Caviart Farms products won all four $8,000 first-round pacing eliminations of the Virginia Breeders' Fund for freshmen on Sunday, Oct. 12 at Shenandoah Downs.
Janet Davis trainee Caviart Trenton ($2.10) authored the fastest mile of the quartet, tripping the timer in 1:57 in the second colt pace elimination. Driver Tim Deaton oversaw the winning effort, which came in coast-to-coast fashion for the Captain Crunch-Caviart Tempest gelding's fourth win in eight career starts. Caviart Trenton, owned by Ramona Gillespie, was 13-1/2 lengths the best as the 1-9 betting choice. B Real (Corey Braden) finished second, and Better B In (Justin Walters) was third.
Caviart Sheridan ($21.60) captured the first elimination for pacing males. The Tall Dark Stranger-Caviart Spring gelding, captained to victory by Tony Morgan, got to the lead despite an early break and maintained command all the way through, holding off the pesky Dapperfly (Chuck Berry) at the finish by a nose in 2:01. Hungry Joey (Anibal Borjas) was third. Caviart Sheridan, trained by Tracy Bradshaw for Dr. E. Ward, is now one-for-eight.
Caviart Daisy ($2.10) got to the front from the getaway for Morgan in her filly elimination, led the entire way, and crossed the line an impressive 1:57.3 winner. The daughter of Sweet Lou-Caviart Darlin, trained by Jamie Sullivan, took her fourth win in nine starts for owner Frank Chick. Caviart Santa Fe (Eric Davis) took the runner-up spot, 3-1/4 lengths off the winner, while Freaky Dreams (Deaton) finished third.
In the other filly elimination, Caviart Amore Mio ($2.40) was 2-1/2 lengths the best over More Than Better (Morgan). The winner, driven by Tyler Shehan, stopped the clock in 1:58 for trainer Marna Shehan and owner Caviart Farms. Perry's Luna Speaks took third. Caviart Amore Mio has won two of six career starts.
There were also four $8,000 rookie trotting eliminations on the Saturday, Oct. 11 card.
Caviart Gemma ($2.60) was a dominant 12-1/2-length wire-to-wire winner in the second filly elimination. The Captain Corey-Gossip Hanover filly stopped the clock in 2:02.3 with Fern Paquet Jr. in the bike for trainer Gary Messenger and owner Scott Woogen. In the other filly trot elimination, Progressivekathy ($5.20) wired the field for a half-length score in 2:04.2. The daughter of II Mago-Progressive Caviar is trained by Ron Millman for Woogen.
Kalispel powered home to a 2:03.3 mile in the second of two colt trot divisions, wiring the field by 11-3/4 lengths. Billy Carter piloted the son of Gregory Pecs-Speedy Kim Mindale for owner-trainer Bob McKim. Convicted Criminal, trained by Les Givens, took the first colt trot elimination in a coast-to-coast effort in 2:05.2. The Betting Gangster S-Lightning Lady gelding was 1-1/4 lengths clear at the line for trainer-driver Les Givens and owners Arlene Cameron and Nanticoke Racing Inc.
A second round of eliminations will take place next weekend, on Oct. 18 and Oct. 19, while a four-pack of $80,000 USD finals will take place on Saturday, Oct. 25.
(Virginia Harness Horseman's Association; photo of Kalispel winning on Oct. 11)