STACKED SIBLING TURF SPRINTS KICK OFF ALL-STAKES PICK 5, PICK 4 ON FESTIVAL OF RACING DAY

NEW KENT, Va. (Aug. 4, 2025) – With 23 entries between them and tepid 3-1 morning-line favorites in each, the $150,000 Van Clief and $150,000 Andy Guest, a pair of stacked sibling turf sprint stakes are slated as the first legs of an all-stakes Pick 5 and an all-stakes Pick 4 on Festival of Racing Day, Saturday, Aug. 9 at Colonial Downs.

Last year’s Da Hoss Stakes one-two finishers, Isivunguvungu and Nothing Better will square off again in the Van Clief Stakes. Run as race 8 at 5½ furlongs on the turf, the Van Clief attracted a field of 13 older males and kicks off an all-stakes Pick 4 that continues with the $500,000 Secretariat (G2), the $500,000 Beverly D. (G2), and ends with the Arlington Million (G1).

Festival of Racing Day stakes action begins in race 5 with the $100,000 Petramalo Mile, a one-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds, followed by its sister race, the $100,000 Tyson Gilpin at seven furlongs. First post on Saturday is 12 p.m. ET.

Bred in South Africa, Hollywood Racing’s Isivunguvungu made the most of his North American debut, fighting gamely down the stretch to hold off the tenacious effort of Nothing Better in the local 2024 Da Hoss Stakes. Once proven against stateside competition, the Graham Motion trainee went on to run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Del Mar, finishing a troubled seventh, just two lengths shy of the winner. The 2025 campaign for the 7-year-old so far includes a third in the Turf Dash at Tampa Bay, a disappointing 10th in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan, and most recently a sixth-place finish in the Wolf Hill at Monmouth on the Haskell undercard. A seven-time winner, Isivunguvungu returns to the scene of his lone stateside win on Saturday, drawing post 5 and attracting Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.

From 33 lifetime starts, Colts Neck Stable’s Nothing Better has finished in the top two 20 times, including six of his last eight turf sprint starts. The 8-year-old trained by Jorge Duarte, Jr. most recently finished second and ahead of Isivunguvungu in the Wolf Hill, a race he won last year along with the Mighty Beau at Churchill Downs. Luis Saez takes the call aboard Nothing Better, who drew post 11.

Here is the complete field for the $150,000 Van Clief Stakes from the rail out with jockey, trainer and morning line odds: Witty (Jaime Rodriguez, Elizabeth Merryman, 6-1); Petcoff (Ben Curtis, Brittany Russell, 20-1); Had to Have Him (Tyler Gaffalione, John Salzman, Jr., 10-1); Nobals (Jareth Loveberry, Larry Rivelli, 3-1); Isivunguvungu (Velazquez, Motion, 8-1); Step Forward (Mychel Sanchez, Mark Casse, 6-1); Mister Mmmmm (Axel Concepcion, Joe Sharp, 20-1); Going Up (Ronald Allen Jr., Ron Potts, 20-1); Bear River (James Graham, Keith Desormeaux, 30-1); Hedwig (Wes Hamilton, Jesus Cruz, 50-1); Nothing Better (Saez, Duarte Jr., 8-1); Coppola (Vince Cheminaud, Dale Romans, 9-2); and Horsepower (Javier Castellano, Joe Orseno, 15-1).

Run as race 7 preceding the Van Clief, the Andy Guest Stakes lights the fuse on an all-stakes Pick 5 (12% takeout) on Saturday. 4 G Racing’s multiple graded stakes-placed Crown Imperial stands out in the field of ten older fillies and mares entered in the competitive 5 ½ furlong turf sprint.

Made 9-2 in the morning line, Crown Imperial most recently knocked on the door of graded stakes glory in the Unbridled Song (G3), running second to Queen Maxima on the Kentucky Oaks undercard. With $613,444 in career earnings, the Classic Empire filly trained by John Ortiz drew post 5 and will be piloted by Ben Curtis.

Chief among her competition is eFive Racing Thoroughbreds’ Mrs. Gambolini. Bet to favoritism in four of her six lifetime starts, the Saffie Joseph Jr. trained 4-year-old has won three races. Coming into the Andy Guest, Mrs. Gambolini has finished second in consecutive sprint handicaps at Gulfstream Park. Drawing post 2 and attracting the services of Tyler Gaffalione, the More Than Ready filly was tabbed as the 3-1 morning line favorite.

Here is the complete field for the $150,000 Andy Guest Stakes from the rail out with jockey, trainer and morning line odds: B G Warrior (Junior Alvarado, Rudy Brisset, 8-1); Mrs. Gambolini (Gaffalione, Joseph, Jr., 3-1); Hollywood Walk (Mychel Sanchez, Mike Trombetta, 4-1); Bandonarun (Luis Saez, Miguel Clement, 5-1); Crown Imperial (Curtis, Ortiz, 9-2); Girl of My Dreams (John Velazquez, Anna Meah, 20-1); Alla Breve (Horacio Karamanos, Michael Matz, 8-1); Cart Girl Sam (Javier Castellano, Rohan Crichton, 6-1); Bosserati (Jevian Toledo, Brittany Russell, 20-1); and Uptownblingithome (Wes Hamilton, Robert Werneth, 50-1).

Tickets for the Colonial Downs Festival of Racing can be purchased 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.