KENT, Va.--Michael Dickinson had two Maiden Special Weight winners at Colonial Downs, and Graham Motion also had a first time runner Maiden Special Weight winner at Colonial Downs as well
Belle Belisa (Ire), owned by GoldMark Farm and Arthur Applegate, won by a length first time out in a $54,500, 1 1/8 mile Maiden Special Weight on the turf for fillies and mares 3 and up on Aug. 10.
"Belle Belisa is very well bred," said Dickinson. "She's by Lope de Vega, who is one of the best stallions in Europe. We didn't think she was going to win. We though she'd need a race. And she did everything wrong before the race.
"We shipped her down to Colonial the day before the race, and she walked probably 100 miles in her stall. Then on the day of her race her boyfriend, Search for Truth shipped in. They love each other. She walked another 100 miles around her stall. Then at 11 o'clock on the day of her race, she was lying down in her stall. She wasn't relaxing, she was exhausted.
"SHE ACTED up in the paddock. Then in the gate, she shot her jockey off her back like a man shot out of a cannon in the circus. But in the race she wasn't green at all, and she won.
"So she might be pretty good," said Dickinson. "But it might take her several races to learn. She has a good heart. She has the heart of a colt. She's going to the Virginia Oaks next at Colonial. That's a big step up for her, but she might hit the board,"
On the same day, Dickinson saddled Search for Truth, owned by Carrie Brogdan's Gallagher's Stud, to win a $50,000, 1 1/8 mile Maiden Special Weight for 3 year olds on the turf, also at Colonial.
That was Search for Truth's second start after having finished second in his first start.
"The colt won by 11 lengths," said Dickinson. "He was very impressive. He'll go to the Virginia Derby next."
`I'm just training six horses at the moment" said Dickinson. "I'm really enjoying it. I have two for George and Julia Strawbridge, two for Mrs. Brogden, she's the family of Gallagher's Steak House in New Work, and two for other owners. I'm really close to the horses. I love it. We've had three winners and a second from four starters.
MOTION also had a first time starter win at Colonial, Sparkle Blue on Aug. 17.
Sparkle Blue, owned by Catherine Parke and Augustin Stable, won a $50,000, 1 mile Maiden Special Weight for 2-year-old fillies by 3 3/4 lengths.
Sparkle Blue rated off the top three, moved up three wide on the turn and shook free in the stretch to finish clear.
BERNIE HOUGHTON had two winners at Penn National
On Aug. 10, Beyond the Bend, owned and bred by Houghton's WMT Stables aand his mother Betsy's Sylmar Far, coming off a July win in a claiming race, won a $31,000, 6 furlong Allowance Optional Claiming race by 3/4 length.
Beyond the Bend, who was not eligible to be claimed, rallied four wide around the turn, took over in the stretch and held on for the win,
On Aug. 11, John E. Williamson III's homebred Howsafearemucolors won a $17,000, 5 furlong Maiden Claiming race by 1 1/2 lengths.
Howsafearemycolors was slow early, rallied four wie around the turn and ran clear late.
RICKY HENDRIKS saddled his own Morningstar Farm's Equal Justice to win a $30,000, 1 mile Claiming race at Colonial Downs by a nose.
Equal Justice stalked the early leader and dug in gamely in the stretch to win the nose bob.