SIBLING OVERNIGHT HANDICAPS FOR VIRGINIA-RESTRICTED OLDER HORSES SET FOR SATURDAY AT COLONIAL DOWNS
Posted on August 31st, 2026
DAY TO DAY
Photos by Coady Media
DAY TO DAY
Photos by Coady Media
NEW KENT, Va. (Aug 30, 2026) — A pair of sibling $100,000 overnight handicaps for Virginia-bred, -sired or -certified runners will highlight Saturday’s 10-race program at Colonial Downs. The Bert Allen Handicap for older horses and the Nellie Mae Cox Handicap for fillies and mares will both be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
The handicaps are carded as Races 8 and 9, respectively. First post Saturday, Sept. 5, is 12:30 p.m. ET.
With five wins from seven starts in 2026, Atlantic Six Racing’s Two’s a Crowd is the horse to beat in the Bert Allen Handicap.
Shipping in from Monmouth for trainer Derek Ryan, the 5-year-old has strung together three consecutive starter handicap victories and is just a nose shy of a six-race winning streak. A New York-bred who is Virginia-certified, Two’s a Crowd will face nine Virginia-restricted rivals.
Among them is another in-form runner, Gramp’s Legacy. Trained by Jeremiah O’Dwyer, the 3-year-old has won two consecutive local turf routes as part of three wins in his last four starts, beginning with his maiden victory at Presque Isle in May. Gramp’s Legacy will be reunited with jockey Johan Rosado.
Among the more experienced local runners is Virginia Fitz, who has made six turf starts at Colonial, winning twice. The Susan Cooney trainee finished second in the Edward P. Evans Stakes earlier this meet before running fifth in the Find Stakes on Aug. 15.
The field also includes Jolly Boss, who chased Gramp’s Legacy home in their Aug. 13 allowance meeting, finishing 2¾ lengths back in second, and Green Beans, who has placed in two stakes this meet for trainer Lynn Ashby, including a runner-up finish last out in the Find Stakes.
A neck shy in her most recent start in the All Brandy Stakes, Eric Rizer’s Nick’s Notion returns in the Nellie Mae Cox Handicap, drawing the outside post in a field of eight older fillies and mares.
A progressive 4-year-old trained by Robert Bailes, Nick’s Notion is a three-time winner who defeated open company in a local first-level allowance in early August before narrowly missing in the All Brandy. Forest Boyce returns in the irons.
Brookmeade winner Day to Day enters the Nellie Mae Cox after finishing third behind Nick’s Notion in the All Brandy. Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the 3-year-old McKinzie filly drew the rail and will be ridden by Edwin Gonzalez.
Improving sophomore Lendalfoot enters off consecutive turf wins. Trained by Keri Brion, Lendalfoot broke her maiden going 1-1/16 miles at Laurel in June before stepping into allowance company at Colonial on July 26 and winning by 1½ lengths. She is two for three at Saturday’s distance and has won two of four starts this season.
The Nellie Mae Cox field also includes Quadra, a four-time turf winner who finished third behind Day to Day in the Brookmeade. The Virginia-bred 4-year-old has shown ample early speed throughout her career and will make her first start for trainer Mike Trombetta.
Closing week of the 2026 meet runs Thursday through Monday, a five-day stretch that concludes with a six-pack of stakes on the Labor Day card, headlined by the Grade 3, $500,000 Old Dominion Derby.
