Senor Swinger off board at Colonial

A day before the $500,000 , jockey Pat Day, the rider of odds-on favorite Senor Swinger, was asked if there was any downside to being so overwhelming a choice. "The only sure thing about horseracing is there isn't a sure thing," Day told the Richmond Times Dispatch.

Yes, indeed. Hammered to 1-5 in the Virginia Derby for 3-year-olds Saturday at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., Senor Swinger - a two-time graded stakes winner on turf and by far the class of the field - never fired.

Instead, Silver Tree, trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Edgar Prado, went to the front early and stayed there, winning by 4 1/2 lengths. Kicken Kris, 31-1, was second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of 8-1 King's Drama in third.

Silver Tree ran the 1 1/4 miles on firm turf in 2:01.11 and paid $13.

Senor Swinger ran fifth early, second-last going into the far turn, and never threatened, finishing fourth. With Senor Swinger off the board, the show prices were huge: Silver Tree paid $18.80, Kicken Kris $54.20, and King's Drama $26.20.

* In the $200,000 All Along Breeders' Cup, odds-on favorite Dressed to Thrill broke through the starting gate and jockey Edgar Prado wrenched his hand before the start, causing a delay of several minutes. But Dressed to Thrill was re-loaded into the gate and once it opened, the drama was over. She went right to the front, set unpressured soft fractions, and held off a host of deep closers to win by a measured half-length. Lady Linda finished second and Lady of the Future took third.