Colonial Downs Spot Plays for Aug. 23

The leading open, main-track stakes of the 2021 Colonial Downs meet, all of which will be run around one turn over the unique 1 1/4-mile layout, are on Monday's slate of action. The nine-race card, four of which are stakes, kicks off at 1:45 p.m. ET.

Here are several horses of interest on the program.

Race 5 -- Maiden Special Weight (3:37 p.m. ET)

#6 Tracy Flick (5-2) is the horse to beat in this one-mile test for fillies and mares. Disqualified from first in her Gulfstream debut in February, and from a narrow loss in her second start at Keeneland, she takes a meaningful class drop after a recent fourth-place finish at Saratoga.

However, #2 SECOND ROW CENTER (8-1) has the potential to move forward in her turf debut here. By Uncle Mo, whose turf debuters win at a 14% clip, she's an older half-sister to Wicked Halo, recent winner of Saratoga's Adirondack (G2). Second Row Center finished midpack in both starts to date, but showed improved speed last time in an off-the-turf heat at Ellis Park. Trainer Dane Kobiskie has sent horses to run this meet, winning with three of his first six starters.

Race 7 -- Seeking the Pearl S. (4:33 p.m. ET)

Another heavy favorite that will take a lot of action is #4 Frank's Rockette (3-5), who possesses the back class and the early foot to potentially run these fillies and mares off their feet. However, given what a serious player in the filly sprint division she was last season, her presence in lower-level stakes of late is somewhat disconcerting.

Over this seven-furlong trip, #7 CHEETARA (8-1) might be one to give the chalk a reason to worry. The Chilean import was narrowly beaten by #8 Never Enough Time in her U.S. debut on July 26, finishing a neck short in a local allowance prep going six furlongs. That was a really good effort, considering her signature win in South America was over 1 1/4 miles.

In her second race off an extended layoff, and with an additional furlong to work with here, Cheetara is intriguing at the price.

Race 9 -- Allowance/Optional Claimer (5:29 p.m. ET)

#3 TRACY ANN'S LEGACY (5-1) is entered for the optional $25,000 claiming price here out of necessity, as she long ago passed her first couple of allowance conditions. That, and the fact she's been falling short in much more difficult spots (i.e. a stakes and an open allowance at Monmouth) of late, makes her a leading contender at this softer level.