Aftermath, fourth on the left, over a fence in the stretch first time around (Photo by Coady Photography)Mark Beecher and Arch Kingsley saddled winners of the two $40,000, 2 1/4 mile Maiden Special Weight races at Colonial Downs on Friday, Aug. 18.

Daniel Baker's Aftermath, trained by Beecher and ridden by Graham Watters, won the first race, the Four-Year-Old Maiden hurdle by 1 1/4 lengths over Tiger to Remember, trained by Kate Dalton, and Active Duty, trained by William Dowling, finishing in 4:08.33.

Aftermath raced mid-pack in in a tightly bunched field, moved up on the turn and went clear in the stretch for the win.

"He's a really nice, big, raw type 4-year-old," said Beecher. "I liked his breeding. He's by Arrogate out of an Afleet Alex mare. I claimed him at Laurel last year, and then we gave him time. We ran him in a point-to-point, then he was fourth in a maiden race at the Queen's Cup. We let him freshen up before this race."

"We'll probably only run him twice more this year, due to the fact that he's only 4" said Beecher. "Maybe he'll run in the allowance at Shawan. I like him. He's nearly 17-hands and needs to fill out."

 

CARRNGTON Holdings' Bourbon Diversion, trained by Kingsley and ridden by Tom Garner, won the Filly and Mare Maiden hurdle by 1 length over Afraid Not, trained by Julie Gomena and Lacey Underall, trained by Keri Brion, finishing in 4:08.14.

Bourbon Diversion leading on h way to the win (Photo by Coady Photography)Bourbon Diversion led for the entire race and dug in gamely in the stretch to gamely hold off Afraid Not.

"She ran fourth in the Speedy Smithwick Stakes at Great Meadows," said Kingsley, who then ran her in a flat race at Belmont and a maiden hurdle at Colonial where she ran fifth.

"She come from a jump family that includes Cainudothetwist," said Kingsley.

Bourbon Diversion is by Bellamy Road out of Bourbon Twist, by Langfuhr.

"She's a big, scopey filly," said Kingsley. "She comes from a family that gets better with time. We call her Diva. She cooled out great, Tom Garner was picking out a filly and mare stake for her before he even got off her. We'll run her in the $100,00 Life's Illusion Stake at Colonial next."

William Russell's Animal Kingston, trained by Neil Morris and ridden by Watters, won the $35,000 Ratings Handicap by 1//2 length over Ancient Times, trained by Kingsley, and Tease and Seize, trained by Richard Valentine, finishig in 4:00.98.

Animal Kingdom ran third in the five horse  field, moved on the turn and slowly edged clear over Ancient Times, who had previously led all the way.

With his two wins on the day, Watters moved into a tie for thel ead in Rider, Races Won, with Harry Beswick, with 10 wins each, and also went into the lead in Rider, Money Won, with $361,500.

Leslie Young continues to lead in both Trainer, Races Won and Money Won, over Jack Fisher.