CNL: Digital Ops gallops through snow to win feature
5yo earns biggest career win
Press Release
March 12, 2026
Digital Ops overcame a troubled start to prove best in the inaugural $100,000 Golden Horseshoe Handicap at Colonial Downs on a snowy opening day card.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Digital Ops covered 1 3/8 miles over a sloppy track in 2:16.85 and won by 2 1/4 lengths over seven older rivals.
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With Digital Ops and Money Run bumping soon after the start, Takeitandrun sped to the lead and set sharp fractions of :23.37 and :46.28. Digital Ops settled along the rail in third as Money Run hustled forward in pursuit. After coming off the rail ahead of the far turn, Digital Ops followed Money Run’s bid for the lead, dueled with that rival and powered away midway down the stretch. Stowaway edged Omaha Omaha for second.
“He broke alertly but I got tangled up with (Money Run) coming out of there, so I couldn’t get the forward position that I wanted,” Gaffalione said. “Still he was able to travel comfortably, show a lot of confidence coming out of the turn, and he finished up well.”
In town from Gulfstream Park, Gaffalione won three races on Thursday’s card from four mounts.
“It was a fun day racing in the snow,” Gaffalione said. “I’m thankful to all the connections for the chance to ride these horses and to be at this beautiful track.”
Digital Ops paid $7.80, $4.20 and $3.20.
Bred in Kentucky by Coffee Pot Stables, the 5-year-old son of Nyquist improved his lifetime record to 14-3-4-0 and increased his earnings to $267,397.
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