COLONIAL DOWNS MEET KICKS OFF FRIDAY
Submitted by: Virginia Thoroughbred Association
Email Address: vta(at)vabred.org
Date Added: 6/15/2005
Colonial Downs' 2005 thoroughbred season begins Friday June 17 with a nine-race card highlighted by three allowance races and three 14 horse fields on the New Kent track's signature Secretariat Turf Course.
Multiple stakes winner Bay Eagle returns to Colonial in the third race, a $28,000 allowance optional claiming. Bay Eagle was a narrowly beaten second in the 2001 Virginia Derby and won the Daniel Van Clief Stakes here last year. The seven-year-old Secret Hello gelding is now trained by A. Ferris Allen III, Colonial's all-time leading trainer.
The second allowance is a five furlong turf sprint. The $30,000 allowance optional claiming appears to be a wide-open eight horse race. My Lord is three for three over the Secretariat Turf Course and drew the rail. The six-year-old Lord Carson gelding returned from an 11 month layoff in May in the same condition and finished a fast-closing fourth after a rough trip. Splendeed has the most back class in the field, having won the Ben Cohen Stakes at five furlongs on turf and losing by just three-quarters of a length to Bop when he set a world record in August 2002. Splendeed was laid off for two years but appears to be nearing his best form again after a solid fourth in the $100,000 Turf Monster Handicap last out.
Colonial's 2005 thoroughbred meet will continue through August 9 on a Friday through Tuesday schedule. Post time is 1:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday and 5:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. For more information call (804) 966-7223 or visit www.colonialdowns.com.
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