Puppymonkeybaby leads parade of longshots in last of four Colonial stakes on opening day
Puppymonkeybaby capped a four-stakes opening-day card at Colonial Downs by leading in a monster superfecta payoff in the $100,000 M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes.
The 24-1 shot paid $50.40 to win after rallying into a strong pace under Jevian Toledo and taking this 5 1/2-furlong turf dash by about a length. Envied, an 18-1 shot finished second, followed by 71-1 Door Buster and 27-1 Unruly Julie, those four yielding a one-ticket 10-cent superfecta payoff of $14,754.50. Toledo gave Puppymonkeybaby a sweet ground-saving trip, with the filly, whose lone win in two previous starts coming in a $35,000 maiden-claimer, splitting Envied and struggling 8-5 favorite Street Lute past the furlong grounds and bounding to victory. Street Lute was making her turf debut and failed to quicken after prompting fast splits of 21.18 and 44.03 over a fast-playing Colonial grass course.
Puppymonkeybaby is a 3-year-old filly by Hit It a Bomb out of Officer’s Holiday, by Officer, trained by Sarah Nagle and owned by the Big Lick Farm of Nagle’s husband, Reid Nagle.
The Monday stakes at Colonial were restricted to Virginia-certified entrants, horses that were bred in Virginia, by Virginia-registered stallions, or stabled in Virginia for at least six consecutive months prior to turning 2.
Tasting the Stars got the stakes action started with an authoritative comeback win in the $100,000 Nellie Mae Cox Stakes for older fillies and mares over one mile on turf. Making her first start since October and first under the care of trainer John Kimmel, Tasting the Stars traveled strongly the entire trip, the only question when and how jockey Feargal Lynch would use his mount. Lynch found an inside seam at the top of the stretch and Tasting the Stars powered to the front, coming home 2 1/2 lengths better than longshot Fionnbharr, who loomed at the eighth pole but couldn’t match the winner’s turn of foot. Urban Fairytale, the 1-2 favorite, lacked acceleration and finished a well beaten third.
Tasting the Stars ($8) was timed in 1:35.40. The 5-year-old mare, owned by Newtown Anner Stud Farm, is by Bodemeister out of Pink Champagne, by Awesome Again.
Chess Chief was the 4-5 favorite making his turf debut in the $100,000 Bert Allen Stakes but failed to take to grass and finished a one-paced fourth as 7-1 Passion Play went gate to wire under Horacio Karamanos. Passion Play had a half-length lead at the top of the stretch but unleashed a nice little burst and won by two lengths over Forloveofcountry. Point of Grace was a distant third. Reconvene, who looked like a prime contender, was a trainer scratch. Passion Play ran 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:41.63 and paid $17.20 to win. A 5-year-old gelding by Hold My Back out of Stylish Affair, by Not For Love, he’s trained by Mary Eppler for owner Reiley McDonald.
Grateful Bred ($6.20), winning for the fourth time in six turf-sprint starts, was much the best in the $100,000 Meadow Stable Stakes, tracking the pace under Jevian Toledo before taking command in upper stretch and cruising to a 2 1/4-length victory. Sky’s Not Falling was second, Flank Speed third as four horses, including likely short price Boldor, were scratched. Trained by Madison Meyers for Gordon Keys, Grateful Bred was timed in 1:02.45 for 5 1/2 furlongs. A homebred, Grateful Bred is by Great Notion out of the Malibu Moon mare, Malibu Moment.