by Kyle Fitzgerald, for Colonial Downs

New Kent, VA — Robert Cooper Stables LLC’s Temptation shattered one of Colonial Downs’ oldest track records with a sizzling frontstepping score in 1:49.1 on Monday (October 8) at Colonial Downs.

Temptation’s time bested Mr Mikey’s 1:49.3 clocking, the track and world record for 4-year-old gelding pacers on a greater than one-mile track since July 5, 1998.

Temptation was very quick off the gate to seize a lead he would expand throughout the race. The Dragon Again gelding got the first quarter in :26.1 and reached the half in :54 with 4-5 favorite Civil Attack tracking in second.

The field continued single file around the turn as Temptation sped along on the lead. Temptation crossed the three-quarter fraction in 1:22 and emerged at the top of the stretch with a 1-1/4 length lead over Civil Attack.

Temptation found another gear in upper stretch and drew off to win as driver Chris Page pleased. South Park Kid closed well to get second, 3-3/4 lengths behind the winner. Civil Attack was third.

The record-shattering score was Temptation’s 20th lifetime win from 60 starts and third straight since being transferred to trainer Manley Brown, Jr.

Monday night also featured the triumphant return of driver Corey Braden, the leading driver here in 2003 and 2006. Braden drove three winners Monday night in just his second day back in the bike after suffering a broken leg this summer.

He won the fifth race with Real Trouble and added two more trips to the winner’s circle in just four drives on Monday night. Braden’s first drive back was a fifth-place finish with Windonesia in Sunday’s tenth race.

Vivid Photo 9-5 to defend Patriot Invitational title

2005 Hambletonian winner Vivid Photo will make his annual pilgrimage to New Kent in seeking a new track and world record for the third straight year in the second annual $100,000 Patriot Invitational Trot on Saturday, October 13, at Colonial Downs.

Vivid Photo won the inaugural edition of the Patriot last fall in 1:50.2, tying the fastest trotting mile in the sport’s history. The S J’s Photo gelding won his only other start at the one-turn mile, an open handicap in 2005, in track and world record time of 1:52.3.

Now 5, Vivid Photo is still at the top of his game with six wins and $688,769 in earnings from 14 starts this season but Roger Hammer’s trotter comes into the Patriot off a loss in the Allerage Farms Open Trot on October 6 at The Red Mile. Vivid Photo was third, beaten 3-1/2 lengths by Giant Diablo, who trotted the mile in 1:50.1 to lower Vivid Photo and Tom Ridge’s 1:50.2 record mark.

Vivid Photo drew the rail for the Patriot and will be driven as always by trainer and co-owner Roger Hammer. The winner of 33 races and $2,796,708 for Hammer and co-owner Todd Schadel, Vivid Photo has been installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite.

Buck I St Pat and Gabby Glide are the other trotters with single-digit morning line odds. Buck I St Pat is the 7-2 second choice off an amazing finish to get second in the Allerage Farms Open Mare Trot. The 4-year-old Jailhouse Jesse mare trotted her final quarter in :26.3 to pass four horses and make up four lengths in the stretch. Buck I St Pat is the field’s only female and its second-leading money winner with $577,303 in purses.

Gabby Glide rides a three-race win streak into the Patriot, not surprising for a gelding with 18 wins from just 26 lifetime starts. Gabby Glide has earned $135,625 this season despite having never raced for more than a $30,000 purse. Samuel Beegle trains Gabby Glide and the 4-year-old Yankee Glide gelding will get the services of Tim Tetrick, the nation’s leading driver.

Colonial Downs will also have an Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, October 13, with food and beverage specials and a 10-piece German band. The first 2,000 paid admissions will receive a free Colonial Downs folding chair.

The Patriot is the seventh race on an 11-race card that begins at 5:00 p.m.

Complete Patriot Invitational Trot field:

PP – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Odds
1 – Vivid Photo – R. Hammer – R. Hammer – 9-5
2 – Rompaway Wally – D. Harmon – D. Harmon – 12-1
3 – Gabby Glide – T. Tetrick – S. Beegle – 9-2
4 – Ripped – D. Ingraham – G. Napierala – 10-1
5 – L T’s Best – V. Copeland – T. Barrett – 10-1
6 – Buck I St Pat – J. Morrill, Jr. – M. Burke – 7-2
7 – Grain Of Truth – R. Schnittker – R. Schnittker – 15-1
8 – Flamewalker – J. Roberts – C. Porcelli, Jr. – 10-1
9 – Two Weeks Notice – S. Waller – S. Waller – 12-1