Popcorn, Omaha Spirit Stay Perfect in Colonial Downs Juvenile Turf Stakes

Filly Omaha Spirit beat the boys to remain unbeaten in two starts while capturing the $125,000 at Colonial Downs on Sept. 7. (Photo credit: Coady Media)

Popcorn was a two-length winner in the $125,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes on Sept. 7 at Colonial Downs (Photo credit: Coady Media)

NEW KENT, Va. (Sept. 7, 2026) — Popcorn delivered one of the afternoon’s most impressive performances when powering clear in the $125,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes, following Omaha Spirit’s front-running victory in the $125,000 Exacta Systems Rosie’s Stakes as the favorites swept the juvenile portion of Colonial Downs’ six-stakes Old Dominion Derby Day program on Labor Day.

Both 2-year-olds remained unbeaten with the victories, each improving to 2-for-2 overall.

Robert V. LaPenta’s homebred Popcorn relaxed early in the 1 1/16-mile Kitten’s Joy before launching a wide move through the far turn under Axel Concepcion. Mightily tipped out from the rail to meet his challenge, and the pair raced together into the stretch before Popcorn asserted himself and powered clear by two lengths.

Mightily held second, while Heracles rallied to finish third.

“He got out of the gates well and I just put my hands down,” Concepcion said. “He was traveling so smoothly. They started coming back to me and I knew Mightily was the other horse to beat in here, so when he started moving at the three-eighths pole, I decided it was time to ask my horse for run, and he did the rest.”

Trained by Jonathan Thomas, Popcorn completed 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:42.37 and returned $3.60, $2.40 and $2.10.

A son of Catholic Boy, who also was trained by Thomas, Popcorn is perfect from two starts with earnings of $94,200.

Earlier on the card, Runnymede Farm, Callahan Equine, Jim Mastriani, Jim and Edgar Harty’s Omaha Spirit remained unbeaten with a front-running victory in the 5½-furlong Exacta Systems Rosie’s Stakes, leading home fellow filly Bee Crazy by 1¼ lengths.

Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Paco Lopez, Omaha Spirit broke sharply but veered inward leaving the gate, forcing Bee Crazy to check. Once straightened away, Omaha Spirit secured the lead and controlled the pace from there. Bee Crazy took up the chase and finished strongly through the lane to secure second. Regent’s Park produced a big late rally to dead heat with Golden Corsair for third.

“She beat a good field,” Lopez said. “My filly handled the boys.”

Omaha Spirit completed 5½ furlongs on turf in 1:03.49 and returned $4.80, $3.80 and $2.60.

The victory was one of two on Monday’s card for Ward and the fourth through the first seven races for Lopez, who was Colonial Downs’ leading rider for the second consecutive year.

Omaha Spirit, who debuted with a front-running victory going 5 furlongs over the Colonial turf July 5, is now 2-for-2 with both victories coming at Colonial Downs. She has earned $117,000.