On a day when Colonial Downs starter Mike Wojchick oversaw and directed races with pacers, trotters, ostriches, camels and children, Nuclear Attraction and Smile A Little stole the show and scored impressive victories in sub-1:50 times on a hot Sunday afternoon.
The other unique animals created laughter and applause between the quick mile trips.
In the camel race, trainer Morgan Hagerman smartly guided Desert Charmer to victory while hanging on for dear life against three other two humped animals, which were ridden respectively by trainer Amanda Jackson, track veterinarian Chad Hundley and driver Jeff Nisonger. Hagerman’s camel won by a nose over Hundley’s Joe Camel. The fun day also included an ostrich race with sulkies attached to the feathered animals, and kids races on the track in which they lined up behind the starter’s car.
In equine competition, Cory Braden directed Nuclear Attraction to a wire-to-wire romp in the Good Ole USA Pacing Series’ first leg. The four-year-old Nuclear Breeze gelding triggered fractions of :26.4, :54.3 and 1:21.4 before crossing 5-3/4 lengths ahead of Hotundethecollar in 1:49.4. The Brian Malone trainee’s previous best was a 1:52.4 clocking at Philadelphia last year
Two races later, Jason MacDougall guided Smile A Little to a blowout win in week’s featured conditioned pace in a sizzling 1:49.3. The six-year-old I Am A Fool gelding nosed by Docs Zippy coming out of the turn and powered ahead to win convincingly by ten lengths. The George Anthrop trainee’s prior best was set at Colonial last fall in 1:51.
(Colonial Downs)