by Darrell Wood for Colonial Downs

New Kent, VA — Colonial Downs will showcase Virginia-bred 2 & 3-year-old pacers and trotters of both sexes Sunday afternoon (Oct. 26) in the annual $371,000 “Day of Champions” program, which will usher out the 2014 fall season.

The four Commonwealth geared pacing events will be part of an eleven race pari-mutuel card starting at 1 P.M. while the four trotting stakes will be held as non-wagering races starting at 11:30 A.M.

Perfect Number, fresh off a three length win in last week’s “Day of Champions” prep, is the early 9-5 favorite in the $49,400 3-year-old colt pace. Corey Braden, the meet’s leading driver, will be in the sulky again for the Art Official gelding, who will face seven other sophomores in the seventh race.

Filomena is the early 4-5 choice in the $48,000 3-year-old filly pacing championship. She defeated 2-year-old champ Santa Baby by 1-3/4 lengths in last week’s prep and hopes to turn the table from a year ago when she finished second to Santa Baby as a freshman.

Frank Gannon’s Riggy and Herman Hagerman’s entry of Cam’s Lilly and Blueridge Pushy are favored in the respective 2-year-old $50,375 colt and $46,850 filly pacing divisions.

Riggy wired the field in his prep race against five other foes in 1:57.2 while Hagerman’s pair finished fourth and second a week ago after a tight blanket finish in 2:00.3. Here Comes Lucy, who won that race by a neck over two others, is actually the third choice at 4-1.

Always Quick Star and Jingle Bells will try to defend their championships from a year ago as freshmen when they compete in the $44,600 filly and $42,000 colt/gelding trots as 3-year-olds. Elma Lou and Wilbur Eden hope to parlay prep wins in the 2-year-old filly and colt trots into championship titles on Sunday when they vie for $45,575 and $44,300 purses respectively.