The Arlington Million Stakes and the Beverly D. Stakes co-headline a robust Festival of Racing card Sunday at Colonial Downs, but the $500,000, Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes for 3-year-olds appears to be the most interesting of the three graded stakes from a betting perspective. When opportunity knocks, why not come charging out of the starting gate and attack the race?

NOTE: The Festival of Racing originally was slated for Saturday, but because of inclement weather in the area as a result of remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, Colonial pushed the marquee card back a day to allow for the turf courses to dry a bit and ensure a better racing surface.

There appears to be significant early speed entered in the Secretariat Stakes. Colleague Noel Michaels noted in his Colonial Downs betting primer that off-the-pace runners fare especially well at this one-mile distance on Colonial’s inner turf course, so I feel encouraged to have landed on a key horse at appealing odds who does his best running from off the pace.

There is much to like about #5 Fulmineo in addition to his 10-1 morning-line odds. He’s won two straight races from off the pace on soft turf, so if there is still some give in the grass because of the rain, the Bolt d’Oro colt should handle it. His record is a bit deceiving because he’s made three starts on dirt, but on grass Fulmineo has three wins and three seconds in seven tries and his lone unplaced finish came in last year’s Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. He lost by 5 ½ lengths in that million-dollar race and was far from disgraced.

Fulmineo also is 2-for-2 on the turf at Colonial and has been stabled at the Virginia track with three timed workouts there for trainer Arnaud Delacour since the start of July. He’ll be doing his best running late with a big shot to pull an upset.

NOTE: Fulmineo was scratched from the Secretariat Stakes in favor of the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes. Because of that the strategy at the bottom has been amended to a trifecta play with Trikari on top.

I also really like #9 Trikari (3-1), although the post position does not help his chances. Fortunately, the Graham Motion-trained Oscar Performance colt has enough early speed to gain tactical position early in the race. Since an unplaced finish in his debut, Trikari has been very good and consistent, and his last three starts, all on turf, have been his best.

Trikari won the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes presented by TwinSpires by 1 ½ lengths on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve undercard May 4 at Churchill Downs. Most recently, he rallied to win the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes by a head July 6 at the Belmont at the Big A meeting. Sandwiched in between was a third-place finish, beaten by a neck, in the Grade 3 Penn Mile Stakes. He’s in terrific form and horses with his running style (within one to four lengths of the pace) won 39% of the turf routes at Colonial in 2022-23.

Closer #1 Brilliant Berti (5-2) rides a three-race winning streak into the race and has a big shot for trainer Cherie DeVaux. I originally planned to use him underneath my top two in a small trifecta play in hopes of getting Fulmineo in first or second, but with the scratch of Fulmineo I will play a trifecta with Trikari on top and Brilliant Berti along with #6 General Ledger in the second and third positions. I think General Ledger's tactical speed could play to his advantage.

Wagering Strategy on a $20 Budget

$10 trifecta: 9 with 1,6 with 1,6 ($20)

What to say at the betting window: Colonial Downs, Race 9, $10 trifecta part wheel  9 with 1,6 with 1,6