Colonial Downs 2005

My Typhoon Fights for a Victory © Amanda Saunders 2005

Virginia Millions Day A Success
by Amanda Saunders

It was a successful day at Colonial Downs that started sunny and hot but ended sloppy and wet as thousands came out to enjoy a great day at the races.

My Typhoon Wins the Virginia Oaks
Owned by Live Oak Stud and trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, My Typhoon fought off the challenge of Masseuse to win by a neck in the $200,000 Virginia Oaks for three-year-old fillies going a mile and an eighth on a firm turf course. The chestnut daughter of Giant's Causeway out of the Miswaki mare Urban Sea, who won the Prix is now three for five with one show and $207,830 in earnings.

Jockey Jerry Bailey had the filly in easy stalking position throughout the race, sitting third behind Flashy Three and Snug Harbour for the majority of the race. At the top of the stretch, My Typhoon swung three-wide and took the lead, fighting off a late rally by Masseuse to win. The favorite Rich in Spirit finished third. Earlier this year, My Typhoon won Hilltop Breeders' Cup Stakes at Pimlico in her first stakes win.

English Channel Rockets to Victory © Amanda Saunders 2005

English Channel Takes Second Leg of Grand Slam
This being the first running of the $5 million Grand Slam of Grass, no one thought there was a horse capable of winning all four races. Apparently, no one thought about English Channel.

After a smashing win in the Colonial Turf Cup, the first leg of the Grand Slam of Grass, the chestnut son of Smart Strike out of the Theatrical mare Belva came into the second leg, the G3 $750,000 Virginia Derby for three-year-olds going a mile and a quarter on a yielding turf course as the favorite, and he did not disappoint.

As Chattahoochee War took the lead at the break, English Channel pressed the pace in second, waiting until mid-stretch to make his move, rocketing to the front and winning by an easy 3 1/2 lengths in a time of 2:02.57 for jockey John Velazquez and trainer Todd Pletcher. English Channel is now five for six lifetime with $872,691 in earnings.

Next on the agenda? The G1 $400,000 Secretariat Stakes at a mile and a quarter at Arlington Park on August 13th.

Stupendous Miss Crosses the Wire In Front © Amanda Saunders 2005

Stupendous Miss Wires the Field in the All Along
Stupendous Miss shrugged off the rain to win the Grade 3 $200,000 All Along Breeders‚ Cup Stakes wire to wire, covering the one and one-eighth miles in 1:51.10 on a yielding turf course. The four-year-old bay daughter of Dynaformer out of the Caerleon mare Subeen is trained by Wally Dollase and ridden by Gary Stevens for owner Horizon Stable. She is five for nine lifetime with $227,006 in earnings.

Taking the lead at the break, Stupendous Miss kept the lead until the quarter pole where she briefly gave it up to Dynamia, who quickly tired in the stretch and faded to finish third while Stupendous Miss took back the lead and held off Humoristic to win well in hand.

English Channel Wins the Colonial Turf Cup © Amanda Saunders 2005

Bright Gold Wins the Buckland Stakes © Amanda Saunders 2005