Nick's Picks: Colonial Downs picks July 24, 2025 * The Racing Biz

Nick’s Picks: Colonial Downs picks July 24, 2025

Nick Hahn
July 23, 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 24/10:45 (steeplechase), 12:30 (flat)
RACES: 11
CARRYOVERS: Pick 6, $3,343

RACE 1

A steeplechase with a post time of 10:45 starts off the card and has 10 entered looking for their first win over jumps.

10. Starlifter	Rider Watters had a great jumping double last week and looks to remain undefeated at Colonial in 2025 with a first-time jumper.
1. British Royalty	With a little jumping experience, Neilson’s gelding finished in the money in a deep field over soft going in May
8. The Jackal	Another Fisher first timer that went long distances on the flat under Shug should have the stamina to sustain the 18 furlongs.

RACE 2

Ten maiden jumping females with more jumping experience than the opener with most having multiple finishes in the money.

6. Beautiful Gorgeous	McDermott’s mount has an affinity for Colonial Downs on the flat, which may be enough to put him on top over the jumps.
8. Avakate	Can’t pick Watters every time but hesitant to take him out of the money when aboard one for Morris making his 2025 debut.
3. Bold Look	Two solid recent starts in 2025, both in deep fields with improved placings late, including the last one that Mel Boucher rode.

RACE 3

Eleven are slated in a handicap for those rated 115 or lower with two that carry 158 having the highest rating.

9. Beat Le Bon	On the rustic routes, Fisher’s gelding has wins by over 20 and 30 lengths each. Expect to see on the lead early on.
3. Bee Well	After this guy broke his maiden on the flat, Kingsley sent his English Channel gelding over the jumps, producing one spring win.
5. The Insider	An experienced jumper with four career wins. Usually wins or doesn’t finish but something in the middle this go-around.

RACE 4

$10k claimers going a one-turn mile in the day’s first flat race. Speed shown not to be as dominant but still a factor.

6. Striking Sparks	Ness’s colt has back class and should maintain the lead once he gets it with Paco aboard.
4. Self Taught	Coming in from Gulfstream where Gallegos’ gelding has been very competitive, Curtis picks up the mount and tracks Sparks.
7. Spurs Up	McCutchen’s five-year-old won at Colonial Downs last summer looking to improve in his second Colonial start this summer.

RACE 5

Going seven furlongs on the dirt are eight “nonwinners of one other than,” nearly all coming in from different venues.

7. Classic Time	Casse’s gelding, whether with Mark or Norm, doesn’t disappoint and has shown enough speed in 2025 to matter at any distance.
1. Mister Lincoln	Ness’s gelding has won three of his last four starts including one over the mud and fast. Expect to see on the lead at some point.
6. Grand Opening	Making his 2025 debut is Bailes’s gelding who has a Colonial win over the dirt last summer. The Charles Town stake just didn’t work.

RACE 6

The first turf flat race on the card is for two-year-old maiden fillies going a mile, all making their racing debuts.

2. Zoomaha	Omaha Beach is an underrated sire in a condition where lineage matters in handicapping, Curtis rides for Jonathan Thomas.
3. Coach Mazzula	Another $125k purchase like Zoomaha is Brittany Russell’s Authentic filly ridden by Toledo.
1. Black Rose	A fireworks morning work at Colonial over Independance Day weekend shows that Casse’s filly has some love for Colonial.

NICK’S NOTES

Picks continue below.
Jockey and trainer stats through this past weekend at Colonial are here.
Jockey Ben Curtis won a pair on Wednesday. He won a claiming race aboard Mainstream Sellout ($17.60) for trainer Niall Saville and later took the day’s allowance feature on Public Defender ($9.80) for Jane Cibelli…
Zevon scratched out of a race at Delaware Park the other day and instead ran in maiden special weight here on Wedensday. Smart move, as the Danielle Hodsdon trainee won by two lengths and paid $9.80. Daniel Centeno was in the irons…

RACE 7

All but one of these maiden turf sprinters is three years old, many having credible outings behind them and looking to graduate.

7. Virtuosity	Trombetta’s colt has two solid 2025 starts over two very different surfaces. Looks to finish better today over the firmer going.
2. Montador	Stidham’s colt had the lead at Colonial last summer on the dirt but couldn’t hold at 6 1/2 furlongs. On the turf and shorter today.
3. Cheval de Guerre	Interesting import for Riley Mott out of Royal Ascot last summer, finishing 16th. Can say drops in class today.

RACE 8

Female non-winners of two claimers (favored Korea, a German-bred, also has a win over jumps) go a mile over the turf.

4. Scholar	Switching to the turf proved to be the right choice for Trombetta trainee whose outings are better than they look since the win.
1. Bella Estrela	After the breakthough win on the dirt, Brion’s filly has two nice starts looking to add a turf win to her resume.
3. Korea	Proven veteran and versatile in Europe and over jumps, Saville’s mare didn’t miss by much in her first start on the flat in the United States.

RACE 9

Non-winners of three or three-year-olds is a popular condition at Colonial, here for claimers in a turf route.

7. Oishi	New to Colonial Downs this week is Venezuelan Samuel Marin, whose 657 starts this year are almost as many as he’s had in any prior year in the States.
2. Curly Larry and Mo	Russell rides for Russell aboard a veteran very capable of attaining the lead but has to work a little harder to keep it.
3. Cap’n Dusty	Back relatively quickly to Colonial is Nagle’s gray gelding who seems to run his best races at Colonial, including last summer’s win.

RACE 10

In a turf route, older female allowance/optional claimers have demonstrated enough closing kick to create a charge down the stretch.

9. Smiling Ellie	Curtis may wait a little while longer at 1 1/16 miles to close but Casse’s filly has a win this year at this distance.
3. Distant Winter	Quite a US debut for Motion’s South African five-year-old mare on the Delaware turf in June.
4. Partir	Not yet a winner in the United States this year is Riley Mott’s filly that won three races in France in 2024 and is capable of big outings.

RACE 11

The finale features distaff non-winners of two lifetime over a flat turf mile balanced with frontrunners, stalkers and closers.

9. Steam Knot	Cooney’s filly has been running well but hasn’t won until recently. Well connected with Curtis aboard and Kitten’s Joy lineage.
6. Incisive Kitten	Another Kitten’s Joy figures to factor after a little class drop for Country Life’s four-year-old filly that prefers just a mile.
3. Battling Time	Russell’s filly will also prefer just a mile after going perhaps a sixteenth too far in her 2025 debut.