Written In Stone Sails in Chesapeake
Leading owner David Ross’ Written in Stone made his mark at Colonial Downs as he broke the track record under a hand ride in the $50,000 Chesapeake Stakes on Tuesday.
After racing unhurried down the backstretch through Purely Precious’ leading fractions of 21.76 and 44.30, the 6 year old Smart Strike gelding advanced four wide around the turn and took command in the upper stretch to draw off under a hand ride from Eric Camacho. Poppy’s Punkin took the place four lengths back after taking the lead briefly in the stretch and finishing willingly, with favorite Ravalo rallying between horses and gaining the show position in the final strides. The final time for the six furlong dirt race was 1:08.11, nearly four-tenths quicker than the previous record set by Satan’s Code in 2004.
Celtic Innis finished fourth, with Malibu Kid, Purely Precious, Wynn Wynn Deal, Outsmarting Dixie, and Blackhossnamdwhity rounding out the rest of the field.
Bred in Ontario by Sam-Son Farm, Written in Stone has earned over $300,000 in his 30-race career. He has finished on the board seventeen times, and was claimed by leading owner David Ross in his second-most recent start.
While David Ross has earned the title of leading owner, the Colonial Downs jockeys and trainers will be scrambling during the final day of racing to take the leading titles. Rosemary Homeister, Jr., who won last year’s riding title, currently leads the jockeys with 41 wins, while Eric Camacho is close behind with 40. Horacio Karamanos is also in the running, with 39 wins to his credit. Top conditioners Ferris Allen and Hamilton Smith have one win between them, with Ferris Allen going into the final day as the leader having 28 wins.
Colonial Downs’ 2010 Thoroughbred meet wraps up with a nine-race card on Wednesday, July 21st with a first-race post time of 4 PM.