NEW KENT, Va.--Arch Kingsley saddled Exculpate to win the $100,000, 2 1/4 mile Randolph D. Rouse Memorial Stakes for fillies and mares on Monday, Aug. 12, and  also saddled the second placed Cainudothetwist to top off a spectacular day at Colonial Downs.

Arch Kingsley"It was a sweet win," said Kingsley.

This was a case, for once, of a good deed being rewarded, as  Kingsley bought Exculpate as a favor for a friend.

Exculpate was running on the flat at Monmouth in 2023, owned by Jeanne Vuyosevich.

"My friend at Monmouth, Jeanne, was having trouble with Exculpate," said Kingsley. "She didn't like the way she was being trained, the way things were going. She called me and said she thought the mare would make a good jumper. I bought her sight unseen. I thought I was doing her a favor. Exculpate wasn't very expensive."

Since buying her, In four starts over fences, all this year, Exculpate has won twice and finished second twice, once in the Margaret Currey Henley Stakes at Iroquois.

"She ran in my father's old silks," said Kingsley. "She broke her maiden here at Colonial, also in my father's silks, and on his birthday."

Atsamy Racing Club's Exculpate, ridden by Parker Hendriks, went right to the front, opening a big lead in the first half mile but putting in a couple of bad jumps.

"She danced her way out of a couple of pretty bad spots," said Kingsley, "Parker gave her a great ride. He has a great set of hands."

 

"THE PLAN was to go to the front, but I never like it when they go out too far," he said. "But Parker said she was doing it easy. She had plenty left at the end."

Exculpate did indeed have more than something left at the end, opening up after the final turn to win by 15 1/2 lengths in 4:00.57.

Atsamy Racing Club's Cainudothetwist was second, with Haint Blue (Fr), trained by Kate Dalton, third.

"We're all so fond of Cainudothetwist," said Kingsley. "It was guts and determination that got her up to place."

"They're writing the same race again in three weeks," he said. "They'll both race back in that."

Jack Fisher had a pretty spectacular day, too, finishing first and second in the first race and also winning the second.

Riverdee Stable's Palio (Ire), ridden by Graham Watters, won the $50,000 Maiden Special Weight Hurdle by 14 lengths over Pavoni, both trained by Fisher, with Anzio, trained by Sandra Webb, third.

This was Palio's second race in this country after running in handicaps in England, where he finished consistently in the money.

Riverdee Stable and Ten Strike Racing's Jimmy Dan, ridden  by Watters, won the $35,000 Handicap by 1 1/4 lengths over Two Past Eight, trained by Leslie Young.

Jimmy Dan has run four times this year with three wins and a third.