NICK'S PICKS, THURSDAY, JUNE 30TH AT COLONIAL DOWNS

SELF-SADDLERS

If you happened to be hanging around the winner's circle looking for the owner and trainer of yesterday's winners, chances are you were coming up a man short.  Four of yesterday's winners were saddled by their owners.  Starting with the bomb that opened the evening's racing, Fred Tuller 123-1 shot Gavan's Repent,  paid $248.20 on a $2 win ticket.  The win sent Colonial officials scrambling through their archives to see if it was the largest $2 win payout in the tracks 15-year history.   It probably was.  Reid Nagle is listed as the trainer of the Virginia-bred winner in the third race, Wolverton, and is at least one of the owners of Big Lick Farm.  In the fifth, Robert McCutchen started Redheaded Stranger for the first time in a two year turf sprint and jockey Alberto Delgado found the wire first.  In the finale New Kent's George Gregory started his third of the meet and captured glory with Castle Victory, a previous winner at Colonial Downs.  Undoubtedly, there were fireworks launched over the Pamunky River last night. 

Fireworks left over from Gregory may be included in the bundle ignited after Saturday's and Sunday evening racing with includes an extra race on the dirt.  On Sunday the feature is the $50,000 Chesapeake Stakes on the dirt and Monday's Independence Day card (1:00 first race post) has the $50,000 Punch Line.  Trainer Chris Crocker has a credible challenger in tonight's finale with Jack Saw.  Chris, if your horse wins this time, let him have his picture taken with you in the winner's circle. 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Money, horse racing and women.  Three things the boys just can't figure out" - Will Rogers

RACING OF YORE VIRGINIA

There have been four Virginia-bred Kentucky Derby winners in race history, Reigh Count ('28), Secretariat ('73), Pleasant Colony ('81) Sea Hero ('93).  However, a number of other Kentucky Derby winners were bred by Virginians but were officially foaled in other states such as Riva Ridge ('72-KY) by Meadow Stud, Kauai King ('66-MD) by Pine Brook Farm, filly winner Genuine Risk by Catoctin Farm ('80-KY) and Go For Gin ('94-KY) by Hare Forest Farm.  While not the breeder of the 1934 Kentucky Derby winner, Brookmeade Farm in Upperville, VA owned Cavalcade.  In 1918, Exterminator won the Run for the Roses for Virginian Willis Sharpe Kilmer, who according to VTA director Glenn Petty, made his fortune selling the medical tonic "Swamp Root".   Kilmer was the breeder, but not the owner, of the aforementioned Reigh Count.

 MAKING RACING HAPPEN...

...is Mario Verge, clerk of scales at Colonial Downs.  Verge  takes care of the jockeys, makes sure the jockeys and vallets are scheduled and checks the jockey's weight.   A former jockey himself, Mario won the New Jersey Futurity.  Knowing he was about to retire, Verge won the last race he ever rode aboard Hannah the Wrecker.  He rode in races at Colonial Downs. He likes to play the area golf courses like Brickshire, Stonehouse and Royal New Kent and "sez" he shoots in the nineties.

KNICKERING NICK'S
EXOTIC PLAY OF THE DAY
RACE 4
$.50 PIC 4
1,2,8,9 with 2,4,8,11 with 1,2,4,10, with 8
Costs $32

WHOSE PICTURE IS NEXT?

(HEY, WE MADE IT BEFORE POST TIME)

Take a look at today's compelling fields at Colonial.  First race, 14 entered, choice 5-2; 2nd race, 8 entered, choice 2-1; 3rd race, 14 entered, choice 7-2; 11 entered, choice 7-2.  I can make a case to go deep in today's fields and comfortable reach for longshots.  This composition of racing is working for Colonial, at least it's what I want from racing in Virginia.  The early meet cards even had larger fields.  Overlay these competitively-correct races over the players in them and it's must-bet TV.

    

Players like the jockeys competing to fill the void left by Rosemary Homeister.  Sheldon Russell leads in the standings and won the early big race at Colonial Downs.  His Colonial Turf Cup win reminds me of Horatio Karamanos' win in the 2007 Virginia Derby aboard Red Giant.  Russell undoubtedly will have a big mount in this year's Virginia Derby.  Luis Garcia won last Saturday's feature and could get the mount on Watch Me Go as he had in the Tampa Bay Derby triumph.  Forest Boyce and apprentice rider Sarah Rook are getting solid wins.  We are learning about Alfredo Clemente's talents.

Trainer Michael Pino saddled the Ross colors to a stunning 9 wins in 17 starts.  One week ago, trainer Ferris Allen and jockey Eric Camacho blitzed 4 wins in 5 starts.  William Phipps has 4 wins in his 6 starts, (no relation to Odgen Phipps by the way).  Motion has started 5 here.  Who you see headed to the winner's circle is as intriguing as the races they win.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

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"There is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse". -R.S. Surtees, English sportswriter in the 1800s. RACING OF YORE VIRGINIA In 2007, the leading jockey at Colonial Downs, Horatio Karamanos went off at 37-1 aboard the longest shot in the Virginia Derby field and found a nostril more horse aboard Red Giant than Roman Dominquez could find aboard Strike a Deal.  Favorite Kentucky Derby starter Circular Quay (1.9-1) finished sixth in the ten horse field.   For Karamanos, the then $1 million purse of Virginia Derby made the triumph aboard the Todd Pletcher trained colt the largest of his career.  "Special K" also delivered a Virginia Derby and Colonial Downs record time at 1:59.62.  Red Giant would go on to set a world record on the turf at 1:57.16 in the Clemente Hirsh at Santa Anita.  That summer, Karamonas won almost $1.6 million in purses and nearly eclipse the win tally by almost 2-1 with 62 wins at Colonial Downs. MAKING RACING HAPPEN...  ...is stakes coordinator, Shane Burke.  On the day where next Saturday's Colonial Turf Cup nominations are released, Shane is manning the stakes desk as he has since Colonial's grand opening in 1997.  Shane graduated high school in January of his senior year so he could work in racing.  Once working for D'Wayne Lukas at Los Alamitos, the Washington state native rode thoroughbreds and quarter horses including "Dash for Cash".   His favorite Richmond restaurant is Havana69 in Shockhoe Bottom.

KNICKERING NICK'S
EXOTIC PLAY OF THE DAY

RACE 4
$.50 PIC 4
4,9,10,11 with 4,6,8 with 5,10 with 2,3,8
COSTS $36

“PATTI” NAMED MISS TRF

MISS TRF PATTI

After sorting through over 11,000 votes, Colonial Downs and Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) at James River officials announced that Patti was the winner of the first ever “Miss TRF” equine beauty competition Saturday evening at Colonial Downs.

Nine mares entered the competition, and thru on line votes accumulated over a week’s time, the top three vote getters advanced to Colonial Downs as a finalist in Saturday’s “Ladies Night” event.

The top three included Patti, and eleven-year-old chestnut, Twitchy, a six-year old-bay, and Roman, an eleven-year-old dark bay. The trio is based at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) at James River.

Upon arriving in the winner’s circle, Patti was presented with a well-deserved garland of roses, and a year’s supply of carrots courtesy of Whole Foods Market. She was then serenaded in poem based on a song, “There She Is, Miss TRF.”

Should Patti not be able to fulfill her numerous duties as “Miss TRF”, Twitchy, the first runner-up, will take her place. Roman was second runner-up.

Over 11,200 on line votes were cast in this first time venture.

COUNTRY COUSIN WINS ZEKE

COUNTRY COUSIN (Susan M. Carter Photo)

Nicole Perry's Country Cousin came from twelve lengths back after clearing the final hurdle to pass front-running Your Sum Man and capture the 14th running of the $50,000 David L. “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial Steeplechase Stakes (NSA Gr. III) Sunday afternoon at Colonial Downs.

Country Cousin sat mid-pack in the six horse stakes field through the top of the stretch, content to let betting choice Your Sum Man cut early fractions. Halfway through, fifth place challenger Spy In The Sky stumbled and threw his rider, leaving only five to compete through the final two turns.

Rider Carl Crafter led the late surge aboard Country Cousin who, after gaining control of the field, held off fast closing Straight To It in 4:07.17. The 8 year old Lear Fan gelding continues to pay dividends for trainer Julie Gomena and owner Perry. 

(LtoR) COUNTRY COUSIN, YOUR SUM MAN and STRAIGHT TO IT
(Susan M. Carter Photo)

Country Cousin entered the race with a lifetime bankroll of over $160,000 with more than half of it earned in just six starts over the past couple years.

Straight To It, fresh off a win in the May 21st Strawberry Hill race card at Colonial, was second and Your Sum Man was a distant third. 

The winner paid $8.20.

SATURDAY AT COLONIAL DOWNS

SUPREME (Coady Photography)

For the second straight year, an all female amateur riders race and a $50,000 fillies and mares stakes headlined Ladies Night festivities at Colonial Downs.

Sandee Beattie, a trainer based at Penn National, rode her horse Silver Brew to a tight victory in a thrilling Amateur Riders Club of America (ARCA) race. The $5,000 claiming event for fillies and mares on turf saw Silver Brew and Home Grown Lass run neck and neck down the stretch. Beattie’s six-year-old mare got the final head bob inside of Home Grown Lass to capture her second win of 2011.

Beattie, who got back into riding amateur races last year after a fifteen year layoff, won this event at Colonial Downs for the second straight year. She had four starts last year and got the win at Colonial, a pair of seconds and a third, and competed in the German World Cup.

“After nine years of riding, I had 18 broken bones and five operations so I decided to become a trainer instead,” said Beattie. I’ve got 24 in training right now and fifteen racing at Penn. But I do ride a few times a year now and really enjoy it.”

In the $50,000 Buckland Stakes, Supreme charged past a pair of frontrunners in deep stretch to score a 1 ½ length win in the race’s 13th running.

The four-year-old Empire Maker filly had but five lifetime starts entering Saturday’s 5 ½ furlong turf sprint, but had never finished any worse than second. Jockey Luis Garcia helped keep the streak intact as he guided Supreme past Colony Club and Toni’s The One in deep stretch to win by half a length in 1:02.90. Supreme is trained by Leigh Delacour for Fares Farm, Inc.

Rider Luis Garcia won earlier in the card with The Last Bird, while his brother Geovany snagged a pair of wins too aboard Buster Douglas and She’s Got Rhythm. Geovany Garcia also threw out the first pitch Monday night at the Richmond Flying Squirrels AA baseball game at The Diamond.

JOHN HENRY ROUSON – EQUINE ARTIST OF DISTINCTION

John Henry Rouson (1908-2000) was highly regarded worldwide as a painter of racehorses. He painted several Triple Crown Winners and Racing Hall of Fame members, including Secretariat, as well as a number of magnificent racing scenes. His paintings have graced the cover of Turf magazine multiple times, as well as several other publications.

Rouson also painted the Canadian Horse of the Year and Queen's Plate winner for the Canadian Jockey Club for many years. His paintings hang in honor at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.

Rouson was also an Internationally Syndicated Cartoonist, featuring four comic strips - "Little Sport", "Little Eve", "Ladies Day" and "Boy & Girl".

Rouson was born in England and was a war hero in the British Navy during WWII. 

Lt Commander Rouson courageously disposed of mines which threatened the security of Britain and the Allied Forces. In January of 1942,  Rouson disposed of the very first Japanese mine ever used against the allied forces. He also recovered torpedoes from sunken U-boats in Toulon, and disposed of the mines plaguing Birmingham in October of 1940.

John Henry Rouson was honored by Britain for his Gallantry and Undaunted Devotion to Duty with the Prestigious George Medal (GM), The Order Of The British Empire (OBE) &
The Member Of The British Empire (MBE).

Today some of his work is available as murals created from his original oil paintings. To see the catalog and other Rouson paintings go to http://www.equineartofdistinction.com/index.html or contact the artist’s daughter Jessamy at jrouson@aol.com or jrouson@equineartofdistinction.com.

PICTURES/VIDEO OF THE DAY

A view of the damaged barn 23 used by trainer Steve Margolis at Churchill Downs after an apparent tornado struck the track in Louisville, Kentucky, June 23, 2011.  No injuries were reported. (Reuters Photo)

William Buick riding Lemon Drop Red win The Janes Solicitors Handicap Stakes at Brighton racecourse on June 28, 2011 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Malibu Pier, right, and jockey Brice Blanc win the Grade III, $100,000 Beverly Hills Handicap Sunday, June 26, 2011, at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Benoit Photo)

The mascot race was featured at Colonial Downs on Sunday, June 12^th. (Coady Photography)

Pigs with the All-Alaskan Pig Racing round the track during a race at the Alameda County Fair on June 23, 2011 in Pleasanton, California. The Alameda County Fair is celebrating its 99th year and features rides, farm animals, carnival food, horse racing and pig races. The fair runs through July 10. (Getty Images)

Horses and riders take part in the traditional San Juan festival in the town of Ciutadella on the Balearic Island of Menorca on June 24, 2010, on Saint John's day.  (Getty Images)

The field turns for home in the $50,000 Buckland Stakes at Colonial Downs on Saturday, June 25, 2011.  (Coady Photography)

In this image provided by Benoit Photo, Zazu, with jockey Joel Rosario aboard, wins the Grade II, $150,000 Hollywood Oaks horse race, Saturday, June 25, 2011, at Hollywood Park, Inglewood Calif. (AP Photo)

Country Cousin and his connections after capturing the $50,000 “Zeke” Ferguson Memorial NSA Gr. III at Colonial Downs Sunday afternoon. (Photo by Susan M. Carter)

VIRGINIA-BRED RACE WINNERS

Beacon Hall (c, 3yo), Yes It's True - Pink Champagne by Awesome Again. B - Audley Farm.

PRX, 6/20/2011, clmg, $13,200, 6 f, 1:09.59. ($20,000, yrlg, 2009, keesep)

Big D (c, 4yo), Tapit - Beguile by =Prince Sabo (GB). B - Donna M Hayes. PRX, 6 /20/2011, clmg, $16,200, 8.3 f, 1:42.86. ($17,000, yrlg, 2008, ftmoct)

Bright Green (f, 3yo), Pleasantly Perfect - Green Light by Sheikh Albadou (GB). B - Evans edward P. Colonial Downs, 6/23/2011, mdn clmg, $8,410, 5 f, 0:59.23. ($11,000, rac age, 2011, keejan)

Buster Douglas (g, 6yo), Housebuster - Mindgames by Believe It. B - Donna M Hayes. Colonial Downs, 6/25/2011, clmg, $9,976, 8 f, 1:37.83.

Buster's Ready (f, 3yo), More Than Ready - Beatem Buster by Honour And Glory. B - Edward P Evans. Belmont Park, 6/25/2011, gr 1 stk, $150,000, 8.5 f, 1:42.44.

Cee's My Lady (f, 2yo), Malibu Moon - Cee's Irish by Cee's Tizzy. B - S Barton Inc. Colonial Downs, 6/25/2011, mdn sp wgt, $26,680, 5 f, 0:58.33.

Enjoyable (f, 9yo), Holy Bull - Tears Of Joy by Mt. Livermore. B - Mr. & Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone. Colonial Downs, 6/26/2011, clmg, $9,976, 5.5 f, 1:04.20.

Golden Account (g, 4yo), Menifee - In The Till by Mr. Prospector. B - Lazy Lane Farms Inc.

Colonial Downs, 6/22/2011, clmg, $9,976, 5.5 f, 1:05.12. ($42,000, yrlg, 2008, ftmoct)

Imanheiress (f, 4yo), Smoke Glacken - Miss Moola by Saint Ballado. B - Nellie M. Cox & Rose Retreat Farm. Charles Town, 6/26/2011, clmg, $6,600, 7 f, 1:27.96. ($15,000, yrlg, 2008, ftmoct)

Jackrabbit Fast (g, 3yo), Aldebaran - My Own Lovely Lee by Bucksplasher. B - Mrs C Oliver Iselin III. Sunray Park, 6/21/2011, alwc, $11,700, 7 f, 1:24.17.

Latika (f, 3yo), Wiseman's Ferry - Lady Chip by Dixie Union. B - Audley Farm. Colonial Downs, 6/22/2011, clmg, $9,976, 5.5 f, 1:05.60.

Marvey Marley (f, 3yo), Victory Gallop - Fast Affair by Fastness (IRE). B - James Walters & Teresa C Myers. Colonial Downs, 6/26/2011, mdn clmg, $12,296, 8.5 f, 1:46.42.

Quick Delivery (c, 5yo), Distorted Humor - Penny Marie by Sky Classic. B - Lazy Lane Farms, Inc. Arlington Internat'l, 6/22/2011, clmg, $14,400, 8.5 f, 1:46.09.

River Fancy (f, 5yo), Congaree - Go Baby Go (IRE) by Lion Cavern. B - Morgan's Ford Farm.

Belmont Park, 6/26/2011, clmg, $14,400, 8 f, 1:34.96. ($90,000, wnlg, 2006, keenov)

Saigon Story (c, 3yo), Quiet American - Penny Marie by Sky Classic. B - Lazy Lane Farms Inc.

Delaware Park, 6/22/2011, mdn clmg, $9,000, 8.3 f, 1:45.31. ($110,000, yrlg, 2009, keesep)

Simmstown (c, 3yo), Limehouse - Ruler's Charm by Cape Town. B - Audley Farm Inc. Churchill Downs, 6/25/2011, mdn sp wgt, $30,660, 5.5 f, 1:03.84. ($155,000, 2yo, 2010, obsmar)

Sneaking Suspicion (c, 4yo), Forest Wildcat - Abha by Unbridled's Song. B - Minor Halsey.

Colonial Downs, 6/22/2011, mdn clmg, $8,410, 5 f, 0:59.29. 

VA-BRED BUSTER’S READY WINS GRADE 1 MOTHER GOOSE

(Horsephotos.com/NTRA)

Virginia-bred Buster's Ready dominated the Grade 1, $250,000 Mother Goose for 3-year-old fillies, beating Joyful Victory, the 4-5 favorite, by 4 1/4 lengths on Saturday at Belmont Park.

The race got off to a strange start as the extremely rank Alseera broke on top. Her jockey, Alan Garcia, struggled for control before the filly bolted to the outside fence down the backstretch.

That unexpected event left Salty Strike and Buster's Ready, with John Velazquez aboard, dueling for the lead.

She took charge in the lane and drew clear in the final furlong. Joyful Victory, the 4-5 favorite, rallied for second. R Gypsy Gold held third, giving Pletcher a 1-3 finish.

A maiden winner in a $50,000 claimer for Todd Pletcher last November at Aqueduct, Buster Ready won for the third time in six starts this year. She entered the 1 1/16-mile Mother Goose off a good runner-up effort in the May 20 Black-Eyed Susan (gr. II) at Pimlico Race Course.

Buster’s Ready is a Virginia homebred of the Estate of Edward P. Evans. She is out of the Honour and Glory mare Beatem Buster.

"She's been steadily improving all winter," Pletcher said of Buster's Ready. "She's a filly we always felt wanted more distance."

Pletcher said her next likely start will be the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 23 at Saratoga.

PICTURES OF THE DAY

Giants Play wins the $150,000 New York Stakes Gr.II at Belmont Park on Saturday.  (Photo courtesy of NYRA)

Inglorious and Luis Contreras win 152nd $1 Million Queen's Plate at Woodbine.  (Photo by Michael Burns Photography)

Ryan Moore riding Libranno (L) wins The John Sunley Memorial Criterion Stakes from Pausanias (R) at Newmarket racecourse on June 25, 2011 in Newmarket, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe)

Treasure Beach, ridden by Colm O'Donoghue, leads home a 1-2-3 for the trainer Aidan O'Brien in Sunday's Irish Derby at The Curragh. (Photo by Julian Behal/PA)

Virginia-bred Buster’s Ready winning the $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes Gr.I at Belmont Park on Saturday.  (NYRA Photo)

NICK'S PICKS, SUNDAY, JULY 26TH AT COLONIAL DOWNS

 IS "ZEKE", A REPEAT?

Today's $50,000 "Zeke" Ferguson may be the steeplechase equivalent to the $500,000 Colonial Turf Cup run last Saturday at Colonial Downs.  With an eight-horse field, the "Zeke" has a moderate favorite with Your Sum Man who ran second in his last start, just like Turf Cup favorite Smart Bid. 

With the favorite, Thomas Voss and Paddy Young look to extend their positions on top of the rider and trainer standings in 2011.  In an allowance race at Colonial on Strawberry Hill Saturday, Straight to It overtook Your Sum Man with the subtlety of erosion.  Two others, Percussionist and Spy in the Sky were in that race and return for the "Zeke".

    

Nice win for Leigh Delacour's Supreme in the $50,000 Buckland Stakes yesterday.  Supreme is owned by Fare Farms.  Luis Garica sat mid-pack up the backstretch and found himself more off the rail than he wanted to be coming out of the turn.  Didn't matter.  He was a convincing winner at the wire.  Delacour is seeking a graded stakes race in Canada for the next spot for her 4-year old Empire Maker filly who has never finished worse than 2nd in her five starts. 

Garcia was scheduled to riderKentucky Derby starter Watch Me Go this morning at Colonial.  Kathleen O'Connell's colt is targeting the Virginia Derby for her Tampa Bay Derby winner delivered by Garcia.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"There are fools, damn fools, and those who remount in Steeplechase." - Bill Whitbread

RACING OF YORE VIRGINIA
Virginian "Zeke" Ferguson owned Leeds Don who won the Virginia Gold Cup  three consecutive times from 1965-1967.  In the big gray's start in 1967, his bid for the triple nearly failed after the seventh jump before Joe Aitcheson was able to guide Leeds Don back to course on a slippery surface.  Leeds Don was the timber champion in 1965 and 1966.  The trophy presented to today's winner is of Leeds Don landing after a jump.
 

KNICKERING NICK'S
EXOTIC PLAY OF THE DAY
RACE 4
$.50 PIC4
2,9,12 with 2,3,6,7 with 2,10 with 1,11

Hall of Fame Steeplechase trainer Dorothy Smithwick passed away this week.  She owned Loundon County's Sunny Bank Farm and champaigned six champions.  On April 23rd, she won two races in the Alfred M. Hunt at Middleburg Spring with Swimming River.  Smithwick's Big Estero won the 1991 Temple Gwathmey in Middleburg.

MAKING RACING HAPPEN...

...is Bradley Bess, our camera man in the paddock and finish line at Colonial Downs.  Bess.  He likes to shoot the isolation on the winner coming down the stretch.  A resident of Richmond's fan district, Bess will find his way out to Hooter's on the West End with money he wins on randomly picking Belmont Stakes winners.   He is a recent graduate from VCU.  

NICK'S PICKS, JUNE 25TH AT COLONIAL DOWNS

BUCKLAND STAKES

Today's feature race is the very competitive $50,000 Buckland Stakes that includes the top two finishers of The Very One Stakes run on Preakness Day at Pimlico and the Fort Monmouth Stakes run earlier this month at Monmouth Park.   The 10-horse field will go five and a half furlongs on the turf in the race named after  breeding farm owned by Thomas Mellon Evans who bred and stood 1981 Kentucky Derby winner Pleasant Colony.  ARCA Amateur Female Riders take the mounts in today's 3rd race.

Looking at the rider and trainer standings, Sheldon Russell sits atop the standings with 13 scores having his picture taken five more times then apprentice Sarah Rook in second.  Thanks to his four win Wednesday, Ferris Allen is now tied with Michael Pino with 8 total wins in the trainer tally.  Cryin' Ryan and Schleprock are the only repeat winners in Colonial's meet so far.

As for today "Miss TRF" pagent, my vote goes to "Patti" who was one of the three finalists along with Twitchy and Roman in the contest run for the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation at James River.  I have put in several weeks worth of volunteer hours at their sister facility in Orange County at James Madison's Montpelier and can attest that this is a rewarding program to take part. 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Win hands down" or "Hands down the best" - Refers to the position of a jockey hands while holding the reigns when he/she feels like he no longer needs to urge a horse when ahead by a comfortable margin.

RACING OF YORE VIRGINIA

As a 13-1 longshot, Julie Krone delivered Virginia-bred Colonial Affair across in the wire in the 1993 Belmont Stakes, becoming the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race.  Colonial Affair was foaled in Middleburg, VA  by the Mr. & Mrs. Herman Greenberg at their Rutledge Farm.   Herman Greenberg, who passed in 2010, also owned bargin performer Researcher and steeplechase star Sur La Tete.  The son of another Virginia-bred Pleasant Colony , Colonial Affair ran some 6 lengths off the lead up the backstretch in the Belmont Stakes.  Krone passed five foes turning for home including another VA-bred, Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero, to win by two.  Krone remains the only female to win a Triple Crown race.  Colonial Affair would also win the Whitney at Saratoga and the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont as a four-year old.  He would be retired later that fall due to a leg injury. 

 MAKING RACING HAPPEN...

...is Larry Foutenot, an outrider on the racetrack.  The Louisiana native gathers loose horses on the racetracks, helps the riders with their mounts and acts like "police on the racetrack." Larry like to fish when he's in Louisiana and is searching for fishing holes in Virginia that don't have waterskiers and innertubers on them.  When not eating fish, he likes the Aberdeen House in Williamsburg for their prime rib.  He is one of three outriders alongside Tim Mayo and Rod Buchacevich.

KNICKERING NICK'S
EXOTIC PLAY OF THE DAY
RACE 6
$1 PIC 3
3,5,9 with 1,5,11 with 7,8,9
Cost $27

SCOOTER AND SHELDON ON "OFF TO THE RACES"

Coady Photography

On this Saturday morning's edition of "Off to the Races" our guests will include Sheldon Russell, winning jockey of Colonial Turf Cup aboard Rahystrada (in red), as well as winning trainer Scooter Hughes.  Find out where Rahystrada may be headed next and hear about the first meeting of the winning connections the day of the race.

Leading trainer Ferris Allen will talk about his 4 win Wednesday and what that day meant to him.  Nick Hahn and "Derby" Bill Watson hosts "Off to the Races" which airs at 11:00 am Saturday mornings on AM 950, WXGI in Richmond and on the worldwideweb at http://www.espn950am.com/. 

NICK'S PICKS, THURSDAY, JUNE 23RD AT COLONIAL DOWNS

ALLEN ALL IN

I had the story prepared on this tip sheet.  The story about how trainer Ferris Allen was experiencing a slow start to this year's meet with only four wins in the first two weeks of the meet.  Click "Send", and it's on yesterday's tip sheet.  Wouldn't that one have made the Allen stable bulletin board.  I decided to give it one more week.  Another reason to think before you click.

Yesterday's four win tally by Allen may have been one of his more satisfying days he's ever had at Colonial.  He's won 4 races on a Colonial card before and for moments had a personal best in the finale before a rightful disqualification denied a fifth win.

"We had a number of bad trips and had to adjust where we had some horses," said Allen about the first two weeks of the meet.  "It goes to show you that this game isn't easy.  You have to earn every one.  There is always someone ready to beat you."

In one night, Allen doubled his win total for the meet and rocketed back to his familiar perch on top of the trainer standings at Colonial.  It might be fitting that the horse that lauched his 4-win blitz, a $56.80 winner named No Satis Action, was the last horse he owned with his father, Bert Allen, who passed away this winter.  Until last summer, the elder Allen who lived in Varina, could count the days he missed at Colonial on one hand.  Latika, Black Tie Only, N.Y. Stylin were Allen's other winners all riden by jockey Eric Camacho.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"When you call upon a Thoroughbred, he gives you all the speed, strength of heart and sinew in him. When you call on a jackass, he kicks." -Patricia Neal, actress

RACING OF YORE VIRGINIA

Some of the darker days in Virginia's racing history occurred a hundred years ago when Governor William Hodges Mann led a purge to "prohibit all forms of racetrack gambling."  The Jamestown Jockey Club held spring and fall races in Norfolk during the era when Mann communicated with Circuit Court Judge J. T. Lawless and Attorney General R. C. Marshall (these are really their actual names) to use diligence to enforce anti-gambling laws.  Mann was concerned about the influx of New Yorkers after that state abandoned racing.  According to the New York Times, Mann did not have a lot of success in the spring of 1911 and later expressed "abominable outrage"  when no counsel for the state showed up at a hearing in October of 1911 to revoke the charter of the Jamestown Jockey Club.   He would eventually succeed leaving Virginia without legal pari-mutuel horse racing until legislation was approved by referendum in 1988.

MAKING RACING HAPPEN...

 ...is Larry Foutenot, an outrider on the racetrack.  The Louisiana native gathers loose horses on the racetracks, helps the riders with their mounts and acts like "police on the racetrack." Larry like to fish when he's in Louisiana and is searching for fishing holes in Virginia that don't have waterskiers and innertubers on them.  When not eating fish, he likes the Aberdeen House in Williamsburg for their prime rib.  He is one of three outriders alongside Tim Mayo and Rod Buchacevich.

KNICKERING NICK'S

EXOTIC PLAY OF THE DAY

$2 DAILY DOUBLE

4 with 1,5,6,7

COST $8