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: Aug. 29/4:00 p.m.
• RACES: 8
• CARRYOVERS: None

RACE 1

Virginia-restricted female maidens go a 1 & 1/16th with a little known gem among the prolific sires of the seven-horse opener.

7. Power Dance	A Higher Power-sired filly somehow ran second twice, once on the lead and once from way back, on the soft going. Graduates today.
1. Pharoah’s Marc	What might Cooney’s filly had done if she found the lead in her last start? She can be competitive but hasn’t found a finish.
6. Kimber Spice	Not too far off the heels of Power Dance in both races has been Godsey’s underachieving Gun Runner four-year-old filly.

RACE 2

The $12.5 maiden claimers filled up the early card one-turn dirt mile race, all experienced at maidenship in a field with little early speed.

2. Pace Yourself	Tomlinson starts one from off a sloppy setback at Churchill in May and drops in class happy to see a track listed as fast.
7. Develop Product	The August 8th”Track Ranger” race at Colonial returns the top three with Braddy’s gelding as single speed in his second dirt attempt.
1. Edelweiss	The best finisher in that key race was Allen’s Ghostzapper gelding who challenged for the lead late at a big price not likely today.

RACE 3

Without having to move the starting gate, $10k claimers go a dirt mile. A key CNL July 24th race figures in a field with few CNL starts.

2. Self Taught	A standout in that July 24th race returns Curtis, back from Kentucky Downs yesterday. A good place to use a “free square” in multiples.
6. Mr Jefferson	After a May win at Pimlico, the veteran’s venture back to turf didn’t pan out. Gaudet’s gelding is very capable of a big outing.
1. Black White N Gold	Lauer’s gelding will have a clean face for half the race but will here thunder close behind. Benefitted from a class drop in his last start.

RACE 4

The starting gate stays still for another race, this time for a maiden special weight with two first timers among several with only a few starts.

2. Morlock	A dejavu with Curtis on the #2, at the same distance aboard a field standout looking to redeem his five second place finishes in seven starts.
3. Chowser	Duarte’s gelding is improving with each start, perhaps running out of track in his August 1st Colonial start. A mile is better today.
1. McZ	Coming out of the maiden claiming ranks will provide a nice price for Simm’s McKinzie colt that may be putting it all together with Husbands.

RACE 5

Finally moving the starting gate for a two-turn inner turf mile for two-year-old maidens, five making their debut.

2. Behold the King	By not a large margin, the best start among the group belongs to Casse’s Not This Time colt in late July at Colonial.
9. Ramblin	Coming back more quickly is Desormeaux’s colt who had a solid debut on turf with Curtis getting a new assignment.
7. Don’t Tell Tim	Paco Lopez gets the call aboard a first timer that churned a nice price at Ocala Breeder Two-Year-Old in Training Sale earlier this year.

RACE 6

In the first turf sprint of the evening, $16k claimers are very familiar with each other. With 289 starts among the field, they’d have to be.

7. Boss Is a Pal	Nobody will hate to say to see the calendar turn to September more than Boyce, who has had a great August and could upset here.
5. Cactus	Magee’s Twirling Candy is a specialist in turf sprints winning three times in five starts. Expect a very short price here.
9. Frost Mountain	Should DARRS stay on as leading owner, Frost Mountain, looking to be the meet’s first three time winner, deserves a blizzard.

NICK’S NOTES

• Picks continue below.

RACE 7

In frugal management of the starting gate today, the starting gate moves just across the rail to the inner turf for an allowance turf sprint.

4. Oskar Martinez	Delacour cures seconditis by dropping a touch in class and will be looking for a journey closer to the front end this time around.
5. Billionaires Row	Trombetta ships a Saratoga winner down for Live Oak liking the “nonwinners of two other than” condition for his first time Colonial starter.
8. Monsieur Candy	Underestimating Merryman’s entry can be treacherous as she is having a great meet. Very capable of a mild upset here.

RACE 8

Female $16k “nonwinners of two” claimers go a 1 & 1/16th on the turf in a deep field. Watch to Thomas’ filly off the AEs.

4. Bella Estrela	Brion figures to be prominent on the board with her pair in the finale as she was in the August 2nd race at Colonial with the same jockeys.
9. Ditched	Saffie’s filly now faces winners of her maiden breaking score in late July delivered by Husbands back aboard today.
2. Bossy Jeans	Centeno will likely send his four-year-old filly to the lead again and will be more comfortable doing so at this level.

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