Not even heavy snowfall could prevent Digital Ops from bouncing back to win the $100,000 Golden Horseshoe Handicap at Colonial Downs on Thursday. Difficult to see at times through the barrage of weather, the 5-year-old emerged from the haze as the clear winner in the long-distance test. With his resurgent effort Thursday, Digital Ops gave trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and jockey Tyler Gaffalione their first Colonial stakes victories. In order to earn it in the saddle, Gaffalione had to endure unseasonably harsh conditions, which worsened throughout the afternoon at the Virginia track. Racing became difficult to follow beyond the fifth race, as heavy flurries obscured spectators' view at several distant points on the track.  Digital Ops was the only horse in the Golden Horseshoe field with proven success at longer route distances, having finished second in the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone at Saratoga last August, earning a 97 Beyer Speed Figure. A disappointing sixth in the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup ended his season, however, and his first two starts in allowances this year did not live up to his previous billing. A little more distance did the trick Thursday, as Digital Ops stretched out to 1 3/8 miles in the Golden Horseshoe and finally seemed like himself again. The snow made action practically impossible to track on the backstretch, but after stalking on the rail in fourth, the 5-year-old easily advanced under Gaffalione to take command in the stretch, running clear by 2 1/4 lengths at the wire. He paid $7.80 to win. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Takeitandrun and Money Run vied for the early lead into the first turn before Takeitandrun opened up on the backstretch, completing the opening quarter-mile in 23.37 seconds and half-mile in 46.28. The 24-1 longshot ran on entering the far turn but eventually caved, leaving Money Run to inherit the lead for trainer Peter Miller. The 7-2 contender wasn't faring much better. Clearly zapped by the good, sealed track, Money Run hit a wall turning for home, making things simple for Gaffalione and Digital Ops. Joseph’s enduring contender had plenty left and cantered home without a challenge, completing the distance in 2:16.85.  Stowaway and Omaha Omaha made strong bids from the back and finished 13 1/2 lengths ahead of Money Run, but both came calling for the leader far too late. In the fight for second, Stowaway finished a head in front for trainer Whit Beckman, leaving Omaha Omaha in third for Mike Gorham. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.