Nick’s Picks: Colonial Downs picks July 10, 2025
He’s probably the only public handicapper who’s ‘capped every race at Colonial Downs since Day One, and he’s back for more in 2025: Nick’s Picks returns with picks and analysis for every day of the Colonial meet.
- DATE/POST TIME: July 10, 2025/10:45 (steeplechase), 12:30 (flat)
- RACES: 12
- CARRYOVERS: Pick 6, $4,364
RACE 1
The first steeplechase race features a field very new to going over jumps.
5. Arturo Toscanini | Brion’s maiden tired late in ‘chase bow but may find racetrack steeplechase courses friendlier. |
6. Starlifter | Out of a pair of Fisher horses entered, Watters gets the mount on one going over jumps for the first time. |
10. In Effect | Morris’ experienced entry hasn’t jumped poorly in recent starts if you look past the last one. |
RACE 2
First father-daughter steeplechase race of the season with Richard versus Mell Boucher in a $60k MSW.
8. Diamonds For Her | Brion’s younger jumper may find the lead more favorable at Colonial than she did at Percy Warner. |
4. Bold Look | The best Boucher may ride a solid second-place finisher from Malvern and may make a run late. |
6. Beautiful Gorgeous | Rider McDermott come back to bring the best out of Beautiful Gorgeous. Draw a line through her last start. |
RACE 3
This handicap is full of multiple jump winners, but only one has a win in 2025, Sa’ad, who broke his jumping maiden off a 2-year layoff.
3. The Insider | When he finishes, he wins — except at Foxfield in his last start. He should find racetrack steeplechasing more beneficial. |
4. Hold Hard | Fout’s gelding has faced The Insider in his last two starts where they have split outcomes by large margins. Closer today. |
7. L’Avvocato | Neilson’s six-year-old jumper has had a good spring and is capable of being in the money once again. |
RACE 4
The first dirt race of the day is for sprinting non-winners of two lifetime, which makes how they won their first one matter.
7. Celtic Pride | Trainer Angel Rodriguez takes over after a disappointing season following an impressive sophomore year in Florida. |
4. Spiralizer | Was it the change of surface or drop in class that led to Spiralizer’s improved showing? Think class matters more here. |
6. Frost Mountain | Also seeing a drop in class is the Stidham gelding of Ross’s, who is also looking to prove himself on a fast dirt surface. |
RACE 5
The dirt sprint field comprised three-year-olds and older nonwinners of three brings a considerable amount of early pace.
2. Artillery Gunnar | Expect this three-time winning three-year-old popular claimer to be part of the early pace but how many in the lead pack? |
1. Bermuda Run | Beyer figs favor Barr’s gelding, who is consistently capable of landing 70+ Beyers even after the turf try. |
5. Kosher Capone | Could easily be convinced to move this one higher with recent nice starts since coming off the synthetic surface. |
RACE 6
A mile on the turf is largely foreign for many in this nonwinners of two. Watch Motion’s Delayed on the AE list.
10. Steam Knot | Ben Curtis gets the Cooney assignment, cutting back to her maiden-breaking distance. |
6. Respect the Law | Karamanos reunited on a Colonial winner from last summer trying a mile for the first time in her young career. |
4. Power and Glory | Maybe not as familiar with a mile is Glenn Thompson’s older mare, who commonly runs at a mile and a sixteenth. |
NICK’S NOTES
- Picks continue below.
- Jockey Daniel Centeno hit an opening-day three-bagger, winning the fourth, sixth, and eighth, with each paying at least $8.20. No other rider won more than once…
- Trainer Arnaud Delacour got the money twice, both with Centeno up. His winners were Class Photo ($8.20) in a claiming event and Evershed ($15.00) in the nightcap, a first-level allowance…
- Trainer Robbie Bailes kicked off the meet in style, unveiling two-year-old filly Slewperstitius, who rallied from seventh to win a maiden race by nearly nine lengths in 1:04.11 for 5 1/2 furlongs on the main track. Her time was a full second faster than older fillies and mares went later on the card. JG Torrealba was in the irons…
- The dirt course is gonna be fast again this year. Older second-level allowance runners got a flat mile in 1:34.62 in the seventh race, while a restricted starter field went three quarters in 1:09.35…
RACE 7
This time it’s a turf mile with the same conditions as the previous race except for the boys. Brion’s Comet is an AE threat.
12. Rampagius | Jock Francisco Arrieta is a newcomer to Colonial and a talent to get familiar with during the meet, here for Stidham and Ross. |
7. Yercan Maro | Though this Argentinian-bred broke his maiden on the dirt, he’s shown some talent on the turf in both Americas. |
3. Homer Jones | Should the turf remain firm (as it should), look for Trombetta’s consistent four-year-old to be prominent. |
RACE 8
Back to the dirt for a two-year-old sprint with twleve starters many with nice starts under them or promising works.
4. Cool Customer | A rhythm of sharp works at Delaware help the appeal of Stidham’s May foal with Francisco Arrieta aboard. |
12. Mr. Supreme | Corrales brings back a First Mondays gelding after an impressive second-place debut at Laurel two weeks ago. |
6. Power Grid | Robb has a nice first-time starter here with a City of Light-sired colt, but his best entry may be sitting on the AE list. |
RACE 9
In a turf sprint of one-time winners, many earned their victory at Colonial Downs. Long race resumes not preferred here.
3. Chantico | Stidham hopes that Arrieta can get a trouble-free trip, which hindered his first two turf starts. |
7. Clare Court | An easy winner in her lone turf try for trainer Madison Meyers, this filly returns Russell up but faces tougher competition. |
1. Glory Glory | Mary Lightner has had success at Colonial and drops a previous Colonial winner into her first start of 2025. |
RACE 10
There is very little indecision in this field of experienced turf milers concerning which surface to run over.
3. Magic Pathway | Coming off a maiden-breaking win at Monmouth is Trombetta’s Quality Road sophomore running consistent Beyers. |
1. Divino | Despite a good sprint on the dirt, Stidham moved his Good Magic colt to a turf route and won. Versatiliy shows talent. |
11. Small Field | Another Colonial Downs veteran that has won a race each season since 2022, goes for a four-peat. |
RACE 11
Twelve turf maidens (with two on the AE) will make the second half of the late double a scramble, so spread widely.
8. Mo Jackson | Tomlinson, the trainer, perhaps saw Tomlinson, the rating, and was optimistic to try turf. That performance makes him optimistic still. |
4. Danner | Robbie Bailes’s Omaha Beach colt overcame a tough start to take the lead in his 2025 debut, but Davyjonz is tough to beat. |
5. Montador | Stidham’s Nyquist colt also had the lead late at Colonial last summer in only start to date. Has had several sharp works since off the layoff. |
Picture of the day
Thrice as nice
Jockey Daniel Centeno made the most of opening day in New Kent, winning three times. His wins came aboard Class Photo ($8.20) in the fourth, Swill ($19.20) in the sixth, and Evershed (pictured, $15.00) in the nightcap.

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