Winter View out to bolster streak
The All Along Stakes serves as a prime example of why so many horseplayers enjoy wagering on turf races at Colonial Downs, where full fields are a general rule, not an exception.
Twelve extremely well-matched fillies and mares will go postward in the Grade 3, $150,000 All Along, the main supporting feature to the Colonial Cup on an outstanding Saturday program in New Kent, Va.
As much as half the field, all shipping in from elsewhere, would not qualify as an overly surprising winner of the 1 1/8-mile All Along, including Tejida, Icon Project, Dyna's Lassie, Indescribable, Winter View, and Astrologie.
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Winter View, trained by Jonathan Sheppard, gets the nod from this corner, even if her Beyer Speed Figures from back-to-back Keeneland wins in April, including a last-to-first triumph in the Grade 3 Bewitch, appear barely adequate. From a visual perspective, the Augustin Stable homebred was sensational, and if she can run back to those performances, it could be tough to deny her a third straight win. Sheppard has named Edgar Prado to ride.
Astrologie, well-backed in her two North American starts for the ever-dangerous Christophe Clement, and Tejida, a once speed-crazed mare who has undergone a transformation in style in recent months for Michael Matz, are other prime considerations. Garrett Gomez and Corey Nakatani both will be in from California to take the respective mounts on Astrologie and Tejida.
One more shipper, I Lost My Choo, was cross-entered Saturday in the Grade 2 New York Stakes at Belmont Park.
The All Along, named for the 1983 Horse of the Year in North America, directly precedes the Colonial Cup as the 10th of 12 Saturday races.
Smart and Fancy tops Buckland
Some of the more capable filly-mare turf sprinters on the East Coast will clash in what also shapes up as one of the better wagering races on the Colonial card, the $50,000 Buckland Stakes (race 9).
Smart and Fancy, a winner in 14 of 24 career starts for Tony Dutrow, will be making her second start of the season after getting up in the final jump to win the $50,000 The Very One on Preakness eve on the Pimlico turf. Prado will be aboard the 6-year-old standout Maryland-bred, who was assigned post 13 in a full field of 14 entered in the 5 1/2-furlong race.
Ahvee's Destiny, Charlie Papa, Excessive Heat, and Hadavision look like worthy opponents.
* A couple of 7-year-olds with diverse backgrounds, Gray Suitor and Drivingmaxandmitzi, are the likely favorites in the $30,000 Old Nelson (race 7).
The 1 3/16-mile Old Nelson is run under starter conditions, being restricted to 3-year-olds and up that have run for $25,000 or less since Jan. 1, 2008. Nine are entered.