Style Points and Deep Satin were inseparable at the wire on Saturday at Colonial Downs, where the fillies won the $250,000 Virginia Oaks in a dead heat.
It was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third to Pendulum.
The race was one of six turf stakes on a closing-day card in which Deterministic captured the Grade 3, $500,000 Virginia Derby. The stakes were worth a cumulative $1.3 million.
Style Points ($4) and Deep Satin ($3.60) both sat off the pace as Call Another Play and Awesome Czech set fractions of 23.79 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.25 for the half-mile and 1:12.56 for six furlongs.
Deep Satin took first swing at the leaders, found the front in the stretch, then was hooked by Style Points. The fillies put on a show to the wire and covered 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:47.15.
“I was pretty confident my filly put her head down, but it was so close you just take anything,” Mychel Sanchez, who was aboard Deep Satin, said in an interview broadcast by Colonial. “I was just hoping for the win.”
Manny Franco was aboard Style Points, who gave him his fifth win on the card Saturday. She picked up her first stakes win following some close calls for Cheyenne Stable and trainer Christophe Clement.
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Style Points is a daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Oscar Performance and Mystical Star, a Grade 2 winner of $587,214.
Deep Satin won what has become a key maiden special weight race at Saratoga in her start prior to the Virginia Oaks. She is a daughter of American Pharoah and races for John D. Gunther and her breeder, Eurowest Bloodstock Services. Cherie De Vaux trains Deep Satin, who is now 2 for 4.
Da Hoss
Isivunguvungu was a neck winner over Nothing Better in the $150,000 Da Hoss, covering 5 1/2 furlongs on firm turf in 1:02.58.
The start was the North American debut for Isivunguvungu, who had previously been based in South Africa. He tracked the leaders from the rail, sitting just off fractions of 21.91 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.27 for the half-mile before moving to the fore.
“I can’t say enough about what a good effort this was today,” winning trainer Graham Motion said in an interview broadcast by Colonial Downs. “He spent two months in quarantine at the beginning of the year.
“He’s a very special horse. He has a big following in South Africa. I’m so happy for those guys, who put a lot in to get him here today. Super happy for the Hollywood Syndicate. Manny gave him a great ride and he’s a lovely horse.”
Isivunguvungu is a 6-year-old son of What a Winter who races for Hollywood Syndicate.
Colonial Cup
Truly Quality ($4.60) was a 2 1/2-length winner over 4-5 favorite Webslinger in the $150,000 Colonial Cup for 3-year-olds and up over 1 1/2 miles on turf. The winner covered the distance in announced course-record time of 2:25.16.
Franco was aboard Truly Quality for trainer Johnathan Thomas. The son of Quality Road races for Augustin Stables.
*Governor Sam ($3.80) won his second straight turf sprint stakes win in the $125,000 Exacta Systems Rosie’s for 2-year-olds. He set fractions of 22.11 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.12 for the half-mile before covering 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.51. Paco Lopez was aboard the son of Improbable, who won by two lengths over Out on Bail. George Weaver trains Governor Sam for Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stables.
*Siesta Key ($4.20) was a nose winner over Aristotle in the $125,000 Kitten’s Joy at 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-olds, covering the distance in 1:44.66. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third to pacesetter Thrilla. Siesta Key is a son of Into Mischief and the multiple Grade 1-winning mare Cocoa Beach and races for his breeder, Godolophin. Franco was aboard for trainer Brad Cox.
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