Winfinity, Candycrumbs Score in Keswick & Hickory Tree 2-Year-Old Dirt Stakes at Colonial Downs

Winfinity wins the $150,000 Keswick on August 3, 2024 (Photo by Coady Media)

(New Kent, Va. – August 3, 2024) – Dream Big Racing’s Winfinity and Mary Lightner’s Candycrumbs each captured a $150,000 Virginia-Restricted dirt stakes for 2-year-olds Saturday at Colonial Downs in a similar, dramatic come-from-behind running style. The former was 1¼ lengths the best in the Keswick for fillies while the latter crossed 1¼ lengths in front in the Hickory Tree for colts & geldings. The stakes, contested at 5½ furlongs, were open to Virginia-Bred, Virginia-Sired and Virginia-Certified horses.

Winfinity, making her first lifetime start, was last through much of the race as Diakonissa controlled the field early until Sail Theseven Seas gained the lead at the top of the stretch. Jockey Tyler Conner led Winfinity into fifth coming out of the turn and surged on the far outside late passing four frontrunners including Sail Theseven Seas in deep stretch.

The winner, a Not This Time filly, is trained by John Alexnder Ortiz and was bred by Ann Mudge Backer/Smitten Farm. It was her first career start.

“She’s a big girl,” Conner said. “I’d never been on her before. She was just green and didn’t know what she was doing up there. She was all over the place, running everywhere. She straightened up when she hit the top of the stretch though and just kept surging.”

Larry Johnson and RDM Racing Stable’s Sail Theseven Seas finished second and Barak Farm’s Safe Trust finished third.

Candycrumbs, a Valiant Minister colt fresh off a runner-up at Gulfstream in his career bow June 8th, was last in 10th-place through the 3/8 mark, moved up to sixth at the top of the stretch and won by 1½ lengths over Do It For Michael. The winner was ridden by Trevor McCarthy for Lightner, who is both trainer and owner.

“When he got squeezed at the start, it was really a blessing,” McCarthy said. “Everyone has the same mentality in these 2-year-old races. When I saw the race before mine, the winner came outside, was running late and I said, ‘Great.’ My horse took to the dirt really well. He switched leads and once we got into the turn, there were a lot of horses (racing) wide and I just sat at the rail for a while. He got into a really good rhythm and once we hit the stretch, I just said we’re going wheel it and fire. He’s got a lot of talent.”

No Guts No Glory Farm’s Do It For Michael finished second while Lynn Ashby and William Gotwals’ Re Markably took third.

The final two races on the nine-race card were cancelled because of storms in the area. The summer racing season in New Kent resumes with a 12-race program Thursday at 11:45 a.m.