Nominations closed for five turf stakes on the Virginia Champions Day program scheduled for Saturday, August 31 at Colonial Downs that will showcase Virginia-bred, -sired and -certified horses with $725,000 in purse money on the line. The four $150,000 events –the Camptown, Bert Allen, Meadow Stable and Nellie Mae Cox — are open to horses in the three categories noted while the $125,000 Jamestown is for Virginia-bred and/or -sired 2-year-olds.
Larry Johnson’s Future is Now headlines the 28 fillies and mares nominated to the Camptown Handicap which will be contested at 5½ furlongs. One of three put forward by trainer Mike Trombetta, the winner of the Intercontinental (G2) at Saratoga exits a third-place finish in the Caress (G3). Other nominees include Madison Avenue Racing and Jagger’s Mystic Seaport, who took the 2024 Tyson Gilpin / Glenn Petty Stakes and Mens Grille Racing’s multiple stakes winner Roanan Goddess, who is trained by Hamilton Smith.
The 1-1/16 miles Bert Allen Handicap attracted 32 nominations including last year’s victor, Reiley McDonald’s Passion Play. Winning the Edward P. Evans in July, the 8-year-old trained by Mary Eppler surpassed the half-million earnings mark.
Other notables include Stonelea Stable and Bonnie Rye Stable’s 3-year-old Desvio, winner of the Kent Stakes for trainer Madison Meyers; Woodslane Racing’s 4-year-old Kentucky-bred Oscar Eclipse, winner of the Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream Park, trained by Brian Lynch; and the 2023 Edward P. Evans winner, Salli Foushee’s Alex Joon, now in the hands of conditioner Paul Duhon.
The top three finishers from the current meet’s Brookmeade Handicap have all been nominated to the 1-1/16 miles Cox Stakes along with 28 other fillies and mares.
Susan Moulton’s Tufani prevailed in the Brookmeade, while Morgan’s Ford Farm Surya and Country Life Farm’s Galilei finished next in line. Fresh faces they could potentially face include Brittnee Caballero’s Regalled, graded stakes-placed and trained by Sam Davis; and the impressive one-two finishers in a local allowance: Late Night Stables’ Kentucky-bred Ragtime Lady, trained by Tom Amoss and Augustin Stables’ Mirari, trained by Jonathan Thomas.
A total of 33 older horses have been nominated for the Meadow Stable Handicap, a 5½-furlong sprint, including Ken Ramsey’s 5-year-old Whenigettoheaven. Trained by his grandson Nolan Ramsey, the last-out winner of the Ben’s Cat sports $280,665 in career earnings.
Capping off the action is the the Jamestown Stakes, which has drawn 21 nominations that includes Dream Big Racing’s Winfinity, trained by John Ortiz, who scored in the Keswick Stakes on debut.
Entries for Colonial Downs Virginia Champions Day will be drawn Saturday, August 24. Tickets can be purchased at www.colonialdowns.com.
