Colonial, 6-16
 

to quote one of my favorite artists, Southside Johnny, "Better days are comin", and "it can't get no worse"... so today we take a stab at the turf racing extravaganza known as Colonial Downs.

Race 1:
#5 Queen Mother 3rd
#7 Duck Hunt 5th
#10 Desert Thunder (the top play if ML 8-1 holds)1st
#1 Whycocomagh 6th

Race 2:
#7 Coles a Player 2nd
#8 Addmeup (layoff makes this one iffy)4th
1 Space Pistol (longshot may be a reach, but this field ain't great)
#3 And Hes Off (see Space Pistol)5th

Race 3:
1A Call Me Moxie (fastest coming in, but 1st off layoff)scr
#5 My Manhatten 1st
#1 Monday's Child 3rd

Race 4:
#7 Mariah's Moon 3rd
#8 Bankcard (fast last race on Churchill dirt, now turf) 5th
#5 Meadowren Sky (1st turf)2nd
#4 Kaylas Smile (in light, solid turf #'s)1st

Race 5:
#14 Mr Madison (debut on dirt towers over these, if he likes turf) didn't
#9 Humming Along 5th
#7 Lord Rafa 2nd
#4 Side Buster 4th
Long shot add ins: #1 Cryptogram 3rd, #3 Perilous Lad

Race 6:
#9 Tiger Fever (fig 2 back at AC is best in here)1st
#2 Miss Lina
#7 Privately Approved 2nd
#8 Game N Laughin 4th
also, #6 Partners Luck (Trombetta's layoff horse is dangerous)

Race 7:
#6 Mount Weather (Donk adds Lasix off layoff) 2nd
#1 Love it Hot
#2 Spy in Sky
#8 Polish Dynamite (only knock is 124 lbs)
long shot add ins: #4 Phantastic Peace, and #12 Sir Chip

Race 8:
#10 Private Scandal (comes off huge dirt effort)scr
#13 Jungle Fighter (can improve 2nd off layoff) 1st
1A Pass Play scr
#12 Bastille (3rd off layoff, may be top choice) 2nd
#9 Please the Crowd 10th

Race 9:
#6 May Night 6th
#2 Bridge Game 3rd
#10 Ballet Pacifica 5th
#12 Massuese (seems like underlay as favorite from post 12) scr

Race 10:
#4 Strike a Deal 2nd
#7 Summer Doldrums 1st
#11 Soldier's Dancer (love the pattern, hopefully get better than ML odds) 6th
#8 Adagio

Race 11:
#8 Second Fiddle (probably most likely winner of the day) 1st
#11 Western Gambler
#10 Chancellery 4th
#12 News Flash
long shot add ins: #3 Plymouth Rock 2nd, #14 Kiyoshi

Hopefully there are a few winners in here, good luck as always.

Cnl 7th
 

My favorite angle is in play here & it's only an east coast summertime angle that usually hits @ a nice price.Check out the 5 horse inthe 7th his last effort was up near the pace & closed to win (doesn't have to win just perform well) in a hurdles event going 2 1/4 carrying 148 lbs and today going only a flat mile carrying only 118 lbs.He will feel as light as a feather down the stretch & will certainly be fit. ML 12-1 (Randy in VA)

I have absolutely no understanding or knowledge of how horses do returning from steeplechase races.. I never even gave that horse a 2nd look. But I will now.

Old Nelson Handicap
 

Seth, in the 8th race, Grato Recuerdo is a must use...especially at 12-1 ML

check out the 3 in the first race...first time starter with only 1 work showing

1 1/2 on firm turf 2:36 HANDILY AND there were 6 others to work the same distance that day.

Cnl 1st
 

I also like the 3 in the 1st race out of a danehill mare and I love danehill on the turf.good luck all I'm new kent bound.

You from VA?

Thanks, Kev.. On first inspection his recent form makes him a bit slower than the rest, but a closer look reveals 2 BIG races on this surface last year. Will be using.

you and need to be entered in the 2nd race....we could beat half the field.

I want to play an early DD as I think I have a good price horse in the 1st...but I cant come up with anything in the 2nd.

yeah in bumpass bout an hour from the track & they have a micro brew fest today $10 for the mug & 5 beer tiks & only $1 for any additional tiks.leaving in about 15 mins I'LL PROUDLY BE DISPLAYING MY DEE TEE STABLES HAT.GIDDY UP

Coles a Player, while being a proven loser, still stands out in this field.
If you trust Mr Muchu as your jockey in the first, well, good luck.

I know where Bumpass is. I was born in Hampton, but live in Roanoke now.

have a blast...wish I could be there today. Hope to try and make it there the 30th of this month.

thats not the horse I like in the 1st.:D

Early DD
 

4/7,8,9,10

I think the 4 will get overlooked in the wagering with Duck Hunt and Queen Mother taking alot of action. I think he has a big shot here at a decent price. 6-1ML and will most likely go off higher.

RE: #3 in the first
 

Just got back from the barn and watched this horse (and Logaritimo in the 8th) work this morning. Not sure what Kill devil Rum has, but he's in good shape and as ready as he'll be. He's also getting the bug weight. He's a good, solid horse - and very intelligent and honest. That last work time showing was a training flat race at a Steeplechase meet (with an ameteur rider). He's won two of those this year. Just thought I'd add some info to confuse you all a little more.

Also, Logaritimo in the 8th (with Kingsley also) is in very good shape coming off a layoff. This is a tough field, but this is the distance for this horse and he has heart down the stretch. Maybe an outside include in the exotics.

Kev, here's the TG look at your 4: ran one race in Europe (grass) at 2, TG 16... then xx'd first at 3, still in Europe.. comes over here and runs 16,15,16 on Laurel dirt.. then 1st start at 4 mid April, 24 on the Pimlico dirt. Now back to turf. Those numbers make him competitive, but 121 lbs and 6-1 ML isn't enough for me. Good luck with him.

Thanks for adding to the confusion;) , and the information from the barn. Can Muchu ride?

Here's my picks for the stake races at Colonial:

Old Nelson-Rahy's Choice

All Along-Bridge Game

Turf Cup-Mysterious Peintre


Please read the following:

I do not claim to have the skills as Steve has, but I do like to try and have some fun.

I like Silver Charades and Summer Doldrums. . .

Watch out for Spando. Like the horse and Judice is 2/2 this year. Have no idea who he is but going in with an undefeated jocket says something.

Interesting views on the 3 though and if the 1 can run breeding looks impressive.

Love the turf at Colonial.

Spyder

I told Hooves this morning to play Silver Charades....hope he listened.

yes you mentioned em..but wolfson ahas been a stable of my play outside fla for a wile...you did say it..good call

I learned that angle from you mn...

Wolfson/Castro/Turf is one of my favorite angles. . . That horse had other stuff going for it too. . . I wish they had offered a double with the two big stakes. . .

Thanks again for the input. In the first, I was able to put the firster with my horse and got a nice $472 exacta:D A great way to start the day.

Seth....great call on that one in the 1st today. Well done.

I made a nice score on Silver Charades and if Strike A Deal had won the Turf Cup...I would have had a really nice day.

As a side note, the pick 4 has yet to be hit the first two days of the meet. Both days, 3 of 4 has paid.

It was quite cool, and helpful that we had that back and forth this morning... always nice to put together your opinions with others opinions, and information, especially on a board like this.

Did you ****ing guys win today or what?

I hit the first good, got the super in the 6th, various assorted hits and misses, overall a good day for me.

Good job golfer, I am feelin no pain right now, partly because of the sun but also because the giant killer DLee went off on that ass today. WHAT WILDNESS...........

I just saw the highlight of that on ESPN.com, at least you got some entertainment today at Wrigley.

Brawls everywhere, it was awesome. Bought all these hilarious shirts in a drunken buying binge. SHOULDERS ARE BLAZED up right now, lobster red.........friends dared me to take shirt off so I was like **** it, I was all prepared with the sun protection factor 15 but didn't rock the shoulders.

Can Muchu ride?

I think he did a pretty good job yesterday, especially for a bug boy. He had a very rough day Friday, but settled down and gave Kill Devil Rum a solid ride in the first Saturday. There's no question he can ride, but he's going to make some mistakes here and there, thus the apprentice tag. In a couple weeks, I think he'll be very solid.

By the way, I hope everyone saw Kill Devil Rum's awesome run. He got nipped in the closest photo I've seen in a long time. AND, thanks to you guys, I hit the exacta in the first for $474 and pretty much quit betting for the day!

And Logaritimo in the eighth: was pinched hard at the start, had to rally from 15 lengths, six or eight wide around the turn, but was mowing them down in the stretch. Took third and would have won with another 20 yards.

BTW, based on what I saw in the paddock and on the track, keep an eye on Desert Thunder and Jungle Fighter the rest of the meet. Jungle Fighter was an especially impressive animal.