Slam Notion rebounded in a big way Saturday at Colonial Downs, powering through the lane to capture the $125,000 Star de Naskra Stakes for Virginia- and Maryland-bred or -sired 3-year-olds.

The bay gelding, trained by native Virginian Robbie Bailes for breeder-owner Eric Rizer, notched the first stakes win of his career and his fourth overall from eight starts. Slam Notion’s career earnings now approach $190,000. The win helped erase the sting of the gelding’s never-involved eighth-place finish in Pimlico’s Chick Lang Stakes on the Preakness undercard.

Sent off at 6.70-1, Slam Notion tracked the early pace while racing wide, made a sweeping move on the far turn, and took command at the head of the lane. He edged away late under jockey J. G. Torrealba to prevail by two lengths in 1:21.44 for seven furlongs on a main track rated good, after a weather delay had pushed the race back earlier in the day.

Favored Barbadian Runner, a three-time stakes winner this year, closed well from off the pace to be second, while another previous stakes winner, Re Markably, finished third after dueling up front and tiring in the final sixteenth. Missed the Turn was scratched.

For Bailes, who famously trained 2005 Preakness runner-up Scrappy T, the win came just days after teaming up with Torrealba and Rizer to win the Colonial meet opener with another homebred, Slewperstitious.

The upset win returned $15.40 to win, $6.40 to place, and $3.80 to show. The exacta with Barbadian Runner ($4.00, $2.40) paid $25.50, while the trifecta with Re Markably ($3.60) came back $81.00 for a 50-cent wager. The 10-cent superfecta, completed by early pace factor Saxton, paid $81.39.

The Star de Naskra was the day’s co-feature, joining the Miss Disco for sophomore fillies. Both are part of a series of Maryland-Virginia restricted stakes taking place over the next several months. Four are now in the books, with Maryland-breds having won three.