War Humor powers to stakes victory at Colonial Downs

War Humor turned the Edward P. Evans Stakes into a clear statement about Colonial Downs and Virginia turf racing, pressing to the front and kicking clear to win the $125,000 stakes by 1½ lengths on the inner turf. The 4-year-old gelding covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.17 over a firm course in Race 8 on June 27, with Jevian Toledo up for trainer W. Robert Bailes.

The result gave Colonial another regional stakes winner that did not have to leave home to earn black type. War Humor, a son of Mosler out of Holywood Humor, is owned by Eric A. Rizer and was bred in Virginia by Nancy M. Rizer and Eric A. Rizer, a connection that keeps the victory tied directly to the state’s breeding base. BloodHorse listed him as carrying 122 pounds, and the winning margin suggested a horse that handled both the trip and the surface with authority.

The race unfolded with enough control to make the price look generous. War Humor returned $9.00 to win, while the exacta paid $18.10 and the trifecta $18.30. Daily Racing Form described the gelding as having kicked clear after taking an early lead, and the official chart showed a field of seven that included Virginia Fitz, Green Beans, Sendero, Ray of Sunshine, Oviatt Class and Omaha Omaha.

The timing matters as much as the result. BloodHorse listed the race’s course record for the distance at 1:39.92, which put War Humor’s 1:43.17 in context as a solid stakes performance on a quick enough surface to reward pace and efficiency. The Edward P. Evans has become a useful summer marker at Colonial, and Horse Racing Nation’s stakes history shows the event has been part of the track’s recent calendar since at least 2022.

That history also highlights how different the race became in 2026. The 2025 renewal was run on dirt and won by Repo Rocks in 1:42.11, while this year’s edition tested turf horses at 8½ furlongs instead. War Humor passed that test cleanly, and with his March 27, 2022 foaling date marking him as still early in his career, the win should keep him in play for more regional turf stakes as the Mid-Atlantic summer season builds around Colonial Downs.