Colonial Colony Headed to Suburban

Lakeside Farm's Colonial Colony, upset winner of the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) is headed to Belmont Park to make his next start in the $500,000 Suburban Handicap (gr. I) on July 3.

Trainer Walter Bindner had originally hoped to run the 6-year-old son of Pleasant Colony in the 1 1/4-mile race in New York, but until a couple of days ago it appeared that transportation concerns would prevent that from happening.

As a backup he penciled in the $250,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker (gr.III) on the same day. Bindner received a telephone call Monday evening that informed him a flight from Louisville to New York had been scheduled for June 29. That prompted a quick change of plans for Colonial Colony, who will now get a chance in the 1 1/4-mile Suburban to prove his win in the nine-furlong Stephen Foster was not a fluke.

"We'll see if that is an aberration or if he's really gotten better," said Bindner. "To me, personally, I've never seen him train as good as he's training right now."

Jockey Rafael Bejarano is scheduled to travel to Belmont Park to ride Colonial Colony.

The Foster was Colonial Colony's first win in four races in 2004 and just his fourth in 29 career starts. He has earned $815,605.

Another Churchill Downs-based horse that is being considered for the Suburban now that a plane to New York is available is William S. Farish, James Elkins, Jr. and W. Temple Webber, Jr.'s Alumni Hall. The 5-year-old brother to 2000 Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Secret Status is in his first year of racing and has romped to three wins in four starts since he made his debut in April at Keeneland.

Trainer Neil Howard has been looking for a spot in which Alumni Hall would make his stakes debut and is strongly considering the $75,000 Black Tie Affair Handicap on July 10 at Arlington Park. But the Suburban will get a look, although Howard said he is "70-30" to stick to his earlier plan to
run in Chicago.

"We're going to see how it comes up," said Howard.