by Darrell Wood, publicity director, Colonial Downs

NewKent, VA — Colonial Downs ushered in its fifteenth annual harness racingseason Wednesday afternoon on a warm and muggy afternoon, and afterthe first three races were contested, the mile times sped up considerably. Fiveof the last seven races featured winning times of 1:53 or below.

Fastest mile of the day was authored by Manley Brown’sCamifications in the fourth race. The 8-year-old Camluck gelding scored a comefrom behind victory in 1:51.2 after Doc’s Sea Lion cut initial fractions of:25.3, :53.3 and 1:22.2. Coming out of the turn, driver John Wagner directedCamifications past four other front- steppers in mid-stretch and coasted hometo a 4-1/2 length triumph.

The Brown-Wagner trainer-driver battery scored again in the day’sfinale with Cohendoleezza, a 7-year-old pacing mare that won in identicalfashion as Camifications. Sitting fifth thru the first three fractions, shepassed four frontrunners to win by two lengths in 1:52.3.

Justin Griffith’s Grab The Fortune earned the second fastest time,1:52, after an inside trip in the $4,500 seventh race pacing feature. The 6-year-oldCams Fortune gelding sat third along the rail thru the first trio of fractionsand passed Doc’s Zilla in the stretch en route to a two length victory.Reinsman Chuck Perry Jr. guided Grab The Fortune to his fifth win of the year.

The other two quick times came from both first leg divisionwinners of the Emergency Squad of Virginia Pacing Series. Amanda Jackson’sHillbilly Desire won by a neck over K J Hannah in 1:52.3 while George Anthrop’sMobil Big John scored a 3-1/2 length triumph in 1:53.

Colonial Downs will host an eight race program Thursday at 1 PMand round out opening week festivities with a pair of ten race cards bothSaturday and Sunday in conjunction with the New Kent County Fair.