The inaugural running of the $150,000 Colonial Cup, scheduled at 1 1/2 turf miles with an 11-horse field, will highlight Wednesday (July 27) racing action at Colonial Downs.
The stakes originally was slated to be held Monday (July 25), but racing was cancelled due to anticipated high temperatures and heat indexes. The “Cup” will be run as originally drawn as the 8th race at 5:01 PM.
The marathon event attracted 11 entrants headed by Cellist, the 3-1 morning line favorite trained by Rusty Arnold. Julien Leparoux is expected to come in from his New York homebase to pilot the 4-year-old son of Big Blue Kitten who won the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap in his last start. The Calumet Farm color bearer has won three of 10 races in his career for earnings of $467,875.
Bruton-Street's Snap Decision, a Grade 1 winner over the jumps, will take to the flat for the Colonial Cup. The Jack Fisher-trained son of Hard Spun has banked more than $700,000 from his 12 wins out of 33 trips to the post. The 8-year-old gelding has finished first or second in 15 consecutive jump races. Forest Boyce has the mount.
It would hardly be a turf stakes without at least one from the Mike Maker barn and the veteran conditioner has two entrants here – graded stakes winner Red Knight making his first start since last August at Saratoga and '21 Kentucky Turf Cup Preview victor Bluegrass Parkway.
Horacio Karamanos is listed aboard the former while Victor Carrasco is named to ride the latter.
The Chris Block-trained Another Mystery makes his Colonial Downs debut off a winning effort against Illinois-breds in Hawthorne's Black Tie Affair Stakes last month. The 6-year-old Temple City horse won the Grade 3 John Connally at Sam Houston in January.
Wednesday's nine-race live card features another Pick-5 wager with a low 12% takeout. The bet covers the final five races of the afternoon and has a carryover provision should nobody select all five winners. The bet has averaged a healthy $175,000 through the first six programs.
The post Grade 1 Steeplechase Winner Snap Decision Takes To Flat In Wednesday’s Colonial Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
