Our full week coverage of this final stretch of the Colonial Summer meet continues with these spot plays and full-card picks for the Sunday card. This will all culminate in a couple days with the big Labor Day stakes extravaganza that serves as the send-off for 2026 racing at the track. I’ve already participated in a video preview of those races over on the In the Money Media YouTube channel alongside PTF & Will Humphrey. Be sure to check that out here ahead of tomorrow’s card.
Follow me on Twitter: @mdomhokie
Selections
- Race 1: 4-6-11-1
- Race 2: 2-1-9-8
- Race 3: 9-8-4-2
- Race 4: 3-5-6-2
- Race 5: 1-9-11-12
- Race 6: 4-1-2-5
- Race 7: 2-1-4-6
- Race 8: 2-3-1-7
- Race 9: 6-5-8-7
- Race 10: 6-3-10-5
Colonial Downs Race 2: Toque (#2) at 3-1 or higher
This is one of the races that held together best after scratches which makes it playable even with the fact I prefer the logicals. Both Irish Indygo (#1) and Toque (#2) drew excellent towards the inside which will make it tough for the others. I preferred the latter given the limited success Irish Indygo’s trainer has had shipping into Colonial so far this meet. Meanwhile, Sarah Nagle’s outfit is one that targets the Colonial meet and I thought the tactical speed he showed in his last race bodes well for his chances this afternoon. I’d want to use him in exactas with Joseph Potato (#8) and Noble Gem (#9).
Colonial Downs Race 3: Sophistry (#9) at 4-1 or higher
This is a field that scratched down to just seven, but I still think the top pick is going to be a playable price given how much money will funnel towards Souper Amusing (#4) and Wonder Girl (#8). The former is likely to go off a very short price given the popular connections of Paco Lopez, Trombetta and Live Oak Plantation. This is another steady drop in class for this filly and it remains to be seen if she’s truly best sprinting. Wonder Girl is a former Trombetta trainee who ran pretty well off the claim in the Magee barn and she’s got a nice outside post and Karamanos aboard, but just won’t be an appetizing price. I landed on Sophistry (#9) as the top pick hoping she can wire this group. While a couple of her best races have come over the 5f distance, I believe the other jocks may be too concerned with their main rival and let her get away on the front end. This filly hasn’t gone over the turf since last summer, but had some good races at Del Mar that would make her tough in here.
Colonial Downs Race 5: Que Sera (#1) at 7-1 and/or Better Every Day (#9) at 12-1 or higher
This maiden optional claimer is arguably the most interesting race on Sunday’s card as if you can get past the likely favorite, there’s a ton of different interesting ways to go. That aforementioned favorite is likely to be Sally Maclennane (#11) who makes her second start for the Keri Brion barn. She ran fine enough in an open maiden special weight last time finishing second, but I don’t want to take sub 2:1 on a juvenile in a two-turn full field turf race. There’s a couple interesting first-time starters in this race. The one likely to take the most money is Synchronous (#12) who goes out for the dangerous Brittany Russell barn. This is an ownership group that loves to win races at Colonial so maybe they’ve had this spot circled for a while, but she didn’t draw the best post and the damside pedigree is more dirt-focused. I landed on the other debut runner as my top pick in Que Sera (#1). This barn hits at nearly 20% with its juveniles and she’s been training forwardly down at Churchill. I love the fact she’s drawn towards the inside and Bocachica seems fit to show up to ride. If she’s an appropriate price I also want to throw a few bucks on Better Every Day (#9) as the Schoenthal barn has proven in the past that his 2YO’s can improve drastically from start to start. She’s stretching out in distance after a couple of educational sprint starts which may work for her as the dam won routing on the turf multiple times.
#TheCheatSheet
2026 Summer Meet Statistics (thru 9/1)
All
Top Picks: 139-31-23-28 (22%, $1.76); Featured Horses: 45-8-7-6 (19%, $1.97)
Fair Odds Met
Top Picks: 104-21-13-24 (20%, $2.04); Featured Horses: 37-6-5-6 (18%, $2.17)
Grid
Percent of Races Won By: A’s: 52%; B’s: 32%; C’s: 13%; X’s: 4%
