Colby Hernandez | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hernandez Seeks Winner’s Circle With New Roo, Carribean Caper At Ellis Park

Colby Hernandez already has blown past his win total of three at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., last summer, his first riding at the Pea Patch. With seven victories heading into Saturday's racing, the younger brother of Ellis Park-meet leading rider Brian Hernandez is making significant headway as a mainstay on the circuit his second year riding in Kentucky after 14 years in his native Louisiana.

The younger Hernandez has two shots in Sunday's five stakes to make a productive meet even better. He is the regular rider of 3-for-3 Carribean Caper, the tepid 9-5 favorite in the $100,000 Audubon Oaks over 2-1 Magic Quest. Both 3-year-old fillies come into the seven-furlong race off impressive allowance victories over the track. Brian Hernandez rides Magic Quest.

Hernandez also rides New Roo, who is 10-1 in the $125,000 RUNHAPPY Groupie Doll for fillies and mares at a mile. Hernandez rode New Roo for the first time last year at Ellis Park when she won an allowance race by 12 lengths, followed by a runner-up finish in the Groupie Doll won by Lady Kate, who also is back in the stakes.

Carribean Caper, trained by Al Stall, has won her three starts by a combined 17 lengths.

“She does it impressive every time,” Hernandez said. “I think every race she gets better and better. Hopefully, everything works out Sunday and we get a good trip and get the money.”

Though she made it look easy with a 4 1/2-length victory over older fillies and mares last time, Carribean Caper didn't have the smoothest of trips until she drew off.

“She had an awkward break, and the outside horses kind of wiped us about a little bit,” Hernandez said. “I had to check her. But after that, I was able to get her in stride. Middle of the turn, all I did was lean forward on her and she gave me whatever she had. It was push-button from there.

“I think she's a really, really nice horse. I don't think we've opened her up yet all the way. Hopefully, she turns into a great mare.”

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New Roo faces a capacity field of 12 in the Groupie Doll. Trainer Tommy Drury, seeking a confidence-builder in her 5-year-old debut after ending 2020 with a couple of disappointing efforts, dropped New Roo in for the $62,500 claiming option in an allowance race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. She won and wasn't claimed.

“She ran a good race that day,” Hernandez said. “I think at the end she got a little tired because she'd been off. But I think we're in a good spot here. She ran second in the same race last year. Hopefully we can get the money this time. I think she likes this track big-time.

“I feel great about both horses.”

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Cavalier Cupid Doubles Up At Colonial Downs With Victory In Keswick Stakes

Big Lick Farm's Cavalier Cupid became the first horse to win two times at the current Colonial Downs summer meet when she captured the $100,000 Keswick Stakes for Virginia restricted 2-year-old fillies at the New Kent, Va., track on Monday afternoon.

The race was one of three turf sprint stakes on the card that included the Hickory Tree for 2-year-olds — also Virginia restricted — and the Da Hoss, which was postponed from last Monday due to a thunderstorm.

Cavalier Cupid won a maiden special weight opening day at the meet July 19 and wheeled back Monday, just two weeks later, and ran a similar race with higher stakes on the line. The daughter of Quality Road trailed DARRS Inc.'s Rambert until the top of the stretch when she eased past, then ended up beating the former frontrunner by one length in the 5 1/2-furlong test. It was a nearly identical scenario to her maiden breaking win when she also faced Rambert, who led until the stretch run in that event and finished second.

“It was similar race,” said jockey Horacio Karamanos who rode in both victories. “We saw some different fillies in from out of town for the stakes. The filly that was second, she really tried today but my filly was better. When I asked her to give me a kick, they otherwise go with me a little bit, but my filly, she was rolling at the end. I think she can longer too, maybe not now though. She's fast out of the gate but when you pull her back, she relaxes nice.”

“She just doesn't do a single thing wrong,” said trainer Sarah Nagle. “She's just a pleasure to train. If they were all like this, it would be a whole lot easier. Atter the maiden win, she had five days off in the paddock just rolling around. We didn't work her during the time between races, just galloped her lightly.”

The winner paid $3.40 and increased her bankroll to $93,080 from three starts.

Bird Mobberley's Local Motive broke his maiden July 24 on the dirt at Pimlico, then switched surfaces Monday at Colonial and captured the Hickory Tree Stakes by one-half length over Ray M. Pennington III's Roll Dem Bones at the same 5 1/2-furlong distance.

The Divining Rod colt raced two-wide in the turn in a field of nine, came on strong and took the lead in the final furlong, then crossed one-half length the best in :57.52. J.D. Acosta was up in both starts.

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“I'm not so sure he took to the turf as well as it looked,” said trainer John Salzman Jr.. “It was a little bit of an easier race today. I hate having to change courses. I don't think it's fair to the horses but we had to try. I almost didn't run this horse back because it was a quick eight-day turnaround. It's not my style. But If you skip it, what are you going to do. It worked out for us.”

The winner, now 2-for-2, paid $8.20 and pushed his bankroll to $86,920.

Michelle Lovell and Griffon Farms' Just Might won his second straight race and sixth overall in the Da Hoss Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 5 1/2-furlongs. The 5-year-old Justin Phillip gelding sat behind Maribeth Sanford and Lynch Racing LLC's Francatelli from the start in a five-horse field through the turn when the pair engaged in a stretch duel. Lovell's colt was best by one-half length in 1:01.77.

“He's such an energetic horse and was hoping the stake's cancellation last week didn't affect him or take anything out of him,” said Lovell.

“He stayed straight and ran a great race,” said winning jockey Colby Hernandez. “The horse in front had a little more speed, so I tracked him. At the eighth pole, I called on him and he ran on home. At the sixteenth pole, he kicked on even harder and stronger. He's just an honest horse and he tries his heart out every single time.”

With the win, Just Might's lifetime earnings increased to $460,309. The winner paid $3.40.

Colonial Downs continues its summer season Tuesday, August 3, with a nine-race card beginning at 1:45 p.m. ET.

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Da Hoss Stakes, Juvenile Turf Sprints Headline Monday Card At Colonial

The third week of the Colonial Downs summer racing season kicks off Monday, August 2 with a trio of $100,000 stakes races, including a pair of Virginia-restricted turf sprints for 2-year-olds and a rescheduled stakes from the July 26 card when storms caused its postponement. Colonial Downs is located in New Kent, Va.

The five-furlong Hickory Tree Stakes attracted a field of ten colts/geldings including Sean Feld's Evan Harlan, the morning-line favorite. The Graham Motion trainee finished third in a maiden special weight turf race at six furlongs June 20 at Belmont, his only career start. The Temple City colt was two lengths back at the wire. Victor Carrasco has the mount from post three.

Jeremy Brooks' Wow Whata Summer, second early choice, finished second in his career bow July 20 at Colonial, but was bumped up to the top spot when initial winner Capt. Candy was disqualified and placed down a notch. The Summer Front colt is trained by James Lawrence and will be ridden by Feargal Lynch, who was up in the start two weeks ago.

Four first-time starters are also in the field. The Hickory Tree has been carded as the eighth race of nine at a scheduled post of 5:01 PM.

A field of nine fillies will compete in the Keswick Stakes, also at five furlongs, led by Big Lick Farm's Cavalier Cupid. The Sarah Nagle trainee is fresh off a two-length victory in a maiden special weight turf sprint opening day at the New Kent track. The daughter of Quality Road was the favorite with Horacio Karamanos in the irons. She is the morning-line choice in the stakes and Karamanos is scheduled to ride again.

David Ross's Rambert finished second to Cavalier Cupid in that maiden race July 19 and is the second early pick in the Keswick at 4-1. Michael Stidham, leading Colonial trainer in '19 and '20, conditions the Declaration of War filly. Colby Hernandez is back as rider.

Three other horses in the field come in fresh off maiden victories, though they all came on dirt. O K Smarty Pants and Fancy Her Up prevailed by five-plus lengths at Charles Town Race Track in Charles Town, W.Va., while Buff My Boots dominated gate-to-wire by ten lengths at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. Determined Truth, third early choice, lost by a neck at Pimlico in her debut July 9 which was also was on dirt.

The Keswick Stakes has been carded as the seventh and will go to post at 4:33 PM.

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Six of the seven Da Hoss Stakes 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 in Louisville, Ky., 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 second early 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 in Hot Springs, Ark., and Delta Downs in Vinton, La., in back-to-back starts. Jockey Sheldon Russell gets the call Monday.

Jim and Susan Hill's Holiday Stone, 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.

The Da Hoss, open to three-year-olds & up at 5 1/2 turf furlongs, will kick off the stakes action in the third race at 2:41 PM. First post at Colonial is 1:45 PM.

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Colonial Downs To Feature Three Stakes On Monday Card

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.

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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.

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