River Deep Aims for Evans Repeat at Colonial Downs

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River Deep Aims for Evans Repeat at Colonial Downs
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Photo: Coady Photography
River Deep wins the 2019 Edward P. Evans Stakes at Colonial Downs

Colonial Downs will kick off its 2020 meet July 28 after a one-day delay due to dangerous heat conditions in the forecast. Last summer's return to live racing marked the first time in nearly six years that Thoroughbreds raced at the New Kent, Va., track.

Tuesday's opening nine-race card features the $40,000 Hansel Stakes, open to Virginia-bred, -sired, and -certified 2-year-olds, contested at 5 1/2 furlongs on the dirt. The nine races scheduled for July 29 are topped by the $60,000 Edward P. Evans Stakes, a mile turf event for Virgina-bred and -sired horses, and include the $60,000 Camptown Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for Virgina-bred and -sired fillies and mares.

Colonial Downs will run without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic

River Deep, winner of the 2019 Edward P. Evans, will try to defend his title Wednesday against six others, including Todd Pletcher trainee Largent and 2019 Jamestown Stakes winner Embolden. Morgan Ford Farms' River Deep won last year's Evans courtesy of a disqualification when initial first-place finisher Speed Gracer was tagged for interference and placed fourth. The 6-year-old Arch gelding trained by Phil Schoenthal has a won pair of other Virginia-bred stakes—the Bert Allen and Hansel, both in 2018. 

Dare To Dream Stables' Embolden has earned top-three finishes in all six of his starts. The 3-year-old colt by The Factor  will make his 2020 debut Wednesday. He wrapped up his 2019 campaign with a third in the Remington Springboard MiIe Stakes and preceded that with a runner-up finish in the Atlantic Beach Stakes and another third in the Futurity Stakes (G3T), both in New York. Trevor McCarthy, Colonial's leading rider last year, has the mount for trainer Mike Stidham.

Twin Creeks Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Largent brings an impressive resume into the Evans. The 4-year-old Into Mischief  gelding is fresh off an allowance optional claiming win March 28 at Gulfstream Park.

Six fillies and mares will compete in the Camptown Stakes including 2019 M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes winner What the Beep, Jamestown Stakes runner-up Bella Aurora, and New York/New Jersey invader Tan and Tight.

Country Life Farms' Bella Aurora capped off 2019 with a win in the Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel Park. E Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Tan and Tight powered home in a maiden special weight Jan. 19 over a sloppy track at at Aqueduct Racetrack then returned to turf for a tight runner-up effort in an allowance at Monmouth Park July 5.

Only three of the eight horses in the Hansel—Natural Attraction, Merchant of Hope, and morning-line favorite Sky's Not Falling—have started previously and each won their maiden special weight debuts.

Colonial's season continues through Sept. 2 with cards every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. ET. A makeup card for Monday's cancellation will be held Aug. 2, at the same time. The track features a nightly All-Turf Pick-5 wager that covers the program's final five races.


Entries: Camptown S.

Colonial Downs, Wednesday, July 29, 2020, Race 4

  • STK
  • 5 1/2f
  • Outer turf
  • $60,000
  • 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 6:54 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Solarte (VA) Tyler Conner 121 Sarah Nagle 9/2
2 2What the Beep (VA) Forest Boyce 125 Karen Dennehy Godsey 7/2
3 3Tan and Tight (VA) Trevor McCarthy 121 Michael Stidham 2/1
4 4Determined Love (VA)Keeneland Sales Graduate Avery Whisman 117 Christopher R. Reck 8/1
5 5Bella Aurora (VA) Keiber J. Coa 121 Michael J. Trombetta 5/2
6 6Chasing Midnight (VA) Gregorio A. Rivera 121 Leanne Hester 20/1


Entries: Edward P. Evans S.

Colonial Downs, Wednesday, July 29, 2020, Race 8

  • STK
  • 1m
  • Inner turf
  • $60,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 8:46 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Largent (VA)Keeneland Sales Graduate UNKNOWN 123 Todd A. Pletcher 9/5
2 2Embolden (VA)Keeneland Sales Graduate Trevor McCarthy 121 Michael Stidham 2/1
3 3Fionnbharr (VA) UNKNOWN 116 Susan S. Cooney 10/1
4 4Black Prong (VA) Tyler Conner 121 Sarah Nagle 8/1
5 5Carbon Data (VA)Keeneland Sales Graduate UNKNOWN 121 Mary E. Eppler 12/1
6 6Ismusbemyluckyday (VA) Shannon Uske 121 Karen Dennehy Godsey 15/1
7 7River Deep (VA)Keeneland Sales Graduate Forest Boyce 125 Phil Schoenthal 5/1