Colebrook Farms and trainer Mike Wright are off to a quick start at Tampa Bay Downs this winter, going 2-for-2 on December 17 at the Oldsmar, Fla. track. Wright sent out DECIMATOR (The Big Beast) to win a $25,000 claiming race at 6 furlongs in 1:11.63 for a 75 Beyer Speed Figure. It was the 3-year-old’s first win of 2021 and first start and win on a dirt track.
In the very next race, Wright and Colebrook celebrated a win by NANTUCKET RED (Get Stormy) in an allowance/optional claiming race at one mile on the grass. The 6-year-old mare won by a neck as the 5-to-2 favourite, taking her first win since 2019. She earned a 79 Beyer Figure for her time of 1:34.66.
Colebrook Farms has won 40 races in 2021 (not including any partnerships), matching the best win total the farm has previously met.
Nantucket Red wins the 7th on the turf, giving owner Colebrook Farms and trainer Michael W. Wright back-to-back victories on the card. Daniel Centeno rode the 6-year-old mare for his second victory today. @Jockeydc pic.twitter.com/wxlVnLs0bN
— Tampa Bay Downs Official Account (@TampaBayDownsFL) December 17, 2021
Owner Bruno Schickedanz and trainer Norm McKnight won two races at Oaklawn on Sunday, Dec. 19, including one with Colebrook Farms-bred BACHELOR PAD, an Ontario-bred son of Not Bourbon – Krz Exec by Bold Executive. Bachelor Pad, a $5,000 claimer in November at Woodbine when he won for owner Carol Kemeoka, the 4-year-old won for $19,000 claiming and then took the Oaklawn starter allowance by a head with a 75 Beyer Figure. He edged another McKnight trainee, Seau, in the win.
Schickedanz and McKnight later won with HOPING FOR A RING, a homebred by Speed Ring, in a starter allowance. The filly was coming off a maiden win on Nov. 20 at Woodbine and won this race by a head with a 69 Beyer Figure.
One Ontario-bred to watch is ICY STARE DOWN, who won her maiden at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 18 in her second career start for owners Paul Braverman and Gold Square LLC. A grey daughter of Frosted – Miss Emilia by War Front bred by David Anderson’s Anderson Farms Ontario Inc., Icy Stare Down stalked the pace in the six-furlong muddy-track dash and went on to a one-length win in 1:10.85, for an 80 Beyer Figure. The filly is trained by Brad Cox.
That 80 Beyer Figure by Icy Stare Down makes her the third-fastest Canadian-bred juvenile by winning Beyer Figure in 2021 behind Ironstone and Messier.
Icy Stare Down is the second foal from Miss Emilia, a placed half-sister to $564,000 earner and stakes Amagansett and stakes-placed Danceland.
She was a $95,000 yearling purchase and then a $425,000 2-year-old in training purchase.
Trainer Katerina Vassilieva had her first two starters at Turfway Park last week and her nice 2-year-old prospect RALPHIE BOY finished a troubled fourth as favourite in a maiden allowance race.
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