Virginia-Certified Freshmen Line Up for Pair of $150,000 Stakes at Colonial Downs

Led by New York-bred Tojo’s Mojo, Hickory Tree Attracts Twelve

West Virginia-bred Diakonissa Tabbed at the Top of Nine Fillies for the Keswick

New Kent, Va (July 31, 2024)—The fields for Saturday’s pair of 2-year-old stakes at Colonial Downs are stamped with what makes Virginia’s racing program unique to other states. Attracting 21 entries in total, five are Virginia-bred; 16 are bred elsewhere but qualify as Virginia Certified, including the morning line favorites in the $150,000 Hickory Tree and sister counterpart the $150,000 Keswick. Run at 5½ furlongs on the dirt, the Virginia Restricted stakes written for Virginia-bred, -sired, or -certified attracted runners bred in Kentucky, New York, Maryland, Florida, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

“We often hear from owners and trainers who did not know their horse qualifies for our Virginia Restricted races,” said Gary Palmisano, Executive Director of Racing for Churchill Downs. “The rules are unique to what you find in other states in that the groundwork to become eligible is done early in a horse’s career, so horses claimed or bought at auction may in fact be eligible unbeknownst to the current connections. I would just encourage trainers and owners to double check their eligibility so that they can take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.”

Having maintained residency in Virginia for at least a six-month consecutive period prior to December 31 of their 2-year-old year, New York-bred Tojo’s Mojo headlines the Hickory Tree and West Virginia-bred Diakonissa, the Keswick. The pair of stakes are slated to go as the fifth and sixth races on Saturday’s nine-race program, beginning with the Keswick.

Set to face a field of 12 freshmen, Joanne Geruso’s Tojo’s Mojo was made the 3-1 morning line favorite in the Hickory Tree. Trained by John Salzman Jr., Tojo’s Mojo broke his maiden by open lengths in July at Laurel Park. The son of Name Changer is one of 11 Virginia-certified freshmen, including Ken Ramsey’s Happyflyer, who exits the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs having previously broken his maiden there.

Purchased as a yearling for $155,000, Y Not Stables’ Tap that Magic rallied from the back of the back to win on debut at Presque Isle Downs. Trained by Michael LeCesse, the Good Magic colt was bred in Pennsylvania.
Set to face a field of nine Virginia-bred, -sired, or -certified fillies in the Keswick, Ultra Championship Racing’s Diakonissa was tabbed as the 5-2 morning line favorite after her impressive debut score.

Trained by Anthony Farrior, the Preservationist filly won her debut by more than nine lengths facing fellow West Virginia-breds at Charles Town. Though she was in hand most of the homestretch, Diakonissa earned a 78 Brisnet Speed figure.

After finishing fifth in her debut on the dirt at Churchill Downs in June, Elements Racing’s Bonne Fille broke her maiden on the Secretariat at Colonial Downs against Virginia-restricted company, impressively running down the loose leader Beyond Question. Trained by Michelle Lovell, the Kentucky-bred by Cupid out of Run Like the Boss is a half-sibling to Andthewinneris, the 2022 Bourbon (G2) victor.

Here is the complete field for the $150,000 Hickory Tree from the rail out with jockey, trainer and morning line odds: Happyflyer (Ben Curtis, Nolan Ramsey, 6-1), Dadsnumbronehelpr (Gustavo Larrosa, Kristy Petty, 20-1), Candycrumbs (Trevor McCarthy, Mary Lightener, 12-1), Stormy Flight (Victor Carrasco, Hamilton Smith, 30-1), Re Markably (Joe Rocco, Lynn Ashby, 8-1), Summerinthecountry (no rider named, Hugh McMahon, 15-1), Do It for Michael (Xavier Perez, John Robb, 12-1), Tap That Magic (Antonio Gallardo, LeCesse, 6-1), Brewmaster (no rider named, John Robb, 10-1), This Juice B Loose (Fredy Peltroche, Anthony Lucas, 30-1), Audible the Play (Arnaldo Bocachica, Anthony Farrior, 7-2), Tojo’s Mojo (Jorge Ruiz, Salzman, 3-1).

Here is the complete field for the $150,000 Keswick from the rail out with jockey, trainer and morning line odds: Shkhara Fire (Walter Rodrigues, Jose Corrales, 9-2), Safe Trust (Denis Araujo, Jose Corrales, 4-1) , Bonne Fille (Gavin Ashton, Lovell, 5-1), Diakonissa (Bocachica, Farrior, 5-2), Sporting Lady (Jorge Ruiz, Cherie DeVaux, 6-1) , Rapido Rosa (Victor Carrasco, Jose Corrales, 8-1), Winfinity (Tyler Conner, John Ortiz, 15-1) , Sail Theseven Seas (Horacio Karamanos, Michael Trombetta, 20-1) , Let Thesunshine In (Mychel Sanchez, Michael Trombetta, 10-1).