Upsets were the order of the day Saturday at Colonial Downs, as a pair of 2-5 favorites were defeated in the Brookmeade and Glenn Petty Stakes.
Audley Farm bred or owns two favorites and a second choice in this weekend’s four stakes at Colonial Downs, with two for distaffers on Saturday.
In three of Saturday’s four Virginia restricted stakes at Colonial Downs, last year’s winners hope to defend their crowns, including two seeking threepeats.
With the cancellation of the Colonial Downs race meet, five stakes for Virginia-bred or -sired horses will take place Friday at Laurel Park.
Pending Virginia Racing Commission approval, Maryland’s Laurel Park will play host to five stakes restricted to Virginia-bred or -sired runners.
The Colonial Downs meet closed Saturday with five Virginia-bred races, including a rare visit by Kent Desormeaux to New Kent to win the Camptown.
Jockey Sheldon Russell won two Virginia-bred stakes at Laurel Park on Sunday, and Arnaud Delacour trained the first three finishers in the Brookmeade.
Rose Brier and Two Notch Road both struck for the second consecutive year to win Virginia-bred stakes today at Laurel Park.
Two champs will look to defend their crowns in Virginia-bred and -sired stakes supporting Saturday’s G3 Commonwealth Oaks at Laurel Park.
The half-dozen Virginia-bred stakes run at Laurel Park Saturday could point the way to future regional cooperation, even a circuit, said participants.