Vivid Photo will face six rivals as he looks for a third straight victory in $100,000 Patriot Invitational Saturday, October 11 at Colonial Downs.
Vivid Photo, an accomplished six-year-old SJs Photo gelding, is 4-for-4 at Colonial Downs, including his record 1:50.2 mile in the inaugural Patriot. The popular Hambletonian champion and trainer-driver Roger Hammer will leave from Post 1 for the second straight year.
Enough Talk is the solid 8-5 morning line favourite for the Patriot. He was the 3-5 favourite for the Breeders Crown after a dominant five and three-quarter-length elimination win. Enough Talk finished fourth in the Breeders Crown, two and three-quarter lengths to the better of fifth-place finisher Vivid Photo. Enough Talk also got the best of Vivid Photo last Saturday, finishing third in the Allerage, two and half lengths clear of that rival.
Hall of Famer Ron Pierce will be in town to drive Enough Talk for trainer Peter Kleinhans.
Trillium Racing Stable's entry of Green Day and Instant Photo may be the third choice. The Jim Raymer-trained duo will leave from Posts 6 and 7, respectively.
Green Day was a leading three-year-old last season, notching his signature victory in the $644,770 Yonkers Trot en route to a 12-for-22 campaign. The four-year-old Enjoy Lavec gelding has yet to replicate that form in 2008, winning just two races from 15 tries but a 1:53 win in an open handicap at Chester in August proved the ability is still there. Tim Curtin will drive Green Day in the Patriot.
Lanson is the 7-2 third morning line choice. The four-year-old Self Possessed gelding finished right behind Enough Talk and Vivid Photo in last week's Allerage. Trainer Richard Macomber has been sensational at Colonial this fall, winning with 11 of his first 14 starters. The lightly raced Lanson has eight wins from just 23 lifetime starts.
Lolique is enjoying a renaissance at age five after missing all of 2007. The Tagliabue gelding blossomed in the fall of 2006, dominating the 2006 three-year-old colt and gelding Virginia Breeders final and finishing fourth, just two lengths behind Vivid Photo in the inaugural Patriot. Lolique has five wins from 31 starts this season for trainer Manley Brown, Jr.
L Ts Best has been ultra-consistent this season, hitting the board in 14 of 17 starts, predominantly in Hazel Park Invitational Handicaps. Tom Barrett owns and trains the five-year-old Davanti gelding. Regular pilot Vince Copeland will be in the sulky for the Patriot.
First race post time is 6:00 p.m.
Click here to view the entries.
(With files from Colonial Downs)