The following appeared in The Racing Biz January 5th and was written by Frank Vespe.

A pair of reports commissioned by the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority released Jan. 5 outline a very different future for Maryland racing. How precisely to get to that future? That’s a bit less clear.

That future portends a consolidation of racing operations at a rebuilt Pimlico Race Course, the creation of a training center to accommodate additional horses, and the replacement of the current private, for-profit ownership structure with a state-owned, non-profit-managed arrangement.

Governor Wes Moore announced Friday morning that the state of Maryland and the Stronach Group, the parent company of the Maryland Jockey Club, had “reached the framework of an agreement in principle” to implement the projects, he said in a statement. Under the agreement, the Stronach Group would turn Pimlico over to the state, retain the right to develop the Laurel property, and maintain ownership of the Preakness itself, while leasing the rights to it to the new track operators.

The cost of leasing the Preakness is unknown. Control of day-to-day racing would transfer as of January 1, 2025.

The two reports were completed by a consultant team led by Crossroads Consulting and Populous. They were mandated by the legislation that created the Authority during the Maryland General Assembly’s 2023 session and synthesized by the Authority into a single report.

The facilities report outlines two potential Pimlico options and identifies three possible training center sites. The price tag for the new Maryland racing facilities is projected to reach approximately $400 million, with the Pimlico renovations projected to cost between $275 million and $285 million.

The rebuilding of Pimlico is expected to take three years, and during that time, the Preakness would be run at Laurel Park.

The facilities report outlines two options for Pimlico. Both would involve demolishing virtually every structure on the grounds and rebuilding from scratch. While one option would keep the racetrack in its current configuration, the other, which the report says “is the most efficient use of the available land while also resolving some of the key challenges of the Option 1 concept,” envisions rotating the track to allow for the creation of a grand entrance to the facility, better arrangement of structures on the grounds, and slightly more developable land.

The new Pimlico would be able to host approximately 71,000 people for the Preakness, including 16,200 in its new, 137,000 square foot clubhouse. The grounds would also house 560 stalls and two tracks, a turf course and a dirt course, with the latter to be “synthetic ready,” that is, ready to be quickly converted to a synthetic surface in the future.

Also on the grounds will be both surface parking and a parking garage, a hotel, and a veterinary center.

The report flags three potential training centers as its top choices. Those are the old Bowie Race Course site, the Rooney family’s Shamrock Farm in Woodbine, and Mitchell Farm Training Center in Aberdeen. All, according to the report, are within an hour of Pimlico and have a minimum of 85 acres available, which would allow stabling for 600+ horses.

While the future of Pimlico and the Preakness have largely taken center stage in the public mind, in some ways the operating model may be a more critical component.

“It is possible to have a financially viable operating model in Maryland, but thoughtful and strategic changes are needed,” the Crossroads-led report notes. “Revenues from all-sources wagering may not be adequate to enable a for-profit operator to run a sufficient number of race days and also make the necessary capital improvements.”

What then?

“Implementing a public ownership structure for the tracks which recognizes a substantial need for a public investment with the involvement of industry participants to leverage otherwise strong economic foundations is recommended for consideration,” the report suggests. “Further, it is recommended that consideration be given to leasing the tracks to a not-for-profit corporation similar to NYRA.”

“The Stronach Group and the Maryland Jockey Club remain deeply committed to reinvigorating Thoroughbred racing in Maryland, and this framework agreement represents an important first step in that process,” Stronach Group chairwoman Belinda Stronach said in a statement.

The report calls – perhaps quixotically – for the new operator to maintain a racing schedule of between 140 and 165 days, “emulate the strategies for successful boutique meets at other tracks,” increase purses 35% to draw even with Virginia, increase the number of starts by 15% to bring average field size to 8.5 runners per race, and increase breeding incentive funds by 15-20%.

The additional funding will almost certainly require increased subsidies from the state, and the report flags historical horse racing machines – essentially slot machines with the results based on earlier horse races – as one way to boost industry funding.

The plans are subject to approval by the General Assembly. The 2024 session kicks off January 10 and concludes April 8.

The Virginia steeplechase community lost a pillar on December 18 as Will O’Keefe, an iconic race caller and chairman of the Virginia Fall Races, passed away at the age of 76. Condolences go out to Will’s family and friends.

The following story appeared in Bloodhorse.com.

The Virginia Fall Race Committee announced Dec. 20 the death of Will O’Keefe, a Virginia Steeplechase Hall of Fame inductee, horseman, fox hunter, and race announcer. O’Keefe, 76, was race director for the Virginia Fall races and is the son of Dr. Frank O’Keefe, who bred 1966 Kentucky Derby winner Kauai King.

“Will assumed his role of race director for the Virginia Fall Races just 10 years ago and he did it all,” the committee said in a statement. “He arrived early, stayed late, worked out the stall assignments, put up the stall cards, conducted the officials’ meeting, called for the vet check, and welcomed owners, trainers, grooms, and spectators to Glenwood Park for a day of racing.

“Then he took his seat behind the microphone. He called the races with a voice that delivered clarity, drama, accuracy, and knowledge, stride for stride. He always said he had the best seat in the house at every race meet and indeed he did. He may have had the best seat, but the Virginia Fall Race Committee certainly had a one-of-a-kind leader and a friend to all.”

O’Keefe announced his last race at Glenwood Park, at his race meet, a timber race, in October 2022.

In an article about O’Keefe written in 2020 by Betsy Burke Parker, O’Keefe estimated he would handle the race calling for around 20 meets that year and figured during his 41 years of race calling had provided the color to more than 5,000 races.

O’Keefe got into race calling when he was the race secretary for the Casanova Hunt Point-to-Point in the late 1970s. When announcer Barney Brittle stepped down in 1978, O’Keefe had to find a replacement and went to his father to handle the calls by promising he would be at his side to help identify horses and provide any details as the race unfolded.

“I realized after that first year, it’d be just as easy to do it myself,” O’Keefe told Parker. He took the microphone full-time in 1980.

O’Keefe said that having grown up going to racetracks along the East Coast with his father, he learned the finer points of a solid race call.

“There’s a certain rhythm to it,” he told Parker. “I probably have a Southern accent when I talk, but I don’t think I do when I announce. You learn to project your voice.”

O’Keefe was recognized with numerous honors for his contributions to the sport. He was named Point-to-Point Man of the Year (has also served as Virginia Point-to-Point Association secretary, and Virginia Steeplechase Association secretary and president) in 1986; won the VSA’s Francis Thornton Green award in 1990; was inducted in the Virginia Steeplechase Hall of Fame in 2007; was recognized with the Yves Henry Lifetime Achievement Award and was named Loudoun Preservation Society’s preservationist of the year in 2011; and, received the Monk Noland Award for service to the racing community by the Steeplechase Owners and Trainers Association and National Steeplechase Association in 2019.

In 1980, O’Keefe also owned and trained the Virginia Point-to-Point Association champion steeplechase mare Royal Greed.

Instead of flowers, the family would like donations to be made in O’Keefe’s name to the Virginia Fall Races, PO Box 2, Middleburg, Va., 20118. A celebration of life in his honor and memory will be held in the spring.

–Virginia Racing Commission December 6, 2023 meeting update written by Nick Hahn (as it appeared in The Racing Biz)-

The summer meet at Colonial Downs in 2024 will look very similar to the one run earlier this year. But what comes next could be pretty interesting.

The Virginia Racing Commission approved December 6 a request by parent company Churchill Downs, Inc. for Colonial Downs to host 27 days of racing beginning July 11 in a three-day, nine-week format. With last summer’s initial Festival of Racing at Colonial Downs that included the Arlington Million (G1), Beverly D (G1) and Secretariat Stakes (G2) setting a single-day Colonial handle record (just shy of $10 million), racing officials chose the status quo, setting August 10 for the renewal.

Also unaltered is the stakes-loaded Virginia Derby Day, which will again be the last day of the 2024 meet on September 7. The meet format remains largely unchanged except that post time for Friday racing has moved to 4:30 pm. Commissioners approved Thursday’s post time for 1:30 pm, but Colonial Downs is considering moving that day’s start time to 4:30 pm, as well. 

Purse levels will reach nearly $700,000 per day under a two-year contract that was approved by the Commission between Colonial Downs and the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (VHBPA); it was more than $650,000 daily in 2023. Using $700,000 as a baseline purse level, racing would expand to 40 days in 2025 assuming historical horse racing machines come online at The Rose in Dumfries, expected to house 1,000 terminals. Virginia law mandates one day of live thoroughbred racing for every 100 HHR terminals that come on-line, making the timing of the Dumfries opening sensitive. Currently there are 2790 terminals in Virginia operating with the number expected to rise, if the Dumfries location meets its opening goal, to over 4,000 by the end of next year.

While Churchill Downs is not contractually tied to hosting forty days of racing in 2025, the construction of a new 20-room dormitory on the backstretch by 2025, updates to the irrigation system along the outer rail, and improvements to the turf lighting system are part of the agreement. It was learned during the meeting that Colonial Downs will be looking for new supervision over its highly regarded racecourses, as Harrison Young, Director of Racing Surfaces, will not return in 2024.

Commissioners also approved fourteen days of harness racing from April 6 through May 19 at Shenandoah Downs, the up-and-coming harness venue that has operated racing in a county fair-like atmosphere in Woodstock, Virginia for over a century. “Shenatoga” will host racing on Saturdays and Sundays will first race post time being 1:05 PM.

Commissioners also approved ADW License renewals for TwinSpires, TVG, Xpressbet and NYRAbets. 

Debbie Easter of the Virginia Thoroughbred Association received approval after her presentation to amend Virginia breeder and stallion awards to award bonuses for Virginia-bred -sired thoroughbreds to receive bonuses from third place up, replacing the winners-only bonus that was previously applied. Virginia’s $3 million Certified Residency program that rewards thoroughbred performance that reside in Virginia for at least six months up to their two-year-old year remained unchanged.

Later in the meeting, the Commission heard a Victor-Strategies report about HHR in response to a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) concept that would remove HHR regulation from the Racing Commission and place it under the Virginia Lottery Board at first and perhaps eventually under the purview of a newly created statewide gaming commission.

Currently, a gaming sub-committee in Virginia’s General Assembly is reviewing all gaming regulation in Virginia. Under the Virginia Racing Commission, HHR has been a significant portion of the economic model that has worked well for Colonial Downs since its reopening in 2019. The 2023 meet recorded $72 million handle, down slightly from $75.1 million in 2022 but far above any prior year.

“The uniqueness of horse racing is such that you need review by a dedicated agency,” said Richard Schuetz, an expert who took part in the presentation.

Recent advancements in racing in Virginia have been encouraging enough to inspire Virginia’s First Lady, Suzanne Youngkin, to appear in a recently released video promoting Virginia’s overall horse industry and showcasing racing. The new video was presented to the commission.

The Commission thanked Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (VHBPA) director Frank Petramalo for his decades of service in representing the horsemen. Petramalo is stepping down as executive director of the VHPBA but will remain as consultant. Commissioners were introduced to Glen Berman, who is taking over Petramalo’s role. 

Schedule to mirror 2023 season racing Thursday through Sunday

Racing dates for 2024 at Colonial Downs were approved today at the Virginia Racing Commission meeting. The 27-day live racing season will be held over nine weeks from Thursday, July 11 through Saturday, September 7. The New Kent racetrack will race three days per week, Thursday through Saturday.

“The success of the 2023 meet, which brought weekend racing back to Colonial Downs, was a credit to the tremendous support here in Virginia from the owners, trainers, horseplayers, hard-working staff, and partners,” said Senior Director of Racing Operations Frank Hopf. “We’re excited to build upon the momentum and look forward to a tremendous 2024 season.” 

The Festival of Racing including the Grade 1 Arlington Million is slated for Saturday, August 10. The Grade 3 Virginia Derby will anchor the closing day card on Saturday, September 7.  The entire stakes schedule for the 2024 season will be made available in the coming weeks.

The 2023 season offered more than $650,000 per day in purses and boasted an average of 8.19 starters per race. Average daily handle was $2,658,028. Purse money for the 2024 season is expected to be nearly $700,000 per day.

The best and brightest horses representing the Virginia breeding and certified program were on display September 2 in Commonwealth Champions Day at Colonial Downs. Five stakes for varying ages and over multiple distances were presented as part of a 10-race card at the New Kent track. Among the top performances were a stakes riding double for jockey Horacio Karamanos and a second stakes win of the meet for Chambeau and Determined Kingdom.

In the first of the day’s stakes events, Reilly McDonald’s Passion Play ($6.20, $2.80 and $2.10) took the lead on the far turn and was relentless in holding off the late challenges from DARRS, Inc.’s Palio and Jeremy Brooks’ Wow Whata Summer to prevail by a neck in the $131,500 Bert Allen Stakes. Horacio Karamanos was aboard the Virginia-bred Mary Eppler-trained son of Hold Me Back who covered the 1-1/16 miles over firm turf in 1:43.67. The win was the sixth in 29 starts for the 7-year-old gelding who earned $90,000 for the effort to boost his lifetime bankroll to $327,497.

“This horse deserved to win,” said Karamanos, who has ridden Passion Play in nine of his last 10 starts including a win in the 2021 edition of this race. “He always tries. His last race (a seventh-place finish) was so tough for him. Today, I just wanted him to break ok and see how the race unfolded. After a couple others went to the front, I sat back a bit and relaxed until the eighth pole. When I asked him, he fired so nicely all the way to the wire.”

O’Sullivan Farms’ Unruly Julie ($30.40, $10 and $5.60) changed tactics and ran to a front-stepping, half-length tally over Naval Empire in the $105,500 Nellie Mae Cox Stakes under jockey Wesley Ho. The Javier Contrerastrained mare ran the 1-1/16 miles in 1:42.25 to score her seventh victory from 36 trips to the post. She added $60,000 to her lifetime earnings which now stand at $225,819.

“She’s been training the best she ever has. She ran in this race last year (finishing second). Coming into this race she’s really been a different horse. Honestly, she took me to the lead,” Ho said when asked about the change in running style. “She was so keen in taking the lead, she pulled me there. I just tried to save as much as I could for the stretch run and she still gave me everything she had. I’d have rather been mid-pack but she had other ideas today.”

D Hatman Thoroughbreds and Kingdom Bloodstock, Inc.’s Determined Kingdom ($3.60, $2.60 and $2.40) improved from a sixth-place finish in the 2022 edition of the Meadow Stable Stakes to notch a wire-to-wire neck victory as the 4-5 favorite in the $130,000 2023 renewal of the 5½-furlong dash. Victor Carrasco rode the gelded son of Animal Kingdom for trainer and co-owner Phil Schoenthal who sprinted the distance in 1:02.08.

“He’s certainly taken a step forward as a 4-year-old,” Schoenthal said. “He’s a lot keener horse. It’s a beautiful thing to have a Virginia-bred who loves the grass at Colonial. We’ll give him a couple of starts in the fall and then turn him out on the farm like we do with all our grass horses. As long he’s doing good we’ll make this a regular stop every year.”

The Meadow Stable was the sixth win in 18 starts for Determined Kingdom, who previously won the Punch Line here in July. The $90,000 winner’s share Saturday elevated his earnings to $442,189.

Bird Mobberly LLC’s Low Mileage ($8.40, $4.60 and $3) rallied along the rail to take command mid-stretch and draw off to a 3¼-length victory in the $125,000 Jamestown Stakes for Virginia-bred/sired 2-year-olds. Jevian Toledo was aboard the John Salzman trainee who recorded his first stakes tally and second win in four starts overall. The daughter of Mineshaft covered the 5½-furlongs in 1:04.22 and earned $75,000 for the score to push her bankroll to $121,500.

Wrapping up the stakes action was the $130,000 Camptown Stakes which was taken by Sam English II’s Chambeau ($4.60, $3 and $2.40) who picked up her third win of the season after capturing the Tyson Gilpin/Glenn Petty Stakes in July and an allowance race last week.

“I wasn’t as confident today as I was last week,” English said. “We only started her (for the first time) as a 5-year-old, and she’s only run eight times in her life. She’s a special horse.”

Lots of excitement, special features, and premier horse racing are on tap for the 20^th running of the New Kent County Virginia Derby on Saturday, September 9. The nation’s top 3-year-old turf horses will compete on the widest turf course in North America. The day will be highlighted by the Grade 3, $500,000 Virginia Derby^® for 3-year-olds ($200,000 more than last year). Other stakes races will include the $250,000 Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks^®, $150,000 Korbel Da Hoss Stakes, $150,000 Biosaphe Colonial Cup, $125,000 Exacta Systems Rosie’s Stakes, and $125,000 TAA Kitten’s Joy Stakes. A total of more than $1.3 million dollars will be up for grabs on Virginia Derby Day. Post time is 1:30 p.m. 

Plenty of family friendly entertainment will be available on the grounds including pony rides, a petting zoo, strolling entertainment, face painter, juggler/magician & stilt walker. Fans can also enjoy the magnificent bronze Secretariat statue at Colonial Downs on Derby Day along with the National Museum of Racing & Hall of Fame’s Traveling Exhibit. The exhibit will be open during 4 consecutive days of racing at Colonial Downs starting Wednesday, September 6 and culminating on Derby Day, Saturday, September 9.

“It has been a terrific season for Colonial Downs under the new ownership of Churchill Downs. We are proud of providing a high-level racing product along with added entertainment elements to Virginians this summer.,” said Frank Hopf, senior director of racing operations at Colonial Downs. “We look forward to concluding our successful meet with Virginia Derby Day on September 9^th.”

Additional seating for Derby Day will be available in the banquet room. General admission and parking are free. For more information on 2023 Colonial Downs Racing presented by Woodford Reserve visit www.colonialdowns.com.

Fields for five all-turf stakes — that will showcase Virginia-bred, -sired and -certified horses — are set to go this Saturday (Sept. 2) in the newly named Commonwealth Champions Day program at Colonial Downs. A total of $725,000 in purse money will be up for grabs between the five. Four of the $150,000 stakes — the Camptown, Bert Allen, Meadow Stable and Nellie Mae Cox — are open to horses in the three categories noted while the $125,000 Jamestown is for Virginia-bred/sired 2-year-olds.  

The top three finishers in the 2022 Camptown are among a field of 12 fillies and mares in the 2023 edition which will be contested at 5-1/2 furlongs. Larry Johnson’s Spun Glass won last year’s Camptown and recently was a close second in the Jameela Stakes at Laurel July 1 and The Very One Stakes at Pimlico May 19. The Michael Trombetta trainee has $324,729 in earnings. 

DARRS Inc.’s Rambert finished second to Spun Glass in 2022 and has won two of three since in expanding on a consistent career. The Michael Stidham trainee has three wins and four seconds in eight starts with $145,600 in earnings. Mary Slade’s Island Philo, third in last year’s Camptown, leaves from gate position one in the ninth race rematch. 

The runner-up in last year’s Nellie Mae Cox Stakes and the top three finishers from the current meet’s Brookmeade Stakes are in a field of twelve fillies and mares who will vie 1-1/16^th miles in the Nellie Mae Cox’s sixth race. 

O’Sullivan Farms’ Unruly Julie lost by a nose to Tass in a thrilling 2022 edition. The 7-year-old The Factor mare is conditioned by Javier Contreras and is fresh off a third-place finish in a $90,000 allowance at Colonial August 2. 

Country Life Farm’s Galilei, Susan Moulton’s Tufani and Larry Johnson’s Continentalcongres finished one-two-three in the July 15 Brookmeade. Three-year-old Distorted Humor filly Tufani — betting choice in the stakes —had back-to-back wins leading up to the Brookmeade while Continentalcongres powered home to an eleven length allowance score at Colonial three weeks afterwards. 

Dewberry Thoroughbred’s Princess Theorem enters with the most stakes experience of the dozen. The 5-year-old Nyquist mare chocked up  respective third and fourth place finishes in a pair of G3 stakes earlier this year in the Honey Fox at Gulfstream and the Galorette at Pimlico.  .         

The Bert Allen Stakes attracted six entries including Jeremy Brooks’ Wow Whata Summer who won last year’s G2 Penn Mile Stakes and after, competed in the G3 Virginia Derby where he finished ninth. The 4-year-old Summer Front gelding took fourth in Colonial’s Kitten’s Joy Stakes as a 2-year-old. 

Also in-to-go are a pair of horses that have racked up three wins each at Colonial — DARRS’ Palio and Reilley McDonald’s Passion Play. The former is fresh off a turf allowance win in New Kent August 2 while the latter captured the Allen Stakes in 2021. The Bert Allen, for horses aged three-and-up, will be contested 1-1/16^th miles as the second race.   

A field of seven horses aged three-and-up will battle in the Meadow Stable Stakes sprint including the top two finishers from the 2022 renewal — $570,683 earner Boldor and trainer Madison Meyers’ Grateful Bred. The former is owned by Ed Orr and Susie Orr and has reached the winners circle in two other Virginia-bred stakes — the 2021 and 2019 Punch Line’s. The latter won the Meadow Stable Stakes in 2021 and was a runner-up in last year’s Van Clief.

The Meadow Stable, carded as race seven, is 5-1/2 furlongs.

Capping off the stakes five-pack is the Jamestown which has drawn eight 2-year-olds that include a mix of six fillies and two colts. Of the eight, two have reached the winners circle so far — Bird Mobberley’s Low Mileage and Mary Lightner’s Afterneath. The first, a Mineshaft filly, registered a maiden special weight victory on the dirt May 5 at Laurel while the latter won a maiden claimer over Colonial’s turf August 11. The Jamestown has been programmed as the eighth race.  

Iapetus Racing and Diamond T Racing’s Virginia-bred Gigante made his triumphant return to the winner’s circle by pulling a massive 22-1 upset victory in the August 12 Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat Stakes at Colonial Downs. The race was held in Virginia for the first time, making the victory for the Commonwealth that much sweeter.

Gigante, the 2022 Virginia-bred Champion 2-year-old, was ridden by Javier Castellano for trainer Steve Asmussen and covered the one-mile over firm going in 1:35.10.

“I feel blessed Asmussen (trainer Steve) gave me the opportunity to ride that horse. I think I got along pretty good with him in the post parade. He acted very professionally. I had the best trip in the race. (I was) where I wanted to be today. There seemed to be a lot of speed in the race. I tried to use my patience. He broke so well from the gate and put me in good position. I just took my time and rode with a lot of patience, a lot of confidence and had the best result today.”

Mo Stash was hustled hard from the starting gate in the Secretariat Stakes and was joined by the forward-placed Major Dude as they entered the first turn. Following an opening quarter-mile in :23.67, Gigante was positioned in last but only 3½ lengths off the lead. The field began to bunch entering the far turn after a half-mile in :48.03 as Castellano began asking Gigante for his best run. At the quarter-mile pole, Gigante made a bold bid for the lead and took command into the lane but had to hold off the late charge of Nagirroc. Gigante kept finding more on the lead and was able to hold his rival at bay by a neck. It was another 1 ¾ lengths back to Silver Knott in third who was followed in order by Major Dude, Northern Invader and Mo Stash.

Gigante, the longest priced horse in the field of six 3-year-olds at 22-1 rewarded his backers by returning $2 mutuels of $47.80, $15.20 and $5. Nagirroc, under Flavien Prat, paid $3.80 and $2.60. Silver Knott, who was ridden by Jamie Spencer, returned $2.80.

With his victory in the Secretariat Stakes, Gigante improved his overall mark to 9-4-0-1 and boosted his overall purse earnings to $583,550.

Gigante is a 3-year-old son of Not This Time out of the Empire Maker Mare Summertime Green. He was bred in Virginia by Ann Mudge Backer and Smitten Farm.

Colonial Downs was the starting point for Gigante. He broke his maiden here one year ago on the dirt and subsequently demolished a field of seven rivals in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes on turf.

Nominations closed August 18 for five all-turf stakes on the Commonwealth Champions Day program scheduled for Saturday, September 2 at Colonial Downs that will showcase Virginia-bred, -sired and -certified horses with $725,000 in purse money on the line. Four of the $150,000 stakes – the Camptown, Bert Allen, Meadow Stable and Nellie Mae Cox – are open to horses in the three categories noted while the $125,000 Jamestown is for Virginia-bred and/or -sired 2-year-olds. 

The top three finishers in the 2022 Camptown are among the 31 fillies and mares that nominated to the 2023 edition which will be contested at 5½ furlongs. Larry Johnson’s Spun Glass won last year’s Camptown and recently was a close second in the Jameela Stakes at Laurel July 1 and Pimlico’s The Very One Stakes on May 19. The Michael Trombetta trainee has $324,729 in earnings. DARRS Inc.’s Rambert, who finished second to Spun Glass, and Mary Slade’s Island Philo who was third, is nominated too.

Other notable Camptown nominations include D. Hatman Thoroughbreds’ Determined Jester, winner of the 2022 Rosie’s Stakes and a turf allowance earlier this month, both of which took place at the New Kent track. Larry Johnson’s Hollywood Walk has won a Colonial turf allowance sprint in each of the last two years. Deborah Greene and Hamilton Smith’s Luna Belle may be the most intriguing of the nominees. The 4-year-old Great Notion filly reeled off five consecutive dirt stakes wins at Laurel between December 2021 and April 6 last year before finishing 11^th in the 2022 G2 Black Eyed Susan Stakes. She has not competed since but still boasts a nominee-high bankroll of $381,570.

The Bert Allen Stakes attracted 20 nominations including Larry Johnson and RDM Racing Stable’s Sky’s Not Falling who sports a robust $294,480 turf bankroll. The 5-year-old Seville gelding won the $100,000 Maryland Million Turf Sprint Stakes last October and has been stakes placed twice at Colonial. 

Jeremy Brooks’ Wow Whata Summer won last year’s G2 Penn Mile Stakes and after that competed in the G3 Virginia Derby where he finished ninth. The 4-year-old Summer Front gelding took fourth in Colonial’s Kitten’s Joy Stakes as a 2-year-old. 

Also nominated is Ten Strike Racing’s Alex Joon who captured the Edward P. Evans Stakes by three lengths July 15 at Colonial. The 6-year-old Flatter gelding also won an allowance over the same New Kent grass course last summer.  

The Bert Allen is for horses aged three-and-up at 1-1/16 miles.   

The winner of last year’s Nellie Mae Cox Stakes and the top four finishers from the current meet’s Brookmeade Stakes have all nominated to the 2023 Cox Stakes along with 23 other fillies and mares who will vie 1-1/16 miles. 

Windylea Farm’s Tass edged O’Sullivan Farms’ Unruly Julie by a nose in a thrilling 2022 edition and both have nominated again. The former is a Rob Atras trainee with $350,919 in earnings while the latter is conditioned by Javier Contreras and is fresh off a third-place finish in a $90,000 allowance at Colonial August 2. 

Country Life Farm’s Galilei prevailed in the July 15 Brookmeade while Susan Moulton’s Tufani, Larry Johnson’s Continentalcongres and Audley Farm Stable’s Bode’s Heritage finished next in line. All four have been nominated.

A total of 28 horses aged three-and-up have been nominated for the Meadow Stable Stakes sprint including the top two finishers from the 2022 renewal – $570,683 earner Boldor and trainer Madison Meyers’ Grateful Bred. The former is owned by Ed Orr and Susie Orr and has reached the winners circle in two other Virginia-bred stakes – the 2021 and 2019 editions of the Punch Line. The latter won the Meadow Stable Stakes in 2021 and was a runner-up in last year’s Van Clief.

Capping off the stakes five-pack is the Jamestown, which has drawn 17 nominations that include a mix of 10 fillies and seven male juveniles. Two of the freshmen have reached the winners circle so far – Bird Mobberley’s Low Mileage and Mary Lightner’s Afterneath. The first, a Mineshaft filly, registered a maiden special weight victory on the dirt May 5 at Laurel while the latter won a maiden claimer over Colonial’s turf August 11.

A pair of Pennsylvania-bred/Virginia-Certified 2-year-olds made their Colonial Downs debuts August 5 in $150,000 5-furlong dirt stakes, and both came away with victories — though they occurred in very different fashion.

Cash is King and LC Racing’s Carmelina and Robert and Tammy Klimasewski’s Going Up got their pictures taken respectively in the Keswick Stakes for fillies and Hickory Tree Stakes for males. 

The former departed from post position eight in a nine-horse field, settled into third after the start then surged on the outside just before the wire to edge M3 Racing Stable’s Beachfront Breeze and No Guts No Glory Farm’s Remember Me. The Maximus Mischief filly crossed one-half length the best in :58.39 with Mychel Sanchez up. 

Robert Reid Jr. trains the winner who is now 2-for-3 with earnings of $134,800. She dominated while breaking her maiden June 18 at Parx and came to New Kent fresh off a fifth place finish in the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga.

“You never expect to win especially asking her to come back for a third start in a month and a half,” said Reid. “She shipped all the way from Saratoga just two days ago so it was a lot of work to get here but she came through. Mychel gave a perfect ride. I raced here a bit 20 years ago so initially I was happy with an outside post,” added Reid. “But I got to look where the gate was at the 5/8ths pole and it starts almost right on top of the turn. Mychel broke her sharp though and got her tucked in so she didn’t lose too much ground on the turn.”

As for what’s next, Reid echoed the same thought his rider brought back after the race. “Mychel said the same thing we were thinking — that she wants to go a little farther, so I think a 7/8ths might be perfect.”

Going Up on the other hand did not need a late rally to capture the Hickory Tree. The Mineshaft gelding went to gate-to-wire in beating seven other freshmen males by a comfortable 6-3/4 lengths in :57.04. Jockey Ronnie Allen directed the winning effort for trainer Ron Potts. KP Racing Stables’ Jubawithatwist finished second and Ray Pennington’s King Kontie, the betting choice, was third. 

Going Up broke his maiden May 31 at Presque Isle then followed with a third in the Victoria Stakes at Woodbine July 16.               

“He’s been training well, he’s a cool dude and he takes everything in stride,” said co-owner Tammy Klimasewski. “Nothing bothers him. He acts like he’s been around the world three times. We couldn’t ask for a better trainer and rider. We have a great team.”

“The result was not a surprise,” added Robert Klimasewski. “His mother was a great racehorse and he has dirt pedigree on both sides up and down. He’s been known to not let anybody go by him so when he gets out on the lead, he’s really tough, even in the mornings when they’re working. He outworks everyone and just won’t let anybody get by him.”

Colonial Downs returns to action Thursday with a 9-race card beginning at 1:30 PM. Next Saturday’s (August 12) “Festival of Racing” program will be drawn Wednesday and features three graded stakes — the G1 Arlington Million, G1 Beverly D and G2 Secretariat Stakes.