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.

• POST TIME: 12:30 p.m.
• RACES: 8
• CARRYOVERS: None

RACE 1

Among Virginia-restricted two-year-old maidens sprinting on the turf are two each trained by Henrico County guys Allen and Williams, along with one filly.

2. Dynacito	Woodslane (The Plains) starts a homebred for the Russell-Russell trainer-jock team, and this one has the breeding for turf or dirt.
9. Jigger	Allen trainee who was a $26,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic yearling sale was much improved moving to the turf in his second start.
5. Proton	Motion sends one out for the first time from the Keeneland September sale whose breeding says turf.

RACE 2

Virginia-restricted “nonwinners of one other than” sprint on the turf with two speed threats with recent success.

7. Eastbostonbenny	Klesaris, historically successful at Colonial, starts one that won in March and just fell short last month. Better off the synthetic.
2. Mr. Keys	If Klesaris’ gelding gets pushed by cheaper speed, Meyers’ gelding has proven to be able to capitalize with Russell aboard.
3. Bold Diversion	Interesting placement of Shankle’s gelding, a stakes starter that has bettered several here and churns checks.

RACE 3

Going a two-turn mile on the inner turf are $30k female maiden claimers, most with many starts, not necessarily a positive at this level.

6. Arise My Love	One of two coming out of a key July 12 race at Colonial is Milosevic’s filly with Boyce aboard after a 4-win week for her.
7. Risky Beesness	Curtis returns to ride one that showed effort before the softer going caught up to his filly in that July 12 race. Better ground today.
4. Lilliput	Off the layoff, Russell starts a More Than Ready filly that didn’t pan out in California but showed talent in her East Coast debut.

RACE 4

Sprinting on the dirt are $12.5k claimers who have never won two races.

6. Stop Being Greedy	Failed as a favorite in his last start at Charles Town but has run some solid starts in allowance company prior for Farrier.
1. Call the Cavalry	Once a starter in the Sanford, McPeek’s four-year-old may just need one more change of venue and class drop to improve.
2. Fear Nothing	Ham’s gelding has shown the ability to run solid races near the winner; might like him even more absent the long race history.

RACE 5

Three-year-old fillies or older fillies and mares that have never won three gather for a turf sprint, many with recent wins.

9. She’s No Uncle	Sharp speedy win for Ness’s filly in a return to the turf, where she showed some talent before. Looks for a Colonial repeat.
4. Fair Trade	Among all the frontrunners capable of wiring this field, Bailes’s filly could be one that comes off, just off, the pace.
1. Afterneath	Returning to the turf was a solid solution for the recent woes of Gorham’s filly, who broke her maiden at Colonial Downs.

RACE 6

Female starter/optional claimers sprint on the inner turf with two last-out winners seeing similar competition today.

6. Three Times	Two Backer-breds (Smitten Farm, The Plains) ran game seconds in CNL stakes races Saturday. Three Times the charm?
7. Hurricane Debbie	Saffie’s mare might have been a bit over her head in her first Colonial start but has Husbands and talent to achieve at this level.
4. Baby Blocks	Trainer Blake Kelly is quietly having a good meet and starts a Delaware winner who won her last start at Colonial last August.

NICK’S NOTES

• Picks continue below.
• Check out jockey and trainer stats through Aug. 16…
• Saturday stakes recap…
• Johan Rosado won a pair of races Saturday. He piloted Nemain ($17.40), trained by Carlos Munoz, to a maiden claiming victory and then rode Jolly Boss ($9.80) to win for Damon Dilodovico.
• Jockey Jorge Ruiz also won twice, sweeping the late double. Aboard the Mike Trombetta-trained Lifelovenlaughter ($3.00), he held off a late bid from Winfinity to win the restricted All Brandy Stakes and followed up in the nightcap by winning aboard Hyteck Prince ($18.00) for trainer Chuck Lawrence. He’s tied for fifth with 11 wins at the meet…

RACE 7

Only one in the field of allowance/optional claimers going around two turns on the outer turf is in for the tag, showing a talented assembly.

2. Dripping Gold	On the good turf, Curtis may have run out of track on Shug’s Lemon Drop Kid gelding in his first Colonial start. Steps forward today.
7. Raptor’s	Sanchez gave Casse’s Brazilian-bred gelding a masterful ride four weeks ago for his first win in the United States.
4. Eff Thirty Five	No fault in losing to Fierce and Strong in the Alphabet Soup at Penn National. Returns jockey Russell, who knows how to win.

RACE 8

A dozen female maiden claimers go a mile on the turf with no clear standout on class or even pace, making wise picks rewarding.

10. Insolenta	Perhaps the only speed angle, not typical for turf, is Blair’s blitzer shortening to a mile, which she might have carried first time around.
3. Lyric Street	Dropping in class with Karamanos aboard is Trombetta’s Street Sense filly, who will also benefit from shortening to a mile.
12. Miss Banks	The new filly to Magee’s barn didn’t like coming off the turf in her last start but seems very capable of an upturn today.

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