Michael Nentwig, Michael Dubb, Beast Mode Racing LLC, John Rochfort, Robert N. Falcone Jr.'s Spirit and Glory (IRE) surged past five runners in the final furlong to win the $200,000, 1 1/8-mile Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Colonial Downs by 1 ¼ lengths over Sparkle Blue.
Trained by Falcone, Spirit and Glory ($19.20), was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., who scored his fourth victory of the day in the Oaks before picking up his fifth tally in the day's featured Grade 3 $300,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby astride Capensis.
Spirit and Glory, a bay daughter of Cotai Glory (GB) out of Supreme Spirit (IRE) won her second race in the U.S. since arriving from Ireland. She came into the Virginia Derby off a seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga on July 22.
She broke slowly but settled toward the back of the pack up the backstretch four paths off the rail before making her bid approaching the quarter pole. She passed Lady Puchi and Sparkle Blue for the win. Candy Light finished third.
“Mr. Falcone told me to watch her in the post parade. Stay with the pony. She was calm and relaxed. I let her do her thing,” said Ortiz. “I was coming on the outside and had a target in front of me and she took me all the way to the quarter pole. I tipped her out, and my filly responded well.”
Spirit and Glory completed the 1 1/8-miles in 1:48.25
Earlier in the card in the $125,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Kitten's Joy Stakes on turf or 2-year-olds, lapetus Racing and Diamond T Racing's Virginia-bred Gigante ($12.60) rolled to a 6 3/4-length victory. Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Feargal Lynch, Gigante completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:44.08 over a firm turf course. A bay son of Not This Time, Gigante has made all three of his starts at Colonial. After a fifth-place finish in his first start on July 18, Gigante broke his maiden on Aug. 10 by 3 lengths in a 1-mile turf test.
Oceanic ($21.00) sprung a 3 ¾-length upset in the $150,000 Woodford Reserve Da Hoss Stakes for 3-year-olds and up on turf. Ridden by Julien Leparoux, the 5-year-old Constitution gelding stayed just off the pace around the far turn and made his bid in the stretch to draw off in the final furlong. Owned by Surfside Stables and trained by Jason Blair, Oceanic won his fourth race, and his second one this year.
Determined Jester, the 35-1 longest shot in the eight starters and the only filly in the field, broke her maiden and powered to a 4½-length victory under jockey Forest Boyce in the $125,000 Exacta Systems Rosie's Stakes for 2-year-olds. Owned by D Hatman Thoroughbreds and trained by Phil Rosenthal, Determined Jester, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Practical Joke, covering the 5½ furlongs in 1:02.75, and paid $75.
“We've known we've had a quality filly from day one,” said Rosenthal, “and we're just thrilled it all worked out.”
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