Virginia certified PROTON made his first start a winning one, capturing a maiden special weight going 5 1/2 furlongs on the outer turf course at Colonial Downs this afternoon.

The 2-year-old gelding “was well placed on the inside and was boxed by the quarter pole, eased out to make a three-wide bid leaving the turn and drew away to prove best under a vigorous hand ride” under Jorge Ruiz.

Speaking of Jorge – as is his habit, he was effusive in his praise of Proton after the race. It’s one of the things we especially love to see!

Bred in Kentucky by Arthur Hancock’s Stone Farm and Lynn Hancock, Proton is by Astern (AUS) from the Elusive Quality mare Charged (so we had to take advantage of that clever name in our headline.) He is now owned by a partnership of Stone Farm, Clyde Linwood Myles, Jr., Ken Wheeler, Jr., Lynwood Napier and Debbie Easter. He had his winner’s circle picture taken today in Stone Farm’s famous gray and yellow silks made famous by the legendary Sunday Silence.

Cheers to Team Proton on today’s maiden breaker!