Andy Guest Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

A neck and a head were the difference makers at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., on Monday in the Andy Guest and Buckland Stakes, while Mother Nature was the difference maker in the Da Hoss Stakes, which was cancelled mid-card due to thunderstorms in the area. Both stakes were contested over the Secretariat Turf Course, which was labeled good after the rain departed.

Seven of the track's nine races scheduled were run. The fourth and fifth fell victim to the storms which caused an hour-plus delay.

Randall Bloch, Six Column Stables LLC, John Seiler, David Hall & David Kirk's Violenza edged Mucha Mezquina on the outside after a thrilling finish that saw the pair trailing by nine lengths halfway through the 5 1/2-furlong $100,000 Andy Guest Stakes. Both made moves together exiting the turn and at the top of stretch, moved into striking position. Violenza ended up prevailing in a blanket finish where the top five finished within 1 1/2 lengths of each other.

Regular jockey Chris Landeros came in from Kentucky solely to ride Ian Wilkes' winning 4-year-old Violence filly. Sheldon Russell piloted Anthony Spinazzola's Mucha Mezquina for trainer Mark Salvaggio. Beantown Baby, going for her fourth straight win, finished third, just a neck behind the runner-up.

“She's good, she's nice and she's as honest as they come,” said Landeros of Violenza. “I think the pace up front really helped us. She doesn't mind a little bit of soft going so it was in our favor today. I know they skip over it early when there's a little bit of moisture in the ground. It favors a closer so I knew I had a little bit of an advantage coming into it today.”

Mark Grier's Eons and BBN Racing LLC's Kentucky Ghost encountered a similar scenario in the 1 1/8-mile, $150,000 Buckland, which followed next on the card. Both were among the three trailing horses at the half in the field of seven and both powered forward coming out of the final turn. Eons edged Kentucky Ghost by a head while Godolphin, LLC's Pixelate, highest money earner in the field with $493,350, took third, 1 1/4 lengths behind the runner-up.

“After the rain delay, all horses had been coming off the pace,” said winning jockey Mychel Sanchez. “I really liked my horse. I started out in the middle of the pack and by the time we got to the half I was last. But I knew he would close. I just wanted him to relax because he can be really tough but he can run. We got a lot of rain but the turf course here is amazing.”

With his fifth lifetime win, Eons' career bankroll increased to $428,615. The 5-year-old Giants Causeway horse is trained by Arnaud Delacour. The Kentucky-bred is out of the Hansel mare, Golden Antigua.

Colonial Downs hosts a nine-race card Tuesday at 1:45 PM. The season continues through September 1 with racing every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

The post Storms Interrupt Colonial Downs Card: Violenza, Eons Rally For Stakes Victories appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

A trio of open turf stakes highlight Monday's nine-race card at Colonial Downs as the New Kent, Va., track ushers in week number two of its summer racing season on the heels of a record-breaking handle during opening week.

The $150,000 Buckland Stakes, to be run at 1 1/16 miles, attracted a ten-horse field, eight of which have earned $190,000 or more. The $100,000 Andy Guest Stakes for fillies & mares lured a dozen entrants and the $100,000 Da Hoss has an impressive seven-horse field. The final pair will be contested at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Godolphin, LLC's Pixelate, with wins this past year in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby, Woodchopper, and Prince George County Stakes, is the early 7-2 choice in the Buckland. The 4-year-old City Zip colt also finished a respectable fifth in January's Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. The Kentucky-bred has five wins overall, six seconds, and three thirds with $493,350 in earnings. Pixelate is trained by Michael Stidham and will be ridden by Joe Bravo.

WSS Racing and Hooties Racing, LLC's Mr. Dumas, next at 4-1, has been idle since last October when he was best in a Keeneland Race Course grass allowance. The John Ortiz trainee also prevailed in a 2020 Churchill Downs allowance and finished a close second in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga Race Course last July. In 2019, Mr. Dumas captured the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs. The 5-year-old Majesticperfection horse has accumulated $358,479 in earnings from 14 starts. He will be ridden by Julian Pimentel.

Blackout Racing's Megacity, third early favorite at 9-2, is fresh off a pair of turf allowance wins at Belmont Park and Monmouth Park. The Michael Tomlison trainee was bred in Kentucky by Virginian Maggie Bryant, who recently passed away. Joe Rocco Jr. will be in the irons.

Team Valor International's Beantown Baby, looking for her fourth straight win, headlines the Andy Guest Stakes field. The 5-year-old Artie Shiller mare returns to Virginia after recent convincing turf sprint wins at Delaware Park and Pimlico Race Course, and another at Laurel Park last July. The Arnaud Delacour trainee captured a maiden claiming race in New Kent in 2019. Mychel Sanchez will ride on Monday.

John Kerber, Iveta Kerber, and Jon Lapczenski's Ain't No Elmers is the second choice at 4-1 and is fresh off a solid gate-to-wire performance in a Churchill Downs dirt allowance. The 4-year-old Goldencents filly was runner-up in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes in 2020. She has only made one turf start in 13 career outs. Ain't No Elmers is trained by Bret Calhoun and will be ridden by Adam Beschizza.

Six of the seven Da Hoss entrants have a bankroll of $220,000-plus including Michelle Lovell and Griffon Farm's Just Might, the 9-5 early favorite. The 5-year-old Justin Phillip gelding captured the Mighty Beau Stakes at Churchill Downs last out and earlier this year, powered home to a five-length win in the Colonel Power Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La. In 2020, Just Might was stakes placed in a pair of Grade 2's — the Woodford Stakes and Twin Spires Turf Sprint. In all, he has bankrolled $400,309. Colby Hernandez will ride.

Ed Orr and Susie Orr's Virginia-bred Boldor, conditioned by Steve Asmussen, is the early second choice at 7-2. The 5-year-old Munnings gelding prevailed in the King Cotton and Sam's Town Stakes earlier this year at Oaklawn Park and Delta Downs in back-to-back starts. Jockey Sheldon Russell gets the call Monday.

Jim and Susan Hill's Holiday Stone, the top money earner in the field with $521,159, is the third early pick. The 7-year-old Harlan's Holiday horse has a turf allowance victory in each of the last three years. Feargal Lynch will ride for trainer George Weaver.

[Story Continues Below]

First post on Monday is 1:45 PM. The Da Hoss is the fourth race on the card followed by the Andy Guest (Race 7) and Buckland Stakes (Race 8). For the opening race week that ran from July 19-21, Colonial handled a combined $7,100,435.

Colonial Downs also presents its first-ever online Handicapping Challenge on Monday. Two seats to the 2022 National Horseplayers Championship and one entry into the 2021 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge are up for grabs. Details are at colonialdowns.com/wagering.

The post Colonial Downs To Feature Three Stakes On Monday Card appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post