Nick's Picks: Colonial Downs picks July 31, 2025 * The Racing Biz

Nick’s Picks: Colonial Downs picks July 31, 2025

Nick Hahn
July 31, 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 31/12:30 p.m.
RACES: 9
CARRYOVERS: Pick 6, $1,933

RACE 1

We kick off the card with with a Virginia-restricted turf sprint for two-year-old fillies a dozen deep wtih four on the AE list.

7. Honor Our Country	Trombetta has two first-timers side-by-side in the starting gate, this one better in the mornings and better bred for turf.
5. Wickedwithbourbon	Cross-entered for Saturday is Desormeaux’s filly, who ran second in her second start, her first at Colonial. Makes turf debut.
6. Hovekoma	Lopez swept the double yesterday and aboard Duarte’s filly has a chance to capture the opener today.

RACE 2

Going a mile on the dirt, which starts early in the chute, are seven distaff allowance/optional claimers, none up for claim.

5. Low Country Magic	We’ll give the edge to the Good Magic (and therefore Curlin) lineage of Correas’ filly looking for a three-peat at three different tracks.
3. Cap Classique	Only two in the field have Colonial starts and though second, DARRS’s filly came last year in the Chenery. Russell has a tough duo.
7. Cat’s Cave	Tomlinson’s filly is the only one in the field with a Colonial win, but that was a while back in breaking her maiden. Running well of late.

RACE 3

Going a little farther back in the chute are seven more allowance/optional claimers, two of which will be saddled by Ness.

5. Stronsino	Made up for a poor start at Pimlico with an impressive win at Laurel and now looks to repeat while still going one-turn.
1. Holiday Pay	Saffie sends down a Saratoga sloppy starter to Colonial looking for a big performance and perhaps a win with a good start.
2. Winters Lion	Concepcion gets the mount on one of the most consistent runners in the field Beyer-wise.

RACE 4

In a turf sprint, fillies and mares line up with multiple wins but none on the Colonial turf except for West’s filly earlier this meet.

3. J Z’s Last Schance	Wolfendale’s filly (yep, Maggie’s cousin) has run two solid sprints in her last two starts. Maybe needs to be more forwardly placed.
5. Lady Ensign	Turf sprints seem to be preferred recently over routes, but the veteran mare hasn’t found that Colonial winner’s circle yet.
7. Shameless Bride	West’s filly was impressive in her debut but moves up into a different class here. Still expect a good performance.

RACE 5

Maiden female claimers fill a starting gate again with four on the AE list, two with a good chacne to break through.

12. Ditched	Joseph’s filly may have been ditched in her first Colonial start but finds an easier group today.
4. Red Royalty	Tomlinson’s filly has made some nice starts on the dirt and could buck her breeding and run well on the turf.
2. Insolenta	Blair’s four-year-old looks to return to firmer ground and may benefit in going farther on the turf.

RACE 6

Allowance/optional claimers sprint on the dirt where three are up for claim. Especially with these veterans, speed will matter.

7. Cuz Ur Pretty	Winner in three of four is Magee’s mare, who in some cases has delivered nice figures in frontrunning scores.
1. My Flicker	In March, Capuano’s veteran mare outfinished Magee’s mare and may be poised to do so again after a nice Saratoga win.
3. Trumpets	Klesaris has a nice career win percentage at Colonial and starts one new to his barn who also will be in the mix early.

NICK’S NOTES

Picks continue below.
Three riders doubled Wednesday: Paco Lopez, who swept the early double with a pair of favorites; Sheldon Russell, who won for wife Brittany Russell and for Kenny McPeek; and last year’s wins leader Ben Curtis, who scored for Jonathan Thomas and Rudy Brisset, the latter by a nose…
Eight different trainers scored Wednesday…

RACE 7

Going the previous Virginia Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles on turf are many familiar to Colonial Downs, three with prior wins here.

6. Bodecream	Ness’s Bodemeister gelding can handle the distance and has a Colonial win. Lopez gets the mount.
5. Class Photo	Hester starts a colt off the opening day claim that looks to become the first Colonial dual winner and register a three-peat.
8. Escape Key	Off the layoff, Concepcion’s mount will likely have the lead at some point during the two-minute race, but that’s a long time to maintain it.

RACE 8

A dozen fill the featured Virginia-restricted “non-winners of one other than” with two in-meet winners among others familiar to Colonial.

5. King Covee	The seven Colonial starts without a win may look shaky, but that was behind Repo Rocks and Determined Kingdom and other hard-knockers in most cases.
9. Twain	Meyers, off her first win of the meet yesterday, will be tough again with a Kitten’s Joy colt who ran third in the Murphy in May.
4. Gas Alley	New to the world of winners is Lauer’s gelding, who has run well at Colonial in very few starts. Should run well again.

RACE 9

A turf route for maidens is the Colonial finale with a solid sampling of starts to separate themselves. Watch Mott from the AE.

4. Your Lordship	Curtis gets the mount for Motion on an English-bred making his second start in the US after a respectable outing at Saratoga.
10. Mr Business	Can Schuh’s colt duplicate his recent start in Gulfstream with Gallardo aboard? Will be a player if he can.
11. Fight Club	Casse starts an expensive War of Will with Paco aboard. Like the sire and love the turf lineage on the dam side.