Trombetta holds all the cards in pair of handicaps
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Trainer Michael Trombetta has the morning-line favorites in a pair of state-restricted $100,000 handicaps at Colonial Downs on Saturday, doubling his chances with runners coming off major breakthroughs in their most recent starts. Virginia-bred gelding Determined Kingdom will run with a distinct class edge in the Meadow Stable, while Maryland-bred mare Hollywood Walk will try to earn her second straight victory in the Camptown.
Determined Kingdom, a six-time winner at Colonial, was supposed to return home for the $125,000 Punch Line last month, but the race was taken off the turf and Trombetta scratched him.
Without a suitable race in Virginia, the trainer decided to take a more ambitious shot and entered the 6-year-old in the Grade 2 Troy at Saratoga earlier this month. He ran on well to finish third, 2 1/2 lengths behind runaway winner Bring Theband Home.
“The Troy was deeper waters than I wanted, but it was the only thing that was available,” Trombetta said. “I was happy with him. He ran good. Running against a horse as legitimate as [Bring Theband Home], I was pleased.”
After moving out of trainer Phil Schoenthal’s barn during his last winter break, Determined Kingdom struggled to regain his stakes-winning form in his first three starts for Trombetta. His performance in graded stakes company earlier this month is sure to make him a heavy favorite as he seeks his first victory of the year. The seasoned gelding is the 8-5 morning-line favorite.
It might seem difficult for any horse to love Colonial more than Determined Kingdom, but his stablemate might have him beat in that regard. Earlier this month, Trombetta predicted that Hollywood Walk would find more over her favorite course after relatively dull efforts in New York and Maryland.
Sure enough, the 6-year-old mare improved dramatically in the $150,000 Andy Guest, ceding more than a dozen lengths in the early going before flying home late to win by three-quarters of a length.
“She seems to like the Colonial surface, so here we are again,” Trombetta said. “We’re going to give it another try.”
Four of Hollywood Walk’s six career wins have come at Colonial, and like Determined Kingdom, she is also uniquely suited to 5 1/2 furlongs. Last year, she won this race after a runner-up finish in the Andy Guest, making her a deserving 9-5 morning-line favorite coming off a stronger performance this year.
Trombetta entered a stablemate alongside each of his favorites. Embolden, an 8-year-old gelding, stayed in the Punch Line on dirt last time out while Determined Kingdom scratched. Trombetta wanted to give him a race after an 11-month layoff, and he will return to the grass at long odds Saturday.
Noquestionaboutit, a 3-year-old filly, will join Hollywood Walk in a stiff test against older fillies and mares. The Virginia-bred improved to win the state-restricted $125,000 Glenn Petty last month, but her stablemate may be the strongest rival she has ever faced.
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