Trainer Jonathan Thomas scratched two of the three fillies he entered in the $250,000 Old Dominion Oaks at Colonial Downs on Saturday, but As Catch Can was the only one he needed. With a perfect trip under Jaime Torres, the filly closed fast to pull off a shocking upset over heavy favorite Evershed, who will have to wait a little longer for her first stakes victory. “Since they were all owned by [Augustin Stables], initially we had contemplated running two,” Thomas said. “But honestly, this filly was training so well, and she'd shipped in from California in such great shape, that I didn't think the other fillies would be able to outrun her today.” At one point, Thomas intended to bring only Will Then, third-place finisher ahead of As Catch Can in the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap, from Del Mar to Colonial. He also entered last-out maiden winner Be Together in case the field came up light. But Thomas said that in the past few weeks he saw so much improvement from As Catch Can that he did everything he could to get her on the plane to Virginia. “She’s had a very, very good couple weeks,” Thomas said. “Her work at Del Mar last Saturday was great. And as soon as she cooled out, I called and tried to get her on a plane as quickly as I could to get her out here.” :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Jockey Jaime Torres, who went on to win the final three stakes on the Saturday card, was a last-second addition as the trainer scrambled to get the filly in the race. Torres was always going to have a good day aboard World Beater in the Grade 3, $500,000 Old Dominion Derby, but Thomas sweetened the deal with a live mount in the Oaks. Even after Thomas scratched both of his other runners, a sign of profound confidence, bettors weren’t quick to adjust to the West Coast shipper’s improved chances. Thomas admitted to being slightly surprised when she went off at 16-1 odds, paying $34.20 to win. Evershed, the 6-5 favorite trained by Arnaud Delacour, was coming off a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Saratoga Oaks Invitational and lived up to her billing, even in defeat. In her second stakes start, the filly went to the lead for the first time in her career, kicking clear on the first turn to lead by 1 1/2 lengths through an opening quarter-mile in 24.76. While the favored early leader maintained a similar advantage on the backstretch through a half-mile in 49.86, Torres and As Catch Can settled into fifth along the rail, a somewhat unexpected midpack position for a filly who trailed early in her last three starts. Thomas said that failing to stay in touch has cost her in the past, but Torres was only 4 1/2 lengths behind when As Catch Can began her advance entering the far turn. While Evershed and jockey Daniel Centeno worked to keep stalking filly Somethinabouther at bay, Torres and As Catch Can slipped up the rail to challenge the front-running favorite along the inside. Evershed ran on determinedly and was stubborn all the way to the wire, but As Catch Can made the most of her ground-saving trip to win by three-quarters of a length. She completed the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:51.28. Somethinabouther, one of two entered by Brendan Walsh, re-rallied in the stretch and held on for third, finishing behind Evershed by a neck. Thomas said that As Catch Can, who has taken multiple cross-country trips this year, may take a short break after her long-awaited triumph in the Old Dominion Oaks. Will Then, who scratched on Saturday, is being pointed to the $150,000 Christiana at Delaware Park later this month. Da Hoss Stakes Coming off a world-record victory in his second turf start, 4-year-old gelding Doncho delivered another solid-gold performance to win the $150,000 Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs on Saturday. He earned his first stakes victory on turf despite tossing a shoe, which might have frustrated his trainer more if he didn’t hold on to win by a neck. “He’s so fast that he ran out of one shoe,” trainer Michelle Lovell said. “I wish he would quit doing that, but he was the real deal today.” Coming off a 3 3/4-length allowance victory at Ellis Park, in which he completed 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 59.75 to break the world record, Lovell said that it was important for Doncho to prove his ability against stronger competition. At Colonial on Saturday, the trainer could not have asked for much better turf sprinters than Alogon and Witty, hard-knocking Mid-Atlantic runners who have combined to win 11 stakes in their careers. All three contenders broke as expected, as Doncho went straight to the early lead, Alogon settled into a stalking position, and Witty went straight to the rear of the field. Doncho completed the opening quarter-mile in 22.13, comparatively slower than the 21.61-second quarter-mile he tore through at Ellis Park last month. “I thought he broke like a rocket under Jaime [Torres] and he had to dig in today, which is good for his learning curve,” Lovell said. Paco Lopez and Alogon, the 8-5 favorite trained by Ned Allard, were careful to not let Doncho get too comfortable early, applying pressure from second through a quickened half-mile in 44.12. Torres wasn’t afraid to let Doncho loose, however, and the gelding kicked away to lead by 1 1/2 lengths entering the stretch. Witty was making up ground as the field turned for home, but Elizabeth Merryman’s deep closer wasn’t doing enough to get involved. Alogon was the only runner with a chance, and though he had already been repelled once, the hard-knocking gelding managed to muster one last rally and drew alongside Doncho near the wire. Doncho was showing signs of fatigue and might not have lasted another half-furlong, but Torres had managed to preserve just enough energy to survive this last challenge. The determined front-runner hung on to win by a neck, completing the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:01.62 and paying $6.20 to win. Alogon finished 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Witty, who finished third and certainly could have done more with a sharper early pace. Torres, who went on to win three stakes on the Colonial card, he has now earned stakes victories on both turf and dirt for Lovell. As a 3-year-old, Doncho won the $150,000 Gold Fever on dirt at Aqueduct, making his stakes victory on turf in the Da Hoss an incredible display of his versatility, as well as his speed. He will remain focused on the turf for now, and after setting a world record in an allowance and taking his first stakes on the grass, Lovell said that there are only so many places to go from here. If all goes well, she said that she will consider the Grade 2 Woodford at Keeneland for his next start. Rosie’s Stakes Royal Testament was supposed to be facing a serious challenge against the boys in the $125,000 Rosie’s Stakes at Colonial Downs on Saturday. By the time the field turned for home, however, the boys were more of an afterthought, as the front-running filly left them well behind on the far turn and cruised home to a 3 3/4-length victory. An attempt against male runners wasn’t a stretch for George Weaver, who has been considering Royal Testament for ambitious spots all year. The trainer put her in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies in her debut in May, and though he brought her back from a layoff in a maiden special weight at Monmouth Park, he later said that he wished that he had put her in a stakes that day as well after she dashed home to a 3 3/4-length victory. Weaver expected her speed to be an asset at Colonial Downs, and just as he predicted, Royal Testament broke sharply under Eric Cancel and took command through an opening quarter-mile in 22.05. Red Lad, a 53-1 longshot who eventually faded to last, led an early charge to pressure the filly on the front end through a half-mile in 44.64. But when the field entered the far turn, Cancel gave the slightest signal to the early leader and she took off. She was suddenly running a race all her own, four lengths in front with plenty left at the top of the stretch. Gypsy Art, a first-time starter trained by Wesley Ward, made the first move among a slew of late closers to finish second, 2 3/4 lengths ahead of his stablemate, 2-1 co-favorite Rogue Legend. That late-running pack never came close to challenging Royal Testament, who completed the 5 1/2-furlong sprint in 1:02.47, paying $6 to win. Colonial Cup In stark contrast to several turf sprints on the stakes undercard at Colonial Downs on Saturday, the $150,000 Colonial Cup was a 1 1/2-mile turf marathon and ultimately came down to racecraft. With a patient ride under Emmanuel Esquivel, 5-year-old gelding Safe Trip Home closed from fifth and easily pulled away to a 2 1/4-length victory. The 5-year-old was making his stakes debut for trainer Doug Cowans, and in his first ride on him, Esquivel worked out the gelding’s usual late-running trip while several rivals shuffled for early position in front of him. Longshot Dean Martini went to the early lead, completing the opening quarter-mile in 24.40 and the half-mile in 50.43, but he had to cede ground when 5-year-old gelding Dear Dad made an early move to take over on the backstretch. Just a Photo and even-money favorite Twirling Point stayed in touch as well, but the race ultimately fell to Safe Trip Home and fellow closer Desvio. As soon as Esquivel asked for more after an unhurried mile near the back, Safe Trip Home burst forward entering the far turn and took a commanding one-length lead entering the stretch. No one had anything left for the new leader, who kicked away to complete the 1 1/2-mile race in 2:27.55, paying $9.80 to win. Desvio, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Madison Meyers, made an even later move from last to finish second by a neck over Just a Photo. Kitten’s Joy Stakes The pacesetter told the tale in the $125,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes at Colonial Downs on Saturday, as 2-year-old colt Casa Cielo broke well from the rail under Francisco Arrieta and never trailed, pulling away to win by 2 3/4 lengths in his stakes debut. Trainer Keith Desormeaux first brought the colt to Colonial in July after a runner-up finish in his debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He established a comfortable early lead to dust off maidens that day, and with a similar trip on Saturday, he took down stakes rivals in even more commanding fashion. Kid Charlemagne, a gelding trained by Jonathan Thomas, applied slightly more pressure in the Kitten’s Joy, but Arrieta and Casa Cielo still managed to get reasonably comfortable around the first turn and completed the opening quarter-mile in 24 seconds. By the time Arrieta eased the early leader through a half-mile in 48.42, most of the field had settled into a rock-solid formation behind him, giving the early leader every chance to preserve himself for the stretch. This short reprieve on the backstretch paid dividends late, as Casa Cielo easily kicked away from Kid Charlemagne on the far turn to take a commanding lead at the top of the stretch and to the wire. He completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:43.25, paying $7 to win. Jutland, a 2-year-old colt, made up late ground from fourth to finish second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Kid Charlemagne. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.