.
In the familiar hands of Ben Curtis, the Mike Stidham trainee was sent off as the 3-5 favorite.
“She’s really matured and blossomed since her winter at Fair Grounds,” Curtis said. “She’s very professional and easy to ride. Before we wouldn’t dream to put her up behind the speed. On paper there wasn’t any speed. The way it transpired, they walked the dog on the lead there. It just shows how good she is that she was able to overcome it. Another step forward, another nice prize for the owner, so a good day all around.”
Repeating in the 5½-furlong Meadow Stable Handicap, Determined Stables and Kingdom Bloodstock’s Determined Kingdom fought off Whenigettoheaven to win by ¾-lengths. Along with the Punch Line, the Phil Schoenthal trainee racked up two local stakes, both for the second time.
Determined Kingdom also finished an impressive third against open company in the Van Clief with Victor Carrasco in the irons for all three local stakes.
“He’s a great horse and he has proven that he can run against anybody,” Carrasco said. “I want to thank Phil (Schoenthal) for trusting me and giving very clear instructions. He said ‘whatever you do, just make sure you don’t get boxed in.’ Determined Kingdom came out of there running. I tried my best to stay outside to make sure (Whenigettoheaven) either had to use too much trying to get in front of me or he
had to drop in behind me. It worked out.”
New Kent County Virginia Derby Day is Saturday, September 7, which will be the closing day of the 2024 Colonial Downs meet. Six stakes will be on the program led by the Grade 3 $500,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby. First post on Saturday is 1:00 p.m. ET.
Colonial Downs has added an extra day of live racing on Wednesday, Sept. 4, serving as a make-up day for the card lost on Friday, July 12. First post is scheduled for 1:25 p.m. ET. Wednesday will kick-off a four-day race week to close the 2024 meet. Post time for Friday’s card has been moved up to 3:00 p.m. ET.