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> Chambeau Wins Second Tyson Gilpin/Glenn Petty
>> Galilie Comes off the Pace To Score in Brookmeade Stakes
>>> Alex Joon Won’t Settle For Second in the Edward P. Evans
By Maribeth Kalinich
Ending their first week of the meet, Colonial Downs put on a Virginia-bred show Saturday with a 9-race card that included four stakes races including the coveted Punch Line Stakes worth $1 million.
First on the card were the the 5-1/2-furlong sprints in the $125,000 Tyson Gilpin/Glenn Petty Stakes for fillies and mares followed by the marquee event, Punch Line with the boys.
It was back to the fillies and mares in the $125,000 Brookmeade Stakes at 1-1/16 miles followed by the Edward Evans Stakes at one mile for the boys.
In the headliner, the $125,000 Punch Line, it would be the Phil Schoenthal-trained Determined Kingdom with Mychel Sanchez taking the 4-year-old gelding to a 5-1/4 length triumph, which followed last year’s 5-1/2 length score.
Leading from the break, Determined Kingdom took control of the race and never let go with Emboldened piloted by Horacio Karamanos giving a game rally to no avail.
Uncle Andrew would finish a length behind in third with Boldor (Vincent Cheminaud) in fourth place.
Tapio, Boondoggie, Cheatin Song, Kenny Had a Notion, Shastree and Imagoodfella completed the order of finish.
The final time for the sprint was 1:01.91 with the track record having been set by Four Wheel Drive at 1:00.84 August 31, 2019.
Determined Kingdom paid $3.60, 2.80 and 2.80. Embolden offered $4.00 and 3.20 while Uncle Andrew gave the largest reward with $8.20 for show.
Having raced in Maryland at Laurel Park and Pimlico, Turfway Park in the Animal Kingdom placing third with a second in the Turfway Prevue, Determined Kingdom has five wins from 16 career starts with a second and two thirds collecting $325,189 in earnings.
A seasoned stakes winner taking the Jamestown Stakes at Colonial to break his maiden, the gray gelding also placed third in the Mahoney Stakes at Saratoga and finished fourth in the Woodstock Stakes at Woodbine.
Bred by Audley Farm Equine, LLC, in Virginia, Determined Kingdom is sired by Kentucky Derby champ Animal Kingdom out of Fastnet Rock (AUS) mare Filia. He is owned by D. Hatman Thoroughbreds and Kingdom Bloodstock, Inc., Sshoenthal’s nom de course.
Chambeau Wins Second Tyson Gilpin/Glenn Petty
In the first stakes of the day, the Tyson Gilpin/Glenn Petty, Sam E. English II’s homebred Chambeau would score the victory with Horacio Karamanos up for trainer Anthony Aquirre.
Jumping on the break Chambeau would settle into second being Speak Your Mind under Jevian Toledo with American Heights with Adam Beschizza up following the pacesetters.
Carolina Sun with Jeiron Barbosa up battled with the leaders in fourth and was able to make a rally to score second over Aisha R N (Vincent Cherminaud) in thirds by a neck over Chickahominy (Forest Boyce).
Mystic Seaport, My Boss Lady, American Heights, and Speak Your Mind complete the order of finish.
The race was completed in a time of 1.02.36. with zippy fractions of 22.51, 45.27 and 56.56.
Chambeau paid $5.60, 3.20 and 2.40. Carolina Sun rewarded players with $4.80 and 2.80 with Aisha R N paying $3.00 for show.
Scoring in the Tyson Gilpin on debut this was the dark bay mare’s second win in the stakes. She has three wins out of six career starts with one second place earning $200,300.
With regal breeding, the 5-year-old mare is by Karakontie (JPN) out of Not for Love mare If Not For Lust.
Galilie Comes off the Pace To Score in Brookmeade Stakes
In an off-the-pace rally it would be Country Life Farm’s Galilei scoring the win in the Brookemead Stakes over Tufani under Toledo Jevian who lead from the break up until being overtaken by Gallie at in the final furlongs by 3/4 of a length for trainer Michael Trombetta.
Continentalcongress piloted by Michael Sanchez, winner of the marquee Punch Line earlier in the day, would be in contention in second until settling for third with Bode’s Heritage (Vincent Cheminaud) a nose behind in fourth.
Surya, My Maggie Moo and Osa complete the order of finish.
The slow-paced race with a 24.27 opening quarter was completed in 1:42.76 with Amplio Esquema setting the record of 1:40.00 August 30, 2021.
Galilei rewarded punters with $11.80, 4.20 and 3.20. Tufani paid $2.80 and 2.20 with Continentalcongress offering $4.00 for show.
This was the dark bay’s second win in win career starts with one third earning $125,803.
Bred by Audley Farm Equine, Galilei is sired by Lemon Drop Kid our of Galileo (IRE) mare Fairytale Ending (IRE).
Alex Joon Won’t Settle For Second in the Edward P. Evans
The last stakes of the day was the Edward P. Evans with Ten Strikes Racing’s Alex Joon victorious under Forest Boyce for trainer Lindsay Schultz, giving the aforementioned conditioner her first stakes win.
Passion Play with Horacio Karamanos up would jump on the break and settle into second behind Fredy Peltroche aboard Buddy Buddy with Kendama guided by Jeiron Barbosa right behind in third.
Breaking from outside post 8, Alex Joon would stay in the back until the half mile where Boyce moved him up to fourth angling outside to get position to make a rally scoring the victory by three lengths over Passion Play in second and Gigante who also rallied for third under Adam Beschizza. Kendama would finish fourth by a nose.
Reconvene, Southpaw Mike, E. P. Milton, Hay Chief and Buddy Buddy complete the order of finish.
The final time was 1:35.51 with the record set by Street Copper at 1:33.09 July 27, 2021.
This was Alex Joon’s fifth win in a whopping 26 starts with three seconds and five thirds earning $307,399.
The 5-year-old gelding has won races at Churchill Downs, Lone Star Park and Oaklawn Park with his last win coming at Colonial Downs in an Allowance Augutst 9, 2022.
Second in last year’s edition of the Evans, Alex June also placed third in the Cape Henlopen at Delaware Park and an Allowance at Keeneland.
Bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm, the dark bay 5-year-old gelding is sired by Flatter out of Include mare Sun Salutations.
Racing is open to fans of all ages; every Saturday is Family Day!
Colonial Downs offers live racing every Thursday, Friday & Saturday from July 13 – September 9 with a post time of 1:30 PM.
Parking & General Admission are free every day with one exception (Saturday, August 12*).
Promotional Giveaway Days: July 28 – Plush Horse | August 11 – T-Shirt | August 28 – Clear Stadium Bag | September 1 – Water Bottle
Colonial Downs Festival of Racing Day is set for Saturday, August 12. Be part of the biggest day in Virginia Horse Racing history! This includes the G1 Arlington Million, G1 $500,000 Beverly D Stakes & G2 Secretariat Stakes (*special $25 General Admission).
G3 $500,000 Virginia Derby Day is Saturday, September 9.
