Just Philtored Flies Fastest in Keswick and Trendsetter Rallies Late in Hickory Tree

NEW KENT, Va. (Aug. 2, 2025 ) – Virginia-bred, -sired and certified juveniles took to the dirt in two stakes on Saturday at Colonial Downs, and Just Philtored proved best in a thrilling finish against the fillies in the $100,000 Keswick, while Trendsetter went from last of six males to first in the $100,000 Hickory Tree.

With both the Keswick and the Hickory Tree going 5½ furlongs, Red White and Blue Racing and London Reid Thoroughbreds’ Just Philtored won the day, completing the distance in 1:03.82, a full second faster than Midway Racing’s Trendsetter’s final time of 1:04.88.

Trained by Mike Trombetta and with Mychel Sanchez in the irons, Just Philtored tended to the pace set by Smooch Up, took over the lead mid-stretch, and held off a game late effort from Slewperstitus to win by a neck.

Just Philtored was sent off as the even money co-favorite and returned $4.20 and $2.10. The Virginia-certified, Maryland-bred daughter of Great Notion remains perfect from two starts and added $60,000 for a bankroll of $92,430.

Trained by Ben Colebrook, Trendsetter trailed the field on the rail in the Hickory Tree before swinging wide to begin a rally under the hands of jockey Ben Curtis. Though the Kentucky-bred Modernist colt was green down the lane, Curtis was able to straighten Trendsetter out and fend off the bids of two Jerry Robb trainees, winning by ¾ lengths over G Q Worthy and Power Grid, who ran late for third.

Trendsetter paid $4.00, $3.00, and $2.10. Perfect from two starts, the Virginia-certified 2-year-old earned $60,000 for his first stakes score for a total of $112,500.

Festival of Racing Day at Colonial Downs is Saturday, Aug. 9. With seven stakes carded totaling $2.5 million in purses, the Grade 1 Arlington Million headlines the 12-race program. First post on Saturday is 12 p.m. ET.

Tickets for the entire meet can be purchased online at www.colonialdowns.com.

Colonial’s races will be prominently featured on FanDuel TV all season long. Additionally, FanDuel TV will be on-site for coverage of the Festival of Racing on August 9.

Racing fans who can’t make it to Colonial can wager at any of the Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums throughout the state, The Rose Gaming Resort in Dumfries or VA-Horseplay locations in Chesapeake and Henrico. Bettors also can wager on racing from Colonial Downs via www.TwinSpires.com, the official advance-deposit wagering service for Churchill Downs Incorporated and its family of racetracks. TwinSpires.com boasts an improved wagering experience and mobile app combining the latest technology with the ability to wager on virtually every quarter, harness and thoroughbred horse race from venues around the globe. TwinSpires.com also offers access to unmatched insight and analysis from horse racing experts, handicappers, insiders, educators and Bloodstock Research Information Services (Brisnet).

About Colonial Downs
Colonial Downs Racetrack, in New Kent, Virginia, hosts live thoroughbred racing on two nationally renowned surfaces – the Secretariat Turf Course, the widest turf course in North America at 180 feet wide and on a 1 1/4-mile dirt track. The Colonial Downs Group, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums® throughout the commonwealth, which offer innovative historic horseracing (HHR) gaming and full card simulcasting as well as Rosie’s Game Room in Collinsville, and The Rose Gaming Resort® in Dumfries which offers 1,650 HHR gaming terminals, full-card simulcasting, eight bars and restaurants and more than 100 hotel rooms.