Latest news with #ColonialDowns
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a day ago
- Entertainment
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'We Don't Have To Be In A Hurry': Shug McGaughey Weighs Options For Fort Washington
'We Don't Have To Be In A Hurry': Shug McGaughey Weighs Options For Fort Washington originally appeared on Paulick Report. With his win in Saturday's $1-million Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs, Fort Washington has plenty of options for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey and owner Magic Cap Stables. The 6-year-old War Front dark bay had won multiple Grade 3s, but never a top-level event having only made one prior attempt. On Saturday, Fort Washington traveled in last-of-7 early under Junior Alvarado and tipped out wide to rally to a half-length victory over Grand Sonata, completing the 1 1/4 miles on firm turf in 1:59.58. Stablemate Integration was a 1 1/4-length third. 'He seems to have come out of it fine. He got back here [to Saratoga] early this morning, both of them did,' said McGaughey. 'I thought he ran a great race. I had been watching the races all day and it looked like it was speed-favoring and he was back, but Junior rode a great race. He saved ground and when it was time to tip him out, he was able to run the horse on the lead down. 'I thought Integration, maybe the turf was a little firm for him. I'll give him a little bit of a break and bring him back in the fall at Aqueduct or something,' McGaughey added. McGaughey said Fort Washington, who improved to 3-for-5 on the year, has a variety of potential next races, including the $1.25-million Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) on October 4 at Keeneland and the Red Smith (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack, which Integration won last year and is annually held in November. 'Keeneland should be an option, but you know they have the Red Smith at Aqueduct, so we'll have options,' said McGaughey. 'For now, we got done what we wanted to get done, we don't have to be in a hurry.' Of trying to get to the Breeders' Cup in November at Del Mar, McGaughey said, 'That's a little ambitious, but we'll kind of see. I mean, it is a nice thought, but it might be a little ambitious.' McGaughey confirmed Integration also exited in good order, but will get a break after a hard-knocking annual campaign that has featured four placings in five Grade 1 starts. 'Same thing, he came back here, but I think he needs a bit of a break. I haven't talked to [jockey] Johnny Velazquez yet, but he thought the turf was just a little firm for him,' McGaughey said. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
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Weekend Lineup: Turf Marathoners In The Spotlight
Weekend Lineup: Turf Marathoners In The Spotlight originally appeared on Paulick Report. The turf male division could get shaken up this weekend as some of its best runners go to post in the 1 ¼-mile Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs and the 1 ½-mile G1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Aug. the Arlington Million are six other turf stakes, highlighted by fillies and mares running 1 3/16 miles in the G2 Beverly D, and 3-year-olds going a mile in the G2 G1 Sword Dancer has attracted nine runners, with the winner receiving a berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar in season is well underway in Canada, and the 1 1/16-mile Bison City, the second leg of Woodbine's Triple Tiara series, will be run on Saturday on the main track. Saturday5:02 pm - Bison City Stakes at WoodbineD.J. Stable's Mark Casse trainees Shifty and Winterberry are the ones to beat in the Bison City. Shifty and Winterberry were second and third, respectively, in the Woodbine Oaks three weeks ago behind fellow Casse runner No Time, who runs in next weekend's King's City entries 5:44 pm - G1 Sword Dancer at SaratogaLSU Stable's Far Bridge will need to beat eight rivals to defend his title in the Sword Dancer. The Miguel Clement trainee was much the best in the G2 Bowling Green last son of English Channel's biggest threats appears to be the Godolphin pair of Nations Pride and El Cordobes. Nations Pride makes his first start since a 10th in the G1 Dubai Turf in April, while El Cordobes makes his U.S. debut off a G2 win at Dancer entries 5:54 pm - G1 Arlington Million at Colonial DownsKentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan makes his turf debut in a wide-open edition of the Arlington Million. The morning-line favorite is last year's Million runner-up Integration, who won the 2023 Virginia Derby over this turf third last-out in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne, makes his U.S. debut in the Million for trainer Alice Million entries This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
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Millionaire Be Your Best Headlines Beverly D.
Millionaire Be Your Best Headlines Beverly D. originally appeared on Paulick Report. With more than $1 million in lifetime earnings, Michael J. Ryan's Irish-bred Be Your Best headlines the $500,000 Beverly D. (G2), one of three graded turf stakes slated for Colonial Downs' Festival of Racing Day on Saturday. Since joining the barn of Saffie Joseph Jr., Be Your Best has won four of her six starts, all graded stakes, the Gamely (G1) gate-to-wire May 25 at Santa Anita Park in her most recent start. She kicked off her 5-year-old campaign with an impressive stalk-and-pounce score in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational (G2) at Gulfstream Park. Tabbed as the 9-5 morning line favorite in a field of six, Be Your Best will be guided from post 2 by Tyler Gaffalione. Chief among her competition for the 1 3/16-mile test is Jane Bacharach, William De Burgh, and Richard Schatz's Duvet Day. The Irish-bred trained by Mike McCarthy concluded her 5-year-old campaign with a win in the Cardinal (G3) at Churchill Downs last November. After getting her 6-year-old campaign going in the Mint Julep (G3), Duvet Day ran a strong second to Pin Up Betty going nine furlongs in the Anchorage at Churchill Downs. 'She seems to be in the best form of her career, numbers-wise,' McCarthy said. 'It's a big ask to run in a prestigious race like (the Beverly D.), but it's always nice to be able to participate in those kinds of races.' Drawing post 6, Duvet Day will have Hall of Fame jockey john Velazquez in the irons. Also exiting the Mint Julep and Anchorage, Domeyko Taylor's Charlene's Dream looms as a serious threat to win the Beverly D. Trained by Ed Moger Jr., Charlene's Dream earned her fourth added-money score this spring at Pimlico in the Gallorette (G3) on the Preakness undercard. Javier Castellano takes the call aboard the 4-year-old who drew post 4. Another logical contender is Cayton Park Stud's South Africa-bred Beach Bomb, who ran second to She Feels Pretty last out in the New York Stakes (G1) at Saratoga for trainer Graham Motion. Here is the complete field for the $500,000 Beverly D. (G2) from the rail out with jockey, trainer and morning line odds: Chick's Shadow (Jose E. Lopez, Angel Rodriguez, 15-1); Be Your Best (Gaffalione, Joseph Jr., 9-5); Beach Bomb (Luis Saez, Motion, 4-1); Charlene's Dream (Castellano, Moger Jr., 7-2); Spanish Eyes (Ben Curtis, Brendan Walsh, 9-2); and Duvet Day (Velazquez, McCarthy, 3-1). This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
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Wondrwherecraigis? Meet Brittany Russell's New ‘Trainer Taxi'
Wondrwherecraigis? Meet Brittany Russell's New 'Trainer Taxi' originally appeared on Paulick Report. There's a new celebrity on the backside at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., and he goes by Craig. His legal name is Wondrwherecraigis, and his latest role is acting as a 'trainer taxi' for trainer Brittany Russell.'He's only been working about a month and a half,' said Russell, who trained Wondrwherecraigis during his racing career. 'Everybody loves seeing him out there. He's like a celebrity, and the joke is that he could still outrun all of the barn.'The 8-year-old Munnings gelding retired from racing in October 2023, with a fourth-place finish in an allowance at Laurel Park. Wondrwherecraigis' 20 career races from March 2020 until his retirement took Russell into the limelight for the first time. He provided her with her first career graded stakes win in the 2021 Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap, and took her across the world to run in the 2022 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan retired in 2023 after Russell and his ownership group, comprising Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group LLC, Madaket Stables LLC, and Michael Caruso, felt he had lost a step.'He wasn't quite that stakes caliber horse anymore. We decided to retire him healthy and sound,' explained Russell. Post-retirement, Wondrwherecraigis was retained by Russell and began training for a show jumping career. Despite finishing 17th of 49 competitors in show jumping at The Thoroughbred Makeover last year, Russell felt Wondrwherecraigis wasn't at his happiest.'It went fine, but we just didn't feel like that was his thing,' she said. 'He did it, but we didn't think he loved it.'Russell pulled him out of show jumping training and returned him to the racetrack.'He's been awesome, I just feel like he wants to be in the racehorse barn,' said Russell.'He's more like a trainer taxi than a pony. He doesn't do a whole lot of ponying, but he is my taxi.' Russell is married to jockey Sheldon Russell, and together they have two children: their daughter, Edy, and their son, Rye.'[Wondrwherecraigis] was the first horse that my daughter really clicked on to in the racing barn,' said Russell. 'It's hard for the kids to understand sometimes. They come in the barn and get to know a horse, and then maybe they get claimed, or they get retired.'The hope is that one day Wondrwherecraigis can be a mount for Edy, who is now five years old.'We're hoping Craig is with us for many years,' said Russell. 'I believe she'll be riding him one day.' This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Studlydoright Headlines Opening Weekend Stakes At Colonial Downs
Studlydoright Headlines Opening Weekend Stakes At Colonial Downs originally appeared on Paulick Report. Mens Grille Racing's Studlydoright headlines a field of nine in the $125,000 Star De Naskra, one of two opening weekend stakes at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., on Saturday, July 12 for registered Virginia/Maryland-bred or -sired 3-year-olds. The Star De Naskra and its sister stakes, the $125,000 Miss Disco Stakes, will both be run at seven furlongs. Colonial Downs' expanded 41-day summer session begins on Wednesday, July 9 and runs through Sept. 13. Fields across the first four-day race week of the meet average more than 11 entries. First post for Saturday's 10-race card is 12:30 p.m. ET. The Star De Naskra is scheduled as Race 9 and the Miss Disco, Race 5. Advertisement Winning both the Tremont and the Nashua as a 2-year-old, Studlydoright has amassed over $300,000 in career earnings for trainer Jerry Robb. The Maryland-bred colt held his own in Kentucky Derby preps, earning points in four affairs, including a fifth-place finish in the local Virginia Derby. Returning to a sprint distance, Studlydoright will start from post 3 with Xavier Perez in the irons. Chief among Studlydoright's competition is AJ Will Win Stables' Jersey Derby winner Barbadian Runner, who ran second to Admiral Dennis last out in the Delaware Derby; as well as Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, Pantofel Stable, William Gotwals, and Lynn Ashby's Dover Stakes winner Re Markably who will be making his second start for trainer Bill Mott. Barak Farm's Safe Trust leads a field of eight fillies in the Miss Disco. With 10 in-the-money finishes from 13 starts, the Maryland-bred trained by Jose Corrales sports a win against open company in the Beyond the Wire last March at Laurel Park. In that race, Safe Trust was moved up by the stewards over Moon Cache, who she will face again in the Miss Disco on Saturday. Regular pilot Denis Araujo will be aboard Safe Trust, who drew post 7. Looking to add a second stakes victory to her resume, Dream Big Racing's Winfinity returns to Colonial Downs where she made her freshman debut, winning the Keswick Stakes last August. Trained by John Ortiz, the Virginia-bred daughter of Not This Time will leave from post 5 under last year's leading rider, Ben Curtis. The Miss Disco is the first leg in the Old Dominion 6, a classic Pick 6 wager which has a reduced minimum of 50-cents this year. Complete fields for both the Star De Naskra and the Miss Disco can be found on Equibase here: . Tickets for the entire meet can be purchased online at Colonial's races will be prominently featured on FanDuel TV all season long. Additionally, FanDuel TV will be on-site for coverage of the Festival of Racing on Aug. 9. Racing fans who can't make it to Colonial can wager at any of the Rosie's Gaming Emporiums throughout the state, The Rose Gaming Resort in Dumfries or VA-Horseplay locations in Chesapeake and Henrico. Bettors also can wager on racing from ColonialDowns via , the official advance-deposit wagering service for Churchill Downs Incorporated and its family of racetracks. boasts an improved wagering experience and mobile app combining the latest technology with the ability to wager on virtually every quarter, harness and thoroughbred horse race from venues around the globe. also offers access to unmatched insight and analysis from horse racing experts, handicappers, insiders, educators and Bloodstock Research Information Services (Brisnet). This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
