NEW KENT, Va.--Gold Charm, trained by Cyril Murphy, won the G2, $100,000 Theodora A. Randolph Filly and Mare Hurdle Stakes at Colonial Downs on Monday, June 29.
Gold Charm winning the Life's Illusion Stake in 2024 (Photo by Coady Media Maddy Becker)GIt was a day full of excellent steeplechase racing at Colonial Downs with good purse money and exciting races.
It was a day full of excellent steeplechase racing at Colonial Downs with good purse money and exciting races.
Gold Charm, owned by Irv Naylor and ridden by Jamie Bargary, won the 2 1/4 mile Stakes by 2 34 lengths over Timetoshine, trained by Mark Beecher, and Anoint, trained by Keri Brion.
"We've had Gold Charm since 2023," said Murphy. "We bought her as a 4-year-old at a sale in England. She'd been running on the flat in England. She's been a really consistent performer since we've had her."
Gold Charm has won seven times for Murphy and Naylor, six of them stakes.
The mare was held at the back of the field early, began to make a move on the backstretch the last time around, caught the leader, Timetoshine, in the stretch and went on to win under a hand ride.
"It was always our intention to sit behind," said Murphy. "She was the high weight, so we didn't want to press her early. The race set up perfectly for her."
"Timetoshine was the mare we were most worried about," said Murphy. "She had the best form, and she'd beaten us last time out in Nashville. We thought if we beat her that we'd win, Our mare's jumping is her strong point."
"HER NEXT opportunity is another filly and mare stakes July 23 at Colonial, then there's another Sept. 2," said Murphy. "We'll look at the weather. Hopefully we'll make the July 23 race. It's a handicap again, so she'll get the high weight."
"She performs every day we take her out," said Murphy. "She's tough to train, but her races make it worth while."
This was Bargary's third win of the day. having won twice on horses trained by Jack Fisher.
Fisher saddled Northwoods Stable's Camanoe to win the $60,000 Filly and Mare Maiden Hurdle by 9 lengths over Path to Victory, trained by Lillith Boucher, and Bella Estrella, trained by Brion.
Fisher and Bargary also teamed up to win the $20,000 Maiden Starter Hurdle with Riverdee Stable's Renfro's Reception, who won by 5 lengths over Righthere Rightnow, trained by Barry Foley, and Boffo Kid, trained by Danielle Hodsdon.
Fisher's two wins increased his lead in Trainer, Money Won to $743,300, almost double that of second place Brion with $378,260.
Fisher leads in Trainer, Races Won with 12 wins, while Kathy Neilson Leslie Young and Neil Morris have eight each.
Morris also saddled two winners, Mark Cassidy's Doctor Davis and Ballybristol Farm's Love Foreverafter, both ridden by Graham Watters.
Doctor Davis won the $30,000 Maiden Starter/Maiden Claiming Hurdle by 12 1/4 lengths over Roundtop, trained by Brion, and Coaches Meeting, trained by Kathy Neilson, and Love Foreverafter won by 2 1/2 lengths over Darcy's Friend, trained by Arch Kingsley, and Bright Eyed Eagle, trained by Neilson.
Kingsley saddled Richard Colton's Feeling Festive (Ire), ridden by Freddie Procter, to win the $65,000 Allowance Hurdle by 1 length over Aspenite, trained by Morris, and Scorpius, trained by Fisher.
Neilson saddled Armata Stable's Better Bet, ridden by Jack Power, to win the $60,000 Maiden Hurdle by 2 1/2 lengths over Flash Frozen, trained by Tom Garner and Onrush, trained by Fisher.
Julie Gomena saddled Riverdee Stable's Fulmineo, ridden by Procter, to win the $60,000 Maiden Hurdle by 3/4 length over My Kinda Ghaiy (Ire), trained by Foley, and Loose Wire, trained by Brion.
Ricky Hendriks saddled Del Rio Racing's Rotterdam, ridden by Conor Tierney,, to win the $20,000 Flat Race for Jumpers by 1/2 length over Philip My Dear trained by Neilson, and Give It a Whirl, trained by Beecher.
