At Colonial Downs, Patriot Spirit dominated the Leage Count race, while Alani secured a first stakes victory in the Love Sign event, both originally reported by the Paulick Report.
The 4-year-old Patriot Spirit delivered a standout performance on Saturday, winning the $100,000 Reigh Count and Love Sign stakes at Colonial Downs. This Open Company colt, who had previously shown skill in the Dirt Sprint Stakes, outpaced seven competitors in the Leage Count. Meanwhile, Alani faced six contenders in the Love Sign race, tackling all challenges to claim her inaugural stakes win.
Owned by Mellon Patch and trained by Mike Campbell, Patriot Spirit, guided by jockey Mycal Sanchez, completed seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:21.01, winning by four lengths. Sanchez praised the horse’s progress, noting how well he performed, taking control early and finishing strongly. After maintaining a good position early on, Patriot Spirit surged ahead in the final turn and left the field behind, with Inveguld securing second place.
Betting on Patriot Spirit at 4-5 paid out $3.60 to win. The Kentucky-bred colt, raised by Blue Haven Farm, now holds a career record of 14 starts with 5 wins, 2 second places, and 1 third.
In the Love Sign race, Alani, owned by Hardesty Stables and Michael Day, covered six furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.25, securing victory by 1¾ lengths over Happy Cloud. Conditioned by Michael Moore, Alani was keen from the start under jockey Andy Hernandez, who pushed her strategically to win despite stiff competition. Alani showed great tenacity to hold off late challengers and finish strong.
As the 2-1 second favorite, Alani’s win returned $6.20. Trainer Moore shared that the horse responded well to the race conditions after a relaxed day before the event. Bred in Kentucky by Dr. Patricia Ziful, Alani is a competitive four-year-old daughter of Cephapiano Mare Tri-Delt, with career earnings of $280,995 and a record of 14 starts with 5 wins, 6 seconds, and 1 third.
This report initially appeared in the Paulick Report on July 26, 2025.
Fan Take: Patriot Spirit’s commanding performance and Alani’s breakthrough win highlight the rising talent in the horse racing scene, igniting excitement among fans eager to see who will emerge as future champions. These victories at Colonial Downs signal strong potential for these horses and their teams, promising thrilling races and heightened competition in upcoming events.
