Fresh off another riding title at the recently concluded Saratoga meeting, Irad Ortiz Jr. came away with five wins on Colonial's Virginia Derby Day card.

Capensis was sent off at what now appears to be an overlay at 5-1 in his debut going 1 1/16-miles at Belmont July 2 and quickly showed his class, rolling home an emphatic five-length winner over next out winners Running Bee (English Channel) and Sosua Summer (Summer Front). Rightly bet down to even-money favoritism in his latest start at the Spa, he faced some obstacles but still managed to finish a close-up sixth.

Pedigree Notes:

With his Virginia Derby victory, Capensis becomes the 155th black-type winner and 97th graded winner for Gainesway's leading sire Tapit. The bottom side of the colt's pedigree is no less impressive with 'TDN Rising Star' Tara's Tango (Unbridled's Song), a three-time graded winner including the GI Santa Margarita S. A half-sister to GISW Visionaire (Grand Slam), GSW & MGISP Scarlet Strike (Smart Strike) and GSW Madison's Luna (Tapit), the winner's dam has a juvenile colt by Curlin and a yearling by Quality Road.

Campaigned by her breeder Stonestreet Stables, Tara's Tango hit paydirt quickly as a broodmare when her first foal, a colt by Medaglia d'Oro, brought $2.15 million at Keeneland September in 2019. The following season, Eaton Sales consigned Capensis, who topped the covid-impacted 2020 renewal of the Keeneland September sale.

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Fresh on the heels of a record setting Thoroughbred racing season in 2021, racing dates for an expanded 2022 Colonial Downs Race Meet presented by Woodford Reserve were approved Wednesday at the Virginia Racing Commission meeting which was held at the New Kent track.

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Initiated in 2019, Colonial Downs and the Virginia HBPA have each pledged $15 per start at the Colonial Downs meet to the TAA.

“It is with gratitude to the majestic horses that we proudly support TAA aftercare jointly with the VHBPA,” said Colonial Downs President of Racing Operations John Marshall. “Colonial Downs believes in doing our part to help retired horses that have given so much to provide entertainment, employment, and passion to so many.”

The TAA also hosted the Best Turned Out Horse Awards on Virginia Derby Day, sponsored by the Virginia HBPA, providing a cash prize and gift bag to the winning groom of the Best Turned Out Horse for each of the five stakes races on the card: the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes, the Woodford Reserve Kitten's Joy Stakes, the Exacta Systems Rosie's Stakes, the Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks, and the New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3T).

The winning horse and groom for the best turned out awards are as follows:

R6 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes: BRAMBLE QUEEN and groom Luis Quintero

R7 Woodford Reserve Kitten's Joy Stakes: EPIC LUCK and groom Valentin Fonseca

R8 Exacta Systems Rosie's Stakes: TEJANO TWIST and groom Ivan Morales

R9 Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks: ZEYARAAT and groom Oscar Cardona

R10 New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3T): DOUBLEOSEVEN and groom Francisco Oscura

“Colonial Downs is once again proud to support the TAA throughout our 2021 racing season,” said Jill Byrne vice president of racing operations Colonial Downs. “The care of horses during and after their racing careers is of the upmost importance, and the work the TAA does to ensure that this is accomplished, is extraordinary. We were delighted to have the TAA at Colonial Downs for Virginia Derby Day.”

“Like so many tracks across the country, Colonial Downs and Virginia HBPA is doing their part to not only bring awareness to aftercare but support it financially,” said TAA President Jimmy Bell. “What better day than Virginia Derby Day to highlight this important endeavor and their collaborative efforts in helping Thoroughbreds transition into their second careers.”

In addition to the Best Turned Out Horse Awards, the TAA presented the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes, won by Graham Motion trainee Tuned (GB) for owner Al Shaqab Racing.

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The Derby carries a purse of $250,000 and will be contested at 1 1/8 miles over the track's signature Secretariat Turf Course. Programmed as the tenth race, it will be the final leg of an All-Stakes, All-Turf Pick-5 wager covering races 6-10 that kicks off with the $150,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes and continues with the $100,000 Woodford Reserve Kitten's Joy Stakes, the $100,000 Exacta Systems Rosie's Stakes and the $150,000 Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks. First post Tuesday is 1:45 PM and the Derby itself is at 6:14 PM.

The top three finishers from the Bald Eagle Derby at Pimlico July 24 all return to square off in the Virginia Derby and all are early favorites.

With only two lifetime starts, Augustin Stable's Experienced was a solid runner-up in the Bald Eagle last out which followed a maiden special weight score over the Delaware turf June 21. Jonathan Thomas conditions the Temple City gelding who is favored at 7-2. Manuel Franco will be in the irons.

Augustin Stable is seeking their third Virginia Derby win. They scored in the 1998 inaugural edition with Crowd Pleaser and three years later with Potaro.

Gap View Stables and Jagger Inc.'s Indian Lake, a gate-to-wire winner in the Bald Eagle, is co-second favorite at 5-1. The 3-year-old Daredevil gelding has finished in-the-money in 16 of 17 career starts and has earnings of $222,408, highest of any in the field. The Jamie Ness trainee has a trio of allowance wins this year, a runner-up in the Jersey Derby and a third in the Sussex Stakes. Ruben Silvera will ride.

Madaket Stables LLC's Wootton Asset, third place finisher in the Bald Eagle, is trained by Graham Motion who won the 2019 Virginia Derby with English Bee. The 3-year-old Wootton Bassett colt, also 5-1, took third in the Grade 3 Kent Stakes July 3 and finished second by a nose in the Laurel Futurity last October. He has bankrolled $100,245 from nine turf starts. Jose Ortiz has the mount.

Gallagher's Stud's Search For Truth dominated a Colonial maiden special weight race by 11 1/2 lengths August 10 at the 1 1/8 miles distance and is 8-1 in the Derby. The Michael Dickinson trainee's only other start came over a soft turf at Delaware where he rallied from fifth at the top of the stretch to finish second. Joe Rocco Jr., who rode the Tourist colt to victory three weeks ago, is back up top.

Also at 8-1, L and N Racing's Hidden Enemy only has one win from ten starts but has faced tough competition in his last four outs. The Steve Asmussen trainee was fourth in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill May 1 then finished ninth in the $1 million, Grade I Belmont Derby July 10. The Irish-bred son of Galileo broke his maiden March 21 at Fair Grounds. Feargal Lynch will ride.

Red Oak Stable's It Can Be Done, 10-1 early, has bankrolled $177,330 from ten starts including a win in the Nownownow Stakes at Monmouth last October. The Temple City gelding finished a solid second last out in the Tale of the Cat Stakes and lost by a neck March 27 in the Cutler Bay at Gulfstream. The Greg Sacco trainee has competed in six stakes thus far. Jose Ferrer is the jockey.

Rounding out the Derby field is Savesnine Corporation's Draft Capital, McCarty Racing LLC's Doubleoseven, Bourbon Lane Stable's Hard Rye Guy, Deuce Greathouse's Shady McGee, Jerry Marks Stables LLC's Slicked Back and Carmen Catizone's Eye of the Cat.

Twelve 3-year-old fillies have entered the 12th running of the $150,000 Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks, also at 1 1/8 miles, led by morning line favorite Por Que No. Owned by Fano Racing, the daughter of Wicked Strong has won five of seven career starts including a gate-to-wire win in the Boiling Springs Stakes most recently.

A field of seven 2-year-olds will compete 5 1/2 furlongs in the 2nd running of the $100,000 Exacta Systems Rosie's Stakes. Tom Durant's Tejano Twist, fresh off a three length maiden special weight win at Colonial August 3, is favored at 5-2. Rocco Jr. will ride for trainer Bret Calhoun.

Six 2-year-olds will stretch out at 1 1/16th miles in the $100,000 Woodford Reserve Kitten's Joy Stakes. Jeremy Brooks' Wow Whata Summer is 5-2 early based on a pair of starts at the current New Kent meet. The Summer Front colt finished a close third in the Virginia-restricted Hickory Tree Stakes August 2, which followed a maiden special weight race July 20 where the James Lawrence trainee was bumped up from second after initial winner Capt. Candy was disqualified.

The $150,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes kicks off the Pick-5 with a field of eight fillies and mares at the 1 1/16th miles distance. Randall Bloch and Six Column Stables' Market Rumor is favored at 3-1. The Afleet Alex filly has bankrolled $229,270 from 14 starts including an allowance victory last out at Gulfstream.

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Michell Lovell and Griffon Farms' Just Might, Chad Schumer's Saracosa, and Stud Los Lorones' Cheetara were the other winners of MATCH stakes as the series returned to Virginia for the first time since 2001 and now moves back to Maryland for the remaining division legs in September, November and December at Laurel Park.

Cordmaker, a 6-year-old Maryland-bred Curlin gelding, had finished fourth and third in the first two legs of the 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division at Pimlico Race Course. He was entered in a $75,000 Maryland-bred stakes as “main track only” Aug. 22, but the race remained on the grass. That left the 1 1/16-mile Victory Gallop Stakes, and it worked out for his connections.

With regular rider Victor Carrasco aboard in a field shortened by scratches, Cordmaker rated in second or third a length or two behind front-running Rock on Luke in the one-turn event, made a bid for the lead turning for home and pulled away to win by 2 1/4 lengths over McElmore Avenue, who rallied from fourth and last. Rock on Luke held for third.

Cordmaker, trained by Rodney Jenkins, paid $4 as the favorite and covered the distance on a fast track in 1:40.45, which broke the previous record set in 1998 when the distance and more dirt races were run at the facility. It was his second stakes win of 2021 as he nears the $700,000 mark in earnings.

“What is there to say? He's awesome,” assistant trainer Eveline Kjelstrup said when asked about Cordmaker's performance in the Victory Gallop.

“We had the outside post and I just sat him and rode him like he was much the best like I thought he was,” Carrasco said. “When he changed leads he was gone. He's a very special horse and one of my favorites. If the Pimlico race (Sunday) had come off the turf, he would have been tough to beat in that race, too.”

Cordmaker collected 10 points for his victory and now has 18, seven more than Harpers First Ride in the division. He is also eligible for bonus money now that he has made three starts in his division.

Just Might, owned by trainer Michelle Lovell and Griffon Farms, is better known as a very good turf sprinter. But this winter he won the off-the-turf Colonel Power Stakes in Louisiana by five lengths, and in his return to dirt was a narrow winner of the $100,000 Chesapeake Stakes at six furlongs with Colby Hernandez aboard.

In his MATCH Series debut, Just Might grabbed the early lead from the outside post through a quick opening quarter-mile and for the rest of the race was in a battle with division leader Mucho. He fough back inside and held off Mucho by a head, with Bank three lengths behind in third. The time for six furlongs—1:07.38—was a new track record for the distance. The previous record was set in 2012.

Just Might paid $4.20 to win as the favorite.

“There were some questions but that really was an exciting race,” said Lovell, who is contending for the Colonial Downs training title with five programs left in the season. “It wasn't going to be an embarrassment running second to Mucho. The meet is going great—it has been a lot of fun. Winning today was great because my partner in the horse and his family were here.”

Mucho, with his second-place finish, picked up 7 MATCH points and now has 20. With three division starts the 5-year-old Blame horse is eligible for series bonus money. Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, who was seventh in the Chesapeake, picked up 5 bonus points for his fourth division start and remains second with 18 points.

Graded stakes-placed Saracosa, owned by Chad Schumer, didn't have the best of trips in her first two starts of the year but capitalized on a good journey to take the $100,000 Love Sign Stakes at 1 1/16 miles around one turn. And only two races after Cordmaker established a new track record, the 6-year-old Bernardini mare lowered it yet again to 1:39.72.

Saracosa, trained by Cipriano Contreras at Indiana Grand Racetrack & Casino, was content to trail in seventh through the first six furlongs before jockey Francisco Arrieta asked her for run. She rallied inside, split horses late and drew away to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Dream Marie was second and Paris Lights third. The winner paid $38.40 as the second-longest price in a seven-horse field.

“Her first start of the year at Churchill Downs was at a flat mile—that was the only option, but she wants to go longer,” Schumer said. “Her second start (in the Delaware Handicap) wasn't the best; she had some trouble. Today she finally got a clean trip and she won. I know if she gets clear, she will run her race. There aren't a lot of spots for older fillies and mares going two turns on dirt. This race was one turn but it was 1 1/16 miles, and I think that makes a difference.”

Saracosa was second in last year's Grade 2 Del Cap and fourth in the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill. The Love Sign victory pushed her earnings over the $400,000 mark. She now has 10 MATCH Series points along with two others to make for a three-way tie at the top.

In a July 26 allowance sprint at Colonial Downs, Larry Johnson's Never Enough Time defeated Stud Los Leones' Cheetara by a neck. In the seven-furlong Seeking the Pearl, Cheetara was able to take command early and held off a rallying Never Enough Time by a neck. Heavily favored Frank's Rockette didn't break well but rallied well for third.

Trained by Ignacio Correas IV and ridden by Horacio Karamanos, Cheetara had raced in high-level races in her native Chile before shipping to the United States. Her first U.S. start came in the allowance race at Colonial Downs.

“Her last race was her first race in the United States,” said Karamanos, who had ridden Cheetara in the allowance event. “Today she was more relaxed. She broke well, and I tried to take her back, but she wanted to go. She gave me beautiful kick (in the stretch). She responded when had she had to.”

Cheetara, who paid $14.80 to win, covered the distance in 1:20.61, which broke the previous track record set in 1997.

Never Enough Time became the only member of her division to qualify for bonus money given the Seeking the Pearl was her third start in the series. She is now third in the division standings with 12 points behind Chub Wagon and Hello Beautiful.

Colonial Downs was a MATCH Series partner when the series was first held from 1997-2001. The series returned in 2018. Colonial Downs was part of the schedule for 2020, but the series was canceled because of COVID-19. Management and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association reached out when Maryland interests proposed an in-state series to bridge the gap, and Colonial became part of the 2021 series.

The next stop for the MATCH Series is Sept. 18, when all four divisions will be represented at Laurel.

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The Virginia track will host four $100,000 stakes in each MATCH Series division for 2021: the Chesapeake (3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt), Seeking the Pearl (Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt), Victory Gallop (3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt) and Love Sign (Filly and Mare Long—Dirt). First post time for the pari-mutuel program is 1:45 p.m., with a pair of non-wagering steeplechase events beginning at 12:15 p.m.

The six-furlong Chesapeake attracted the top two horses in the division standings by points: WSS Racing and 4 G Racing's Mucho (13 points) and Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki (12 points).

Mucho, who has been stabled at Colonial Downs with trainer John Ortiz, won the Challedon Stakes at Pimlico Race Course July 31 to earn his first series victory. Reylu Gutierrez, who was aboard at Pimlico, is named again in the Chesapeake, which will be the 5-year-old Blame horse's third series start.

Laki, trained by Damon Dilodovico, will make his first Colonial Downs start in 36 career outings. Laki, an 8-year-old Maryland-bred gelding by Cuba, was second in the Lite the Fuse Stakes at Pimlico and has started in the first three stakes in his division. He will pick up 5 MATCH Series bonus points in the Chesapeake for his fourth start in the series. Regular rider Horacio Karamanos is named.

Also entered is Whereshetoldmetogo, who finished third behind Mucho in the Challedon for owners Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and BTR Racing (trainer Brittany Russell). The 6-year-old Maryland-bred by El Padrino has won 11 races and also makes his local debut. Sheldon Russell is named to ride.

With division leader Chub Wagon (20 points) having opted for a Pennsylvania-bred stakes at Parx Racing on the same day, and Hello Beautiful—second in the standings with 17 points—taking a pass, the seven-furlong Seeking the Pearl offers a chance for Larry Johnson's Never Enough Time to make up ground.

Trained by Mike Trombetta, who also entered Three Diamonds Farm's Kiss the Girl, Never Enough Time has 5 MATCH Series points after two starts in her division. The 5-year-old Maryland-bred by Munnings is the only entrant with a win at Colonial Downs—in her last start in her first outing locally. Julian Pimentel is named to ride again.

Multiple graded stakes winner Frank's Rockette, owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and trained by Bill Mott, also is entered and appears the probable favorite as the 4-year-old Into Mischief mare approaches the $900,000 mark in earnings on a record of eight wins in 15 starts.

Hillwood Stables' Cordmaker, third in the division standings with 8 points after two MATCH Series starts, gets a chance to move up in the standings in the 1 1/16-mile Victory Gallop which, like the Love Sign, is raced around one turn.

Regular rider Victor Carrasco is named on Cordmaker, a 6-year-old Maryland-bred gelding trained by Rodney Jenkins. He has been first, second or third in 20 of 30 starts and has performed well at the one-turn-mile distance at Laurel Park.

Triple V Racing and trainer Ortiz claimed Singapore Flash for $40,000 from an allowance/optional claiming race on the turf at Colonial Downs last time out and entered him in the Victory Gallop. In his last race on the dirt, the 5-year-old Shanghai Bobby gelding cleared his first allowance condition at Fair Grounds Race Course in Louisiana. Gutierrez will ride.

Mark Grier's Sosua, undefeated in three starts for Fair Hill Training Center-based trainer Arnaud Delacour, will attempt to remain perfect in the 1 1/16-mile Love Sign. Hector Diaz Jr., aboard for all three of the 4-year-old Speightstown mare's victories, will ride again.

ABL Stables, Domenic Bossone, Patrick Donnelly, Jacob Schnoor and W. Oberdorf's Sweet Sami D, with 5 MATCH Series points after two of six division legs, also is entered. Trained by Pat McBurney, the 5-year-old First Samurai mare finished third in Caesar's Wish Stakes at Pimlico and then won an allowance event at Delaware Park.

The MATCH Series, the only one of its kind in racing, began May 14 at Pimlico and will wrap up Dec. 26 at Laurel. The 2021 edition features 24 stakes valued at $2.75 million and $282,000 in bonus money.

Owners and trainers will compete for $63,000 in divisional bonuses and the overall MATCH Series champion will net $30,000 in bonuses for its owner and trainer. In addition, the Maryland Horse Breeders Association will pay a $3,000 bonus to the breeder of the top points-earning Maryland-bred and $3,000 for the top points-earning Maryland-sired horse. If the top points-earner is both Maryland-bred and -sired, the breeder would get $6,000.

Colonial Downs, which was an original partner when the series debuted in 1997 and participated until it was discontinued in 2001 but returned in 2018, had signed onto the planned 2020 series, which was canceled because of COVID-19. When the regional MATCH partners determined that the full series would be delayed until 2022, the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and Maryland Jockey Club decided to run a Maryland-based series, and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Colonial Downs offered to participate.

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Terry Meyocks, President & CEO of the Jockeys' Guild, said, “We truly appreciate our partnership with Colonial Downs® to assist in providing these important benefits for our members. Their on-going efforts to provide a safe racing environment for everyone, as well as this agreement, reinforces the commitment of Colonial Downs® to work together for the betterment of our sport.”

“We sincerely appreciate Colonial Downs® and their support of the Guild and its members,” said Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez, Co-Chairman of the Jockeys' Guild. “They believe in a safe racing environment and our members recognize and appreciate these efforts.”

“The safety of both jockeys and equine athletes is a priority at Colonial Downs®,” said Jill Byrne, Vice-President of Racing Operations at Colonial Downs Racetrack. “Our riders continually compliment the integrity of our surfaces and our proven safety record. This partnership acknowledges and further solidifies our long-term commitment to the horse racing industry.”

“Horse racing is the centerpiece of our business in Virginia and the revival of it can only continue with the support of the industry participants, including the jockeys,” said John Marshall, Executive Vice President of Operations for Colonial Downs Group. “We are honored to have partnered with the Guild as we keep our commitment to building Colonial Downs® into one of the country's premier race meets. This agreement can be a shining example for those in the industry sharing the common interest of improving the integrity of horse racing.”

For more information on Colonial Downs® and the Jockeys' Guild visit:

https://www.colonialdowns.com/racing/

http://www.jockeysguild.com

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In all, 139 horses have been nominated pending late mail. The four stakes are the Chesapeake (3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division), Seeking the Pearl (Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division), Victory Gallop (3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Dirt division) and Love Sign (Filly and Mare Long—Dirt division).

The Chesapeake and Seeking the Pearl are the fourth of six legs in their divisions, while the Victory Gallop and Love Sign are the third of six legs in their divisions.

WSS Racing and 4 G Racing's Mucho and Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, the top two horses in the division by points, are among the nominees. Mucho (13 points), trained by John Ortiz, took the division lead with a strong win in the Challedon Stakes at Pimlico Race Course July 31. Laki (12 points), trained by Damon Dilodovico, finished a close fourth in the Challedon and is the only horse thus far to have started in all three races in his division.

Tamaroak Partners' Bango, who hasn't competed in the MATCH Series, has won three consecutive stakes in Kentucky for trainer Greg Foley and defeated Mucho by a nose in the Kellys Landing Stakes at Churchill Downs June 25. Whereshetoldmetogo, owned by Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and BTR Racing, finished a close third in the Challedon in his first series appearance for trainer Brittany Russell.

Hello Beautiful, second in the division standings with 17 points, would make her third MATCH Series start should she make the trip to Virginia. Owned by Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stable and Magic City Stables, Hello Beautiful won the Alma North Stakes at Pimlico July 31 and before that finished a neck behind division and overall series leader Chub Wagon (20 points) in the Shine Again Stakes at Pimlico. Chub Wagon is not nominated to the Seeking the Pearl.

Other nominees with two series starts are C and B Stables' Paisley Singing (7 points), trained by Charles A. Frock; and Larry Johnson's Never Enough Times (5 points), trained by Mike Trombetta. Never Enough Time was a game winner in quick time for six furlongs in an allowance event July 26 in her first start at Colonial Downs.

The one-two-three-four finishers in the July 31 Deputed Testamony Stakes at Pimlico—MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride; Morris Kernan Jr., Yo Berbs and Jagger Inc.'s Magic Michael; Hillwood Stables' Cordmaker; and Burning Daylight Farms and Rebecca Galbraith's Mischief Afoot—are among the nominees. Twelve-time winner Harpers First Ride, trained by Claudio Gonzalez, has made two series starts and leads the division with 11 points, while Cordmaker, also with two starts, is third with 8 points.

Grade 3 stakes winner Silver Dust, owned by Tom Durant and trained by Bret Calhoun, has been stabled at Colonial Downs since early July. Martin and Pam Wygod's Modernist, a Bill Mott trainee who finished second in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special—first leg of the division—also is nominated.

Mrs. Orb, owned by Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and trainer Mike Miceli, is tied at the top of her division with Spice Is Nice, each with 10 points. Mrs. Orb captured the Caesar's Wish Stakes, second leg of the division at Pimlico July 4. She is joined on the Love Sign nominations list with Sweet Sami D (5 points), Artful Splatter (3 points) and Gracetown (1 point), who finished third, fourth and seventh, respectively, in the Caesar's Wish.

Horses in the MATCH Series qualify for a share of more than $280,000 in bonus money for owners and trainers if they start at least three times.

Colonial Downs was an original MATCH partner when the series was launched in 1997, having hosted four stakes in four of the five divisions that year. Track management and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association had agreed to rejoin the series in 2020—Colonial Downs was to have run five $100,000 stakes on one day in mid-August—but MATCH was canceled because of COVID-19.

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In two previous turf starts, the 3-year-old Nyquist filly had respective third and fifth-place finishes at Churchill and Fair Grounds but on Monday, the Brendan Walsh trainee completed a comeback at 1 1/16th miles on grass. Racing sixth at the quarter and at the half in a nine-horse field, jockey Joe Rocco Jr. assumed he would be closer to the lead at that point, so he had to switch strategies on the fly.

“They went pretty fast early,” he said. “I rode my horse away from the gate and thought I'd be stalking Pletcher's horse (Apurate). I thought he'd be in front and I'd get a comfortable spot there, but they just went too fast. So I took a little hold and tried to tuck her in. They were pretty bunched up going into the turn and two of the horses to beat were to my inside and right in front of me so I saw that as an opportunity to make an early move, pass a couple dead horses and then be able to go in and tighten it up on the horses to beat. I think that's what was able to get us to first.”

Tasting the Stars, who was 5-for-7 entering the stakes, was the horse next to Rocco's and No Mo Lady, with a $233,000 bankroll, was next to him. “Those were two of the three to beat,” he added. “I saw the opportunity to get better position on them before the turn so we didn't have to go too wide. Brendan gave me a lot of filly to ride. She's very nice.”

With a 1 3/4 length win, Princess Theorem earned her second victory in six starts overall and pushed her bankroll to $125,382. Ther Brendan Walsh trainee is out of the Street Cry mare, Princess Haya. No Mo Lady finished second and Susan Cooney's Fionnbharr took third.

Colonial Downs continues its season on Tuesday with a nine-race card beginning at 1:45 PM. The meet continues until September 1 with racing every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 1:45 PM. New Kent County Virginia Derby Day is Tuesday August 31.

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The 30-year-old rider had been winless in 27 U.S. starts until the ninth on Wednesday when she piloted Leanne Hester's homebred Tempting Moment to a gate-to-wire effort at odds of 15-1. The 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint attracted a field of thirteen $10,000 claimers who competed for a $25,000 purse.

Hester's 6-year-old Gone Clubbing gelding led by 1 1/2 lengths early on, carried a five-length cushion into the top of the stretch and crossed three lengths ahead of Fashionable in 1:04.05. The winner paid $32.20 and marked his first win in 12 starts.

The day's last race matched a jockey with a horse, both of whom were in search of a much-needed victory.

“I'm so happy,” said an emotional Scaldaferri after the race. “You can't imagine how happy I am. I've put in so much hard work to get to this point. I rode at Gulfstream for three years then at Monmouth for a short time before coming here and didn't win at either place. I thought it was going to be easier by now. This means so much to me because I got sick so many times last year and only made one start. I had pneumonia at one point, would feel better, get going then get sick again and have to start all over.”

The win came in Scaldaferri's third start this week at Colonial. She had four starts at Monmouth before arriving in Virginia and only had one in 2020.

“This is my first win ever in America,” she proclaimed again as she walked back into the paddock all smiles. “I'll be back riding here all season, for sure.”

Colonial Downs continues its 7-week season Monday July 26 with nine races beginning at 1:45 PM. Three open stakes will be contested — the $150,000 Buckland, and $100,000 Da Hoss and Andy Guest Stakes.

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