Godolphin homebred Fond of You dominated her debut at Colonial Downs Friday, winning by 5 1/2 lengths in the $70,100 maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies.
The Street Sense filly, trained by Michael Stidham and ridden by Francisco Arrieta, completed the 5 1/2-furlong contest in 1:03.99 over a fast track.
Sent off at 4-1, Fond of You broke sharply from her inside post and immediately contested the lead with three rivals approaching the far turn. The juvenile filly established a one-length advantage at the top of the stretch before drawing away impressively through the lane.
Athenix (Good Magic) secured second place.
Fond of You is out of Hallie Belle (Medaglia d’Oro), a multiple stakes winner and graded stakes-placed performer with earnings of $210,464. She represents an impressive female family that includes graded stakes-placed Maycocks Bay (Speightstown, $179,020).
Her dam Hallie Belle is a daughter of French Group 3 winner Charity Belle (Empire Maker) and a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Alms (City Zip) and Runnin N Gunnin (Gun Runner), who placed third in this year’s GII Fantasy Stakes.
Godolphin’s breeding operation has maintained strong support for this family, with Hallie Belle producing a full-sister to Fond of You this season before being bred back to Nyquist for her 2026 foal.
The victory earned Fond of You $42,000 in her racing debut.
Fond of You is a 4/1 debut winner in R3 at @ColonialDowns! 🌟@stidhamracing trains and Francisco Arrieta was up.
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/FbIMwlVa4F
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires)
Fond of You is a 4/1 debut winner in R3 at July 26, 2025
