Colonial Downs' Festival of Racing turned into a showcase for momentum horses as Supercharger and Gimme a Nother both parlayed hot form into authoritative Grade 2 turf victories in the Secretariat Stakes and Beverly D. Stakes on August 1, stamping themselves as serious late-summer players in the national turf picture.
In the Secretariat Stakes for 3-year-olds, Supercharger rewarded the faith of bettors and trip handicappers by producing exactly the sustained late run his past performances promised. Sent off at roughly 3-1 in an eight-horse field that included heavily favored Alpyland, Supercharger settled midpack on the firm inner turf before launching a three-wide bid into the lane. According to the Horseracing Nation recap and the official chart, he collared the pacesetter in the final 50 yards to win by a half-length, stopping the clock in 1:41.24 for the 1 1/16 miles and returning $8.40 to win. The result flipped the script on the morning line that had Alpyland pegged as the 2-1 favorite and Supercharger as the 7-2 second choice, underlining just how live the “now horse” angle was on this card.
Supercharger's Secretariat score capped a rapid ascent through the ranks that had already caught sharp eyes in Kentucky. As previews from America's Best Racing and Paulick Report detailed, the Constitution colt for C R K Stable entered Colonial off back-to-back wins at Churchill Downs—a maiden breaker on May 9 followed by a first-level allowance triumph on June 18, both at 1 1/8 miles and both against older horses. Daily Racing Form noted in a late-July piece that trainer Cherie DeVaux had circled the Secretariat as the next logical step for her improving 3-year-old turf runner, signaling confidence that his deep-closing style would translate to Colonial's wide, sweeping turns. The Festival win adds yet another major trophy to a breakout season for DeVaux, who already made national headlines earlier in the year by winning the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes with Golden Tempo, a milestone highlighted in Colonial's own Festival press materials.
One race later, Gimme a Nother delivered the kind of professional, grinding finish that has become her trademark since shipping from South Africa to Graham Motion's barn, turning the $500,000 Beverly D. Stakes for fillies and mares into her third consecutive graded victory on American soil. Positioned just off the pace on firm turf, she shadowed longshot Achieve through measured fractions before wearing her down in the final strides to score by a neck over 1 3/16 miles. The official time of 1:54.28 and the winning trip are confirmed by the Daily Racing Form write-up and the international chart services, which also show her going off favored and returning $5.20 to win while solidifying her reputation as a reliable stakes mare who shows up every time. With the Beverly D. added to her resume, her record now stands at 10 wins and 3 seconds from 14 starts, with career earnings pushing past $800,000.
The Beverly D. was not an isolated spike but the continuation of a carefully plotted campaign that had Gimme a Nother pointed squarely at Colonial for weeks. Previews from Yahoo Sports, TrueNicks, and FanDuel Research all emphasized that the multiple Group 1 winner from South Africa had re-found top form in the U.S. with late-season wins last year and a sharp 2026 return in the Eatontown Stakes (G3) at Monmouth and the John C. Mabee (G2) at Del Mar. Those efforts showed a new tactical dimension—she no longer needed to drop far out the back—and that same stalking versatility was on full display at Colonial, where John Velazquez executed the patient-but-positive ride many handicappers expected. Paulick Report's post-race coverage framed the Beverly D. as another momentum builder toward higher autumn targets, noting that the mare continues to “keep momentum going” with each graded strike.
From a betting standpoint, both races rewarded players who sided with proven form cycles over buzz and pedigree alone. Handicapping pieces from America's Best Racing and other outlets had already tabbed Supercharger as the preferred alternative to Alpyland, arguing that his two-turn turf experience against older and his improving speed figures made him a “legitimate win candidate.” In the Beverly D., advance selections from Keeneland Select and America's Best Racing leaned heavily toward Gimme a Nother as the key win contender and multi-race anchor, citing her consistent graded-level finishing punch and adaptability to different pace scenarios. With both winners going off relatively short prices yet still offering square returns—roughly 3-1 on Supercharger and just over 8-5 on Gimme a Nother—Festival of Racing day underscored how identifying the right “now horses” can still yield value even when you're landing on favorites or co-favorites.
For Colonial Downs, the twin performances by Supercharger and Gimme a Nother reinforced the track's growing status as a summer destination for top stables and serious bettors. As noted in advance coverage, the Festival card packaged the Arlington Million, Secretariat Stakes, and Beverly D. for combined purses exceeding $2.6 million, a structure that has drawn international interest and helped plant Virginia firmly on the global racing map. With DeVaux adding a high-profile turf win to her historic classic season and Motion tightening the screws on a seasoned mare who now looks poised for major fall engagements, the takeaway for handicappers is clear: the Colonial turf has become a proving ground where current form travels, class holds up, and the right connections are willing to ship in and take their shot.
