by Kyle Fitzgerald, for Colonial Downs

New Kent, VA — Colonial Downs’ “Extreme Day” lived up to its billing on Sunday (September 14) with huge payouts in steeplechase and harness races, unseasonable 97-degree heat and lucky #13 leading a clean sweep for the outside post positions in the day’s lone flat thoroughbred race.

“Extreme Day” took full advantage of Colonial’s unique racing surfaces, featuring eight harness races on the 1-1/4-mile main track and two steeplechases and one non-betting flat thoroughbred race on the 180-foot wide Secretariat Turf Course.

Smartest One kicked the day off with a wire-to-wire score in the flat thoroughbred event, a $10,000 allowance for Virginia-breds at about 1-1/4 miles on the turf. The 6-year-old Two Smart gelding flashed his customary early speed and was never seriously threatened under jockey James Slater. I’m a Hokie finished second and Plymouth Rock and Mighty Valdiar filled out the top four. The race was a non-betting event, depriving fans of outside post positions the unusual sight of a 13-12-14-11 superfecta.

Both steeplechases produced boxcar payoffs as 31-1 shot Charismatic American won race one and 18-1 longshot One Sea surprised race three. Charismatic American combined with Questioning for a $469.80 exacta and they keyed “all” payouts in the trifecta ($2,161.20) and superfecta ($10,290.50).

The day’s eight harness races were slightly more formful but “Extreme Day” produced zero winning favorites. The Standardbred action featured three divisions each of the Todd Parker Memorial and U Gotta Win One Now late closing series.

Luvyabutleave, Two B American, and Extreme Makeover took divisions of the Todd Parker Memorial’s first leg. The Parker, a trot for non-winners of two pari-mutuel races, continues each Sunday at Colonial Downs through the final on October 5.

The U Gotta Win One Now, a pace for non-winners of one race or $3,500 in 2008, continues every Sunday through September 28 with leg one division winners Seadog Man, Awesome Way and Hes Incahoots taking the series’ name most seriously Sunday.

“Extreme Day” finished in appropriate fashion with 23-1 shot Dig Alittle Deeper making Colonial’s tote board work hard yet again in race 10 with a nose victory over Strong Belief in a blanket finish with favorite Mc Matz’s Ztam just a half-length back in third.

Colonial Downs is dark Monday before resuming its Standardbred season on Tuesday with a 10-race, all-harness card beginning at 6:00 p.m.