APPALACHAIN WINNER STORM’S WAKE TOPS 11 FOR $250,000 OLD DOMINION OAKS
Posted on August 31st, 2026
Fond of You exits an allowance race win at Colonial Downs and will start next in the Labor Day running of the $250,000 Old Dominion Oaks at Colonial Downs. (Photo credit: Coady Media)
Grade 1 Appalachian Stakes winner Storm’s Wake is the 5-1 second choice in the $250,000 Old Dominion Oaks on Labor Day at Colonial Downs. (Photo credit: Coady Media)
NEW KENT, Va. (Aug. 31, 2026) — Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes winner Storm’s Wake headlines a field of 11 3-year-old fillies entered for the 16th running of the $250,000 Old Dominion Oaks, a listed 1⅛-mile turf test.
The Old Dominion Oaks is part of Colonial Downs’ six turf-stakes Labor Day program, which offers a combined $1.3 million in purses and is headlined by the Grade 3 $500,000 Old Dominion Derby. The supporting lineup includes the $150,000 Colonial Cup at 1½ miles and the 5½-furlong $150,000 Da Hoss, both for 3-year-olds and older, along with a pair of juvenile stakes: the $125,000 Kitten’s Joy at 1-1/16 miles and the $125,000 Exacta Systems Rosie’s Stakes at 5½ furlongs. First post for Monday’s 11-race program is noon ET.
William Werner’s homebred Storm’s Wake, trained by Brian Lynch, brings the strongest graded stakes resume into the Old Dominion Oaks. The daughter of Oscar Performance captured the Grade 2 Appalachian at Keeneland in April before finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Edgewood at Churchill Downs. She returned to finish second in the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill and most recently finished fourth in Grade 1 company in the Belmont Oaks at Saratoga. Samuel Marin rides from post 8.
Grade 3 Florida Oaks winner Dandona gives the field a second graded-stakes winner. Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the daughter of Tiz the Law rallied from off the pace to capture the Tampa Bay Downs event in March. Dandona has competed in three graded stakes since then and most recently was eased after a troubled trip in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga. Nik Juarez has the call.
Stakes-placed Embrace Time, Soloist and Fond of You add further depth to the field. Embrace Time, also trained by Joseph, has won two of her first three starts, and exits a third-place finish in the August 2 Pucker Up at Ellis Park; Soloist, trained by Kenny McPeek, boasts a third-place finish in the Cleopatra at Horseshoe Indianapolis and was the runner-up in June’s Christiana Stakes at Delaware Park; and Godolphin homebred Fond of You, trained by Michael Stidham, was stakes-placed as a juvenile before returning this summer to win a one-mile turf allowance at Colonial Downs.
Several fillies enter the Old Dominion Oaks off victories. Striking Finale, trained by Nolan Ramsey, comes in off a turf win at Gulfstream Park; Dagmara, trained by Brad Cox, recently scored against allowance company at Ellis Park; Getting Serious, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, brings a consistent record into the oaks with five in the money finishes from six starts; Forget About You (IRE), trained by Brendan Walsh, arrives off a maiden victory as she steps into stakes company; and Thankfulness (IRE), trained by Miguel Clement, enters off a one-mile turf allowance win at Monmouth Park.
Rounding out the field is Siouxse, trained by Graham Motion, who has since gained experience in stakes and allowance company during her sophomore campaign.
