Colonial Turf Cup Stakes 2013 at Colonial Downs

Las Vegas, NV – Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia will host the Grade 2 Colonial Turf Cup Stakes this Saturday, June 22. Horses three years old and upward will be after the winner’s share of the nice $300,000 purse when they go 1 3/16 miles on Colonial Downs turf track.

The Colonial Turf Cup Stakes has drawn a field of eight older horses for race 7 on Colonial Downs Saturday schedule. Post time is 7:46 PM. Let’s take a brief glance into the past performances of all eight entries for this Grade 2 stakes.

Atigun – Kenneth McPeek trained colt had a string of third place finished including last year’s Belmont Stakes and the Breeders Cup Marathon end with a seventh in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in April. He has looked good in his last two starts however – an Allowance Optional Claiming score May 4 at Churchill Downs was followed by a nice second behind Dark Cove last time out in the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap May 25 at Churchill Downs. He starts from the rail with Julien Leparoux aboard.

Air Support – Shug McGaughey pupil is a multiple graded stakes winner that had a terrific 2011 and another good 2012. In 2012 he had a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Saratoga on August 6, a close second to Turbo Compressor in the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth on July 7 and a second to Turbo Compressor again in last year’s edition of this very race. He finally broke through with a win in September in the Grade 2 Bowling Green at Colonial Downs but hasn’t tasted victory since. Air Support followed his win with a disappointing fifth in the Grade 1 Canadian International Stakes to end his year. Last time out was a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming behind Big Blue Kitten, Rahystrada, and Cease May 2 at Churchill Downs after a third place finish in an Allowance at Keeneland and a six month layoff.

Swift Warrior – Had an incredible win two back in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes February 16 to follow a very nice win in the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston January 26 in wire-to-wire fashion and an OK fourth in the Grade 3 River City Handicap November 25 at Churchill Downs. Last time out was a colossal disappointment however – a seventh in the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes at Pimlico May 18. He has won three of his last six starts including two of the graded stakes variety this year but will be looking for a rebound effort to erase the memory of an ugly effort last time out.

Hyper – Chad Brown entry has 18 career starts with eight wins, four seconds and two third place finishes with zero graded stakes experience. He is coming off a good second behind Teaks North in the minor Good Reward Stakes here May 14 after a third in the Dave Stakes at Aqueduct in April and an Allowance Optional Claiming score in March. He has placed in four straight ahead of the Manhattan but takes a huge step up in competition this Saturday. He looked good in the Good Reward however and looks ready for the leap up in competition.

Colonial Turf Cup Stakes betting at Colonial Downs with OffTrackBetting.com

Roadhog – had a couple of minor stakes wins toward the end of 2012 including the Maryland Million Turf Stakes. He has two Allowance starts in 2013 – a fourth April 28 at Pimlico and a third last time out at Delaware Park June 6. He has six wins, three seconds and four third place finishes in 23 career starts.

Two Notch Road – has 13 career starts with three wins but hasn’t fared all that well in graded stakes action. Last time out was his best graded stakes effort however – a third in the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes June 9 after a fifth in the Grade 3 Red Bank Stakes May 18, a seventh in the Grade 3 Jamaica Handicap way back in October and a pair of fourths at Colonial Downs including the Grade 2 Virginia Derby in July. He finished third in the 2010 version of this race and will be looking to better that result Saturday.

General Logan – has six career starts for trainer H. Graham Motion and three straight wins heading into the Hollywood Derby – two Allowance and a Maiden Special Weight score. He was an ugly thirteenth in the Hollywood Derby back in November and has started just one race since. That resulted in an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Pimlico May 16 after nearly six months away.

London Lane – has just one win in the last two years – an Allowance Optional Claiming at Delaware Park July 4 2012. Since then he has failed to place in any of his five starts with an eighth and a seventh respectively in a pair of minor stakes races to end 2012 at Laurel Park, followed by a sixth in an Allowance in April at Pimlico in his only start of 2013.

Race 7 on Colonial Downs’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 7:46 PM.