Nick's Picks: Colonial Downs picks July 10, 2025 * The Racing Biz

Nick’s Picks: Colonial Downs picks July 10, 2025

Nick Hahn
July 9, 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.