NEW KENT, Va.--Go Poke the Bear won the $35,000, 2 1/4 mile Hurdle Handicap at Colonial Downs on July 21,

Go Poke the Bear, right, wins over Bright Eyed Eagle (Photo by Coady Photography)Trained by Leslie Young, owned by the Go Poke the Bear Syndicate and ridden by Robbie Dunne, Go Poke the Bear won by 3 3/4 lengths over Bright Eyed Eagle, trained by Kathy Neilson, finishing in 4:04 2/5.

Go Poke the Bear led from the start, mostly by three or four lengths, until Bright Eyed Eagle began to make his move under Gerard Galligan at the last fence on the backside.

Bright Eyed Eagle drew even with Go Poke the Bear on the final turn but Go Poke the Bear kicked clear in the last furlong for the win.

"He's a lovely horse," said Young. "Robbie gave him a lovely ride, and he jumped great."

"He was a highly rated flat horse," said Young. "We purchased him off of Facebook and put together a fun syndicate."

Go Poke the Bear is by Kitten's Joy and was an allowance winner on the flat.

This was his third start over fences, having won a maiden claiming hurdle at Charlotte in April and then finishing fourth in a handicap at Iroquois before winning at Colonial.

"We just bought another Kittens Joy in England to make a Go Poke the Bear number two syndicate," said Young. "We'll aim for the last allowance at Saratoga for Go Poke the Bear."

 

YOUNG increased her lead in Trainer, Races Won to 22 races won over Jack Fisher's 10 races won and Ricky Hendriks seven races won, while Young also leads in Trainer, Money Won with $377,150 to Fisher's $430,250 and Keri Brion's $272,600.

Triton Rise (Photo by Coady Photography)Barry Foley and Harry Beswick are tied in Rider, Races Won with nine wins each over Graham Watters with eight wins.

Triton Ride (Ire) won the $40,000 Maiden Hurdle by three lengths over Dante's Fire, finishing in 4:09, in the first of two hurdle races at Colonial on Friday.

Trained by Doug Fout, owned by Rolling Tide and ridden by Foley, Triton Rise won by 3 lengths over Dante's Fire, trained by Neil Morris.

 This was the first ever race for Triton Rise, a 4-year-old gelding, who ran second behind Thaleeq for most of the race before making a three wide move on the final turn to draw away in the stretch and win driving.