Colonial Wraps Up Opening Weekend with Stakes Action

Colonial Downs capped off its opening weekend with four stakes races carded Aug. 10 for Virginia-bred horses 3 years old and up on the Secretariat Turf Course. The New Kent, Va., track last hosted live Thoroughbred racing in 2013, and Aug. 8 marked its return.

Kicking off the stakes action was Eagle Point Farm's homebred What the Beep, who scored her first black-type victory in the $100,000 M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes, for fillies and mares dashing 5 1/2 furlongs on the outer turf. The 4-year-old Great Notion  filly came from fourth under jockey Forest Boyce and got up by a length in a final time of 1:03.80 on firm going.

Karen Godsey trains What the Beep, who has earned $145,703 from a 3-3-1 record in 13 starts. The filly was fifth in the same race in June 2018 when it was held at Laurel Park.

What the Beep is out of the Purple Comet mare Toccoa and her half brother Braxton was second in the following stakes event, the $100,000 Meadow Stable Stakes, a 5 1/2-furlong grass sprint.

Finishing one length ahead in first was Lothenbach Stables' Elusive Mischief. The 4-year-old Into Mischief  colt shipped in from trainer Ian Wilkes' base in Kentucky. After starting the year with two losses, Elusive Mischief came from off the pace under Sheldon Russell to win in a final time of 1:03.72.

Lothenbach purchased the colt for $92,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment to the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Summer Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale. In his first start for his new connections, Elusive Mischief won the Punch Line Stakes at Laurel. From a 4-1-1 record in 10 starts, he has earned $183,747.

Jim and Katie Fitzgerald bred Elusive Mischief, who is the first foal out of the Unbridled's Song mare Claire's Song.

Something Special Racing and Stewart Smith's Tryon Summer scored a breakthrough victory in the $100,000 Nellie Mae Cox Stakes, for fillies and mares going a mile on the inner turf. The 3-year-old Discreetly Mine filly led every step and held on by half a length to finish in 1:38.05.

Tryon Summer was bred by the William M. Backer Trust and is out of the Empire Maker  mare Summertime Green. Greg Foley, agent, purchased her for $8,000 through Taylor Made's consignment to the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Tryon Summer holds a 3-3-2 record from 12 starts with earnings of $119,595.

Morgan's Ford Farm's homebred River Deep, also bred by F and F Stable, was named the winner of the $100,000 Edward P. Evans Stakes when stewards disqualified Speed Gracer from first to fourth for interference in the stretch. River Deep led almost every step and was bumped late by Speed Gracer, who rallied from eighth to cross the finish line three-quarters of a length in front. The final time for the mile was 1:36.87.

Phil Schoenthal trains River Deep, who was ridden by Russell.

The 5-year-old Arch gelding RNA'd for $70,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale when consigned by Morgan's Ford Farm, but has gone on to earn $295,475 from a 7-3-1 record in 21 starts. River Deep won his first stakes race a year ago, the Hansel Stakes, and his first black-type victory came in September 2018 when he won the Bert Allen Stakes. Both races were held at Laurel.

River Deep is out of the Congaree mare River Fancy. His half sister River Gal won the Jamestown Stakes in 2018, also at Laurel, and was third in Saturday's Nellie Mae Cox.