Battle of Hastings gets best of Straight Story again

Colonial Downs

NEW KENT -- There was no Nicanor, no hype and no national TV. All Colonial Downs had to offer yesterday was fancy hats and horse racing.

And both turned out very well.

On a Virginia Derby day where nearly every race was tight, including a dead heat to end the day, it was Battle of Hastings thrilling the crowd with a come-from-behind victory to claim the top prize.

With 50 yards to go, it looked as if Straight Story would avenge his Colonial Turf Cup loss, but once again Battle of Hastings proved the better horse.

"Today was about patience," jockey Tyler Baze said. "I didn't let him out because I knew he was going to give me that big punch he has."

Aboard Straight Story, jockey Charles Lopez felt his heart drop as the noise rose from the grandstands, where more than twice as many people were betting on Battle of Hastings.

"Oh, I knew he was coming," Lopez said. "There were 35,000 people screaming. I don't have to look back to know he's coming."

It may have felt like that to Lopez, but that's an attendance number the Colonial Downs brass could only dream of.

In truth, 7,618 fans packed the grandstands on the track's biggest day, off from last year's 9,061. Betting also was off, coming in at $569,665 total at the track.

The absence of Nicanor, brother to famed Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, cut into the attendance, and even though he was the favorite, Battle of Hastings trainer Ral Ayers was concerned when he heard the horse would be scratched because of injury.

"It was one less horse to outrun," Ayers said. "But that was a speed horse that would have helped us."

He was looking for a quick race out of the gate, and the other horses delivered.

In a race without a clear-cut favorite, it would have been tough for a surprise to emerge. Lime Rickey finished fourth, behind Take the Points in third then Straight Story and Battle of Hastings. The win paid bettors $9.20.

The Derby capped off a trio of stakes races. Jockey Kent Desormeaux rode Blind Date to a win in the Virginia Oaks and took Rockaby Bay to the top prize in the Kitten's Joy. In the Derby, he finished fifth on betting-favorite Hold Me Back. No favorite has won the Derby since 2005.

For Battle of Hastings, the big question now is whether to go for the Grand Slam of Grass, the four biggest turf races. Owner Mike House was skeptical, because the third leg, the Secretariat at Arlington Park, is right around the corner on Aug. 8.

"That's probably too soon," he said. "Unless he comes out of this just absolutely great."

But he took some time to soak in yesterday's victory, reveling in the fact that he had proved his horse superior to Straight Story.

In the Turf Cup, it was Battle of Hastings protecting the inside against a hard-charging Straight Story. This time, the roles were reversed, but the result was not.

"He came from left field to get me this time, he deserved it," Lopez said. "At least I don't look like an idiot this time."

Contact Michael Phillips at (804) 649-6546 or .