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McCarthy Rides Five Winners At Colonial Downs, Takes Lead In Jockey Standings

Jockey Trevor McCarthy reached the winner's circle five times Sunday evening at Colonial Downs and in doing so powered past Forest Boyce to take over the top spot in the New Kent, Va., track's rider standings.

The 26-year-old native of Wilmington, Del., won the jockey title at Colonial last year when the track returned to action after a six-year absence. He entered Sunday's card – a makeup from last Monday's cancellation – with five wins from 16 starts, just two days into the 2020 season. Forest Boyce was one better though, having won six times.

McCarthy connected early with Ferris Allen's No Knock Raid in the second, then won three straight beginning in the fourth. He was atop Michael Campbell's Sky Mischief, Michael Stidham's Palio and Sarah Nagle's Cark over that span.

McCarthy, leading rider leader in Maryland in 2014 and 2016, closed out his evening by guiding Wesley Ward's Sunshine City to victory in the 5 1/2 furlong eighth. “I was worried a bit in the turn but when I asked her to respond, she did. It was like pushing a button. I just tried not to overthink the ride.”

Boyce prevailed once on Sunday with Princess Grace so after three race days, McCarthy has 10 wins to Boyce's seven. On Monday, the pair have eight and six mounts respectively in Colonial's nine-race card.

McCarthy was humble when asked about his early season success. “I can't take the credit,” he said. “I give credit to the trainers and all the great staff involved behind the scenes, from exercise riders, to grooms, to hotwalkers. My agent (Scott Silver) has been picking the right horses for me to ride and the horses have been doing what they're supposed to do. I've gotten great support from my family and future wife (jockey Katie Davis).”

Colonial Downs, in its second season under ownership of the Colonial Downs Group, continues its summer meet through September 2. Racing is held every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30 PM. Highlight of the season is the New Kent County Virginia Derby Night on Tuesday September 1.

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What The Beep Provides ‘Emotional’ Upset In Colonial’s Camptown Stakes

On Wednesday at Colonial Downs, What the Beep pulled off an upset with a one-length victory over heavy favorite Tan and Tight in the $60,000 Camptown Stakes for Virginia-bred or -sired fillies and mares. The homebred daughter of Great Notion was ridden by Forest Boyce for trainer Karen Godsey, who bred and broke the 5-year-old mare on her Eagle Point Farm.

“This is very emotional for me,” said a tearful Godsey. “Her mother (Toccoa) was my first winner. To win a race like the Camptown, which my grandfather helped to start, is important to me. We mainly race here and the rest of the year I am breaking horses on the farm.”

What the Beep won the M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes here last summer but hasn't raced since an off-the-board finish in an allowance race at Laurel last October.

“She got a little cut on her leg and we almost missed that last race,” Godsey explained. “So she came home and got to spend the whole winter being a horse, hanging out, and ran around an 80-acre field with all her brothers. It's nice she gets to do that, come back here and run like this. It's kind of what her momma did. I would take her home every winter and come back here and win every summer. She's a happy horse.”

The bay mare led every step of the way getting the 5 ½ furlongs over firm turf in 1:02.95 after setting fractions of 22.38 seconds, 44.37 seconds and 56.31 seconds.

The Camptown was the fourth victory in 16 starts for What the Beep who could race next to defend her title in the M Tyson Gilpin Stakes. She earned $36,000 for the tally to boost her bankroll to $189,503 and paid $15.20, $4 and $2.20.

Tan and Tight, the 2-5 post-time favorite, stalked the pace and made a mild rally in the stretch but was no threat to the winner returning $2.20 and $2.20. Bella Aurora ($2.20) finished third in the six-horse field, followed by Solarte, Determined Love and Chasing Midnight to complete the order of finish.

A compact field of four went to the gate in the $60,000 Edward P. Evans Stakes for Virginia-bred or -sired runners with heavily favored Largent, owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stables and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. The son of Into Mischief covered the mile over firm turf in 1:36.14. He was trained by Todd Pletcher who picked up his third victory in the first two nights of racing at Colonial this season. Tyler Conner had the winning ride.

“I wanted to be a little closer than I was (early in the race),” Conner said. “I let him settle where he's happy. My man Trevor (jockey McCarthy) had me in a little tight. I didn't want to take back and go around. So I just went with the momentum and hoping he's split somewhere and I could get through.”

Largent's tally was his fourth in six starts and the $36,000 winner's share boosted his bankroll to $134,670. He paid $2.40 and $2.10. There was no show wagering in the race.

Embolden, the 2019 Jamestown winner, was beaten just a length in the mile race and paid $2.10. Carbon Data and River Deep completed the order of finish.

Also of note on the card was the 3rd race, a first-level allowance race won by Robert LaPenta, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Chrysalis Stable's Farmington Road, who was making his turf debut after racing on the Triple Crown trail earlier this year. Pletcher and Conner partnered here as well with the son of Quality Road who had last raced in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, finishing eighth in a 10-horse field.

Colonial Downs will race a special make up card this Sunday at 5:30 PM.

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Guillaume Breaks His Maiden In Hansel Stakes; McCarthy Wins Four On Colonial’s Opening Night

Guillaume rallied on the outside and overtook Merchant of Hope in the final strides of the $40,000 Hansel Stakes for Virginia Certified 2-year-olds on the Tuesday night opening night card at Colonial Downs. The son of Hard Spun is owned by DARRS Inc., trained by Mike Stidham and was ridden by Trevor McCarthy, the same owner-trainer-jockey combination who were leaders at the 2019 Colonial meeting.

The victory was third of four on the night for McCarthy and second for Stidham. “When we saw that his race was for Virginia-certified horses, it got on our radar,” said Stidham. “He was impressive at this distance but we'll be looking to go longer in his next start.”

Named after a famous Canadian ballet dancer, Guillaume's performance impressed owner David Ross: “Mike did a great job getting the horse ready and Trevor did a phenomenal job getting out in the lane and just getting him to the wire in time. The horse was moving forwardly at the finish. He's an exciting horse to watch.”

Guillaume was making his career debut in the Hansel and banked $24,000 for the half-length victory. He covered the 5 ½ furlongs over a fast track in 1:04.38 and paid $6.40, $3.40 and $2.10. The winner was started at the Middleburg Training Center by Ballyerin Racing's Madison Meyers and Kieran Norris. The Center recently underwent a multi-million-dollar upgrade.

Merchant of Hope set the pace in the five-horse field through fractions of 22.85 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.11 seconds for a half-mile and a five-furlong split of 58.06 seconds. The son of Bayern paid $4.00 and $2.40.

It was another 1 ¾ lengths back to third-place finisher and post-time favorite Sky's Not Falling who returned $2.10 to show. Natural Attraction and Dare to Promise completed the order of finish.

Earlier in the card, Wesley Ward's Amsden went gate-to-wire in a $40,000 five-furlong maiden turf race for two-year-olds. The American Pharoah colt won by three lengths. Last year, Ward connected in a Colonial turf sprint with another two-year-old, Four Wheel Drive, who captured the Rosie's Stakes and went on to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Colonial Downs' summer meeting continues racing through September 2 on a Monday through Wednesday basis with a first post of 5:30 EDT. A special Sunday program has been added August 2 to make up for the cancellation of Monday's scheduled card.

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Colonial Downs Increases Takeout Rates, Bumps Tuesday Post Time Due To Heat Wave

Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va. was scheduled to begin live racing on Monday, July 27, but a heat wave in the area forced that card to be rescheduled. On Tuesday, track officials decided to push post time back to 6:30 p.m., according to drf.com.

In addition, the Daily Racing Form reported that Colonial Downs has raised wagering takeout rates for its 2020 meet. The new rates will be as follows:

Win, Place, Show Wagers: 18 percent (2019: 16 percent)
Exotic Bets: 22 percent (2019: 20 percent)
Pick 5: eliminated (2019: 12 percent)

Colonial is racing on a Monday through Wednesday schedule this season, a change from last year's Friday to Sunday schedule. That places the track around a different set of competitors with higher takeout rates, explained John Marshall, executive vice president of operations.

“We felt like [Colonial's new rates] are still the most competitive in that set,” Marshall told the Daily Racing Form. “We just didn't feel the need to go super low this year.”

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