HIGHTLIGHTS OF THE $250,000 COMMONWEALTH TURF CUP

A LOVER'S QUESTION (Jeff Coady/Coady Photography)

(From CLN) Owner Larry Johnson, trainer Mike Trombetta and jockey Julian Pimentel combined forces to capture the first two stakes races in Friday’s five race, $250,000 Commonwealth Turf Festival, which went off without a hitch at Colonial Downs despite periods of rain.

A Lover’s Question scored a near gate to wire victory in the $50,000 Jamestown  Stakes to kick off the second annual Virginia-bred showcase event. The Sprint at Last filly, one of only two females in the race, won easily by 3 ¾ lengths over Vestry in the 5 ½ furlong sprint. The Johnson-Trombetta-Pimentel trio won last year’s edition of the Jamestown with Harbingerofthings and didn’t wait long to return to the winner’s circle Friday.

HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT (Jeff Coady/Coady Photography)

The same connections won the $50,000 Oakley Stakes, next up in the Virginia-bred quintet, with Heaven Knows What. The 3 year old Holy Bull filly led throughout the 5 ½ furlong race and finished 2 ½ lengths better than Seaside in 1:03.97.  Johnson, who bred both winners, capped off a nice day that started much earlier at Saratoga where scored with a victory in the first race with Strike The Moon, also trained by Trombetta.

Embarr, In The Rough and Cobbley’s Breeze finished one-two-three in the 2011 Brookemeade Stakes and the trio scored an identical finish a year later in the ’12 edition Friday. Jockey Forest Boyce led the effort for winning breeder, owner and trainer Susan Cooney in the one mile turf stakes. Embarr came from behind gamely after sitting fifth midway through. The 4 year old Royal Academy filly maneuvered to second at the head of the stretch and nosed by front running In The Rough shortly after en route to a 1 ¼ length victory. She is now a perfect 3-for- 3 at Colonial Downs.

STAGED AFFAIR  (Jeff Coady/Coady Photography)

The best comeback of the evening though belonged to Phil Schoenthal’s Staged Affair, who stormed past six frontrunners outside in the stretch to capture the $50,000 Bert Allen Stakes by an open length. The 6 year old Not For Love mare has won back to back stakes at Colonial this summer. She scored a tight nose win in the Punch Line July 4th, and with Friday’s win, gave jockey Richard Monterrey three wins on the night. Staged Affair was bred by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin III.

DANNHAUSER  (Jeff Coady/Coady Photography)

It took leading rider Sheldon Russell nine races to get to the winner’s circle Friday, but the wait paid off as he guided Kathleen O’ Connell’s Dannhauser to a three-quarter length win in the Daniel Van Clief Stakes. Coming off a fourth place finish in the June 16th Da Hoss, the 4 year old Johannesburg colt had to rally in deep stretch after Navy Brass and Hugo stormed out to huge early leads and maintained healthy cushions until the final straightaway. Dannhauser, who was bred by the Audrey farm, came on strong to beat Powder Mountain and finished the 1 1/16th mile stakes in 1:44.53.