Smart Bid morning-line favorite for Colonial Turf Cup

A field of eight has been entered for Saturday's $500,000

Colonial Turf Cup and SMART BID (Smart Strike) is the early favorite

in the 1 3/16-mile grass affair as the 2-1 morning-line choice.

The race, originally scheduled as a Grade 2 event restricted to

sophomores, was opened up this season by Colonial Downs officials for

older horses as well. As a result, the graded status was revoked and not

a single three-year-old has shown up. That still leaves a tough group to

square off against Smart Bid, including multiple Grade 1 hero COURT

VISION (Gulch) and dual Grade 3 victor RAHYSTRADA (Rahy).

Smart Bid drew the 4 post under jockey Edgar Prado for Saturday's

event, and will be looking to add a second win to his scorecard for this

year. The Graham Motion trainee opened the season with a nice third in

the Fort Lauderdale S. (G3) before just missing by a nose in the

Gulfstream Park Turf H. (G1). The dark bay was given a brief freshening

before returning to eke out a blanket-finish nose score in the Mervin H.

Muniz Jr. Memorial H. (G2) at Fair Grounds on March 26, and he showed up

under the Twin Spires last month to run second in the Woodford Reserve

Turf Classic (G1).

Court Vision owns a slight edge in that he's competed at Colonial twice

already, albeit as a sophomore. The six-year-old actually ran in the 2008

Colonial Turf Cup when it was still restricted to three-year-olds, finishing

fourth while making his turf bow on that occasion, then followed that with a

nose second in the grassy Virginia Derby (G2).

Though he's ventured to the main track a few more times over the past three

years, Court Vision found a new home on the turf and has racked up victories in

the Woodbine Mile (Can-G1), Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), Gulfstream Park Turf 'Cap,

Hollywood Derby (G1) and Jamaica H. (G2) on the green. The Richard Dutrow pupil

drew the far outside post in this year's Colonial Turf Cup and will have a rider

switch to Ramon Dominguez.

Rahystrada will break from the rail under Sheldon Russell as he attempts to

return to the winner's circle. The Byron Hughes charge hasn't visited that

location since taking the Arlington H. (G3) last July, but he's been close on a

couple of occasions including a neck second in the Tampa Bay S. (G3) two back.

Group 1 winner MORYBA (Brz) (Hard Buck [Brz]), a head back in third in the

Muniz two back, and Louisville H. (G3) third GUYS REWARD (Grand Reward) are also

in with a shot.

Motion sent the dark bay lass out to make her four-year-old bow in the

Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) on Kentucky Derby Day, and Aruna had a

three-race win streak snapped when running second. She entered that race

following a near six-month layoff that last saw her adding the Mrs. Revere S.

(G2) to her resume. Dominguez, who's been aboard ever since Aruna shipped

stateside from France, has the call.

Like Aruna, DYNA WALTZ (GB) (Dynaformer) is an import from overseas. The bay

lass joined trainer Jonathan Sheppard's barn from England, where she captured

the Oaks Trial at Lingfield last season. She made her four-year-old, U.S. and

seasonal bow in an allowance at Keeneland on April 23, running second, and

filled that same spot in the Gallorette H. (G3) last out at Pimlico. Prado has

the call for her second try against U.S. stakes company.