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: Sept. 13/12:30
• RACES: 10
• CARRYOVERS: Pick 6, $12,761 (mandatory payout)

RACE 1

In a turf sprint go $16k female maiden claimers all with numerous starts including several at this level at Colonial Downs.

10. American Kestrel	With Thomas taking over at Colonial for Tagg, this miss ran a solid one at this level going a mile; cutting back to sprint will only help.
3. Orquidea Real	Another filly with a lot of career starts without a win that ran well at Colonial in her last start in a return to the turf.
7. Naval Hospital	Casse’s filly disappointed as the favorite in a deep field on August 23, may get better value without the expectation today.

RACE 2

Two-year-old maiden optional $50k claimers sprinting on the turf will find Ness’s colt a challenge breaking from the rail.

5. Whatchasaynow	Whatchasaynow about taking a chance with one of two of Magee’s first-timers pulling an upset with a catch phrase?
1. Bala de Plata	Sanchez is back aboard looking to finish after a testing debut with a fast early pace. Expect a better trip but not a better price.
8. Spidey Man	Russell debuts a Maximus Mischief yearling purchase from the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale that has been maturing at Fair Hill.

RACE 3

Never-won-three starters tackle seven-eighths on the dirt with a rare visit from the connex of Book’em Danno — trainer Derek Ryan and owners Atlantic Six Racing — an intriguing sight.

7. Blue Kingdom	Ness starts a gelding off the claim and a win at this distance back in July who might find himself alone on the lead.
1. Deadpan	The win for Gaudet’s gelding at Colonial came on a wet-fast surface while being claimed. Should see a step-up back on dirt.
6. Two’s a Crowd	Ryan finds this spot for the 2025 debut of his Cloud Computing gelding looking to find his late fall form showcased at Aqueduct.

RACE 4

Open $10k claimers try a two-turn mile on turf in a veteran field that has 204 total starts and 41 wins among them.

2. Gold Foot	Thomas’ Goldencents gelding comes East and back to the turf after having seen much better in SoCal.
1. Driftwood	Loveberry has had some nice wins at Colonial and comes back on closing day for his first appearance in 2025.
7. My Sea Cottage	Won here on the front end at this level after a speed running second at Colonial. Always seems to have the lead at some point in the race.

RACE 5

Female $30k maiden claimers go 1 1/16 miles with Meyers’ filly coming from UAE, Casse’s from Florida and the rest familiar with Colonial.

1. Perfect Union	Desormeaux legs up Loveberry in a return to the claiming ranks for his Tiz the Law filly that will have speed early on.
2. Moonscape	Hemingway’s filly runs about the same on either surface and has more upside potential than several others in this field.
8. Ruby Hamilton	Intrigued by Meyers’ UAE shipper sired by Audible that has been training in Middleburg and will see the turf for the first time. They liked her enough to try her in the UAE Oaks, for whatever that’s worth.

RACE 6

Two-year-old maiden fillies go 1 1/16 miles on the turf all familiar with Colonial except for Trombetta’s first-timer and Thomas’ Del Mar shipper.

3. Nickel Saver	McPeek has two solid entries but giving the edge to the one that has head-to-head over the other in his debut in August.
4. Improbable U	Thomas ships one in from Del Mar for Curtis to ride after a solid second-place finish where “the turf meets the surf.”
1. Honor Azteca	Loveberry and Desormeaux find themselves on the rail again. Showed a preference for the outer post and turf in his last start.

NICK’S NOTES

• Picks continue below.
• Jockey and trainer stats through Sept. 6…
• Two jockeys, Paco Lopez and Victor Carrasco each won twice on Friday evening. The two wins give Lopez 40 for the meet and an eight-win lead over Ben Curtis for the riding title with a single day left. Curtis has eight scheduled Saturday mounts, so unless he engineers a sweep of them, Lopez will secure his first Colonial riding title…
• Trainer Mark Casse won a pair Friday and now has 11 wins at the meet. Mike Trombetta will win his third straight Colonial training title; he has 30 wins at the meet, while nearest pursuer Brittany Russell, who won once Friday, has 23…
• The Casse-trained Raptor’s won the Friday feature with Mychel Sanchez in the irons. It was the second win of the meet for Raptor’s. Meet leader Cairo Street has three wins to lead all runners…
• Heading into the final day of the meet, DARRS Inc. has a one-win lead over The Estate of R. Larry Johnson for leading owner title. David Ross’s DARRS has 11 wins to the Johnson Estate’s 10. With neither having a horse entered Saturday, that’s how the standings will end…

RACE 7

Three of these fillies and mares come in off of wins for a turf mile for optional $25k claimers in a route largely void of speed.

5. Three Times	Delacour started the meet red hot and may finish the meet the same way with a consistent Not This Time filly that appears to want more ground.
8. Next Girl	Bailes’s filly backed up a solid outing on the turf with a win on the dirt. She comes back to turf looking to repeat.
1. Atmidnight	Campbell’s filly gets one last chance to win at least one start in each of her last two seasons at Colonial.

RACE 8

The $100,000 Bert Allen reunites many past Colonial winners with a pair that really stand out.

6. Wolfie’s Dynaghost	What a successful career Woodslane’s Wolfie’s Dynaghost has had, including winning this race last year in his only Colonial start. A top three finish puts him past $1 million in earnings.
3. Mission North	Fisher’s four-year-old Noble Mission gelding won The Find at Colonial in his last start, his second flat win of the year to go with two steeplechase wins.
9. Stormy Flight	Ham Smith, a seven-time Colonial meet winner in the 2000s, hasn’t started many in this meet but when on turf, his Get Stormy gelding is very consistent about finding the money.

RACE 9

The $100,000 Nellie Mae Cox for fillies and mares has the Miss Disco and Brookmeade winners of this meet among impressive contenders.

8. Public Defender	Cibelli’s Constitution filly goes for a four-peat that started back in January at Gulfstream. Winning twice in this meet, Curtis gets the mount.
2. Winfinity	Whether on the dirt or turf, Ortiz’s Not This Time-sired filly always seems to run better at Colonial than anywhere else.
6. In This Moment	A three-peat may be a tall task in this group but this filly has shown a definite upswing since entering the Russell barn.

RACE 10

In a two-turn turf mile, a dozen $16k maiden claimers are slated for the meet’s finale. Goodbye, Farewell, Adieu.

3. Gramps	McPeek’s colt showed improvement and more confidence in the switch to dirt and drop in class. It should carry over to this level today on turf.
10. Fly Commander	Ochoa’s gelding has had many starts but only a few recent ones have been on grass, the best of his career.
2. Hiding in Honduras	First-timer for Thomas and Curtis, a $40k purchase as a yearling, debuts for $16,000.

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