The final round of Virginia Breeders Stakes prep race action took place over the weekend and after four weeks of competition, all systems are a go for Sunday's (Oct. 29) $702,200 Champions Day card featuring eight title matches between two and three-year-old pacers and trotters of both sexes. Several Breeders races for aged horses will also be contested with $20,000 purses in each.
Pam Wagner's Covid For Real and Petes For Real swept both $8,000 pacing preps for two-year-olds on Sunday. The former won her second career race in the filly pace when she left a pocket journey just before the half and eased past one of Wagner's other two entrants, Charlottes Choice. The Rustys For Real filly maintained a one-length cushion the rest of the way and held off Caviart Farms' Caviart Sanibel just before the wire. The winner, trained by John Wagner and driven by Corey Braden, crossed in 2:00.4.
Wagner's Petes For Real finished a full second faster in the colt/gelding pace and crossed 1-1/4 lengths the best in 1:59.4. The John Wagner trainee captured his initial Breeders prep a week earlier in 1:59.1. On Sunday, with Fern Paquet Jr. in the bike, Petes For Real authored an identical trip to his prior one. In both, Tracy Bradshaw's Bgoing Away led the field through mid-stretch until the Rustys For Real colt came from behind and surged past for the win. Bgoing Away took second and Wagner's Cloggs For Real was third.
The two-year-old colt/gelding trot prep was held Saturday and 80-1 shot Pretty Two upset the eight-horse field with a 1-3/4-length triumph in 2:02.1. The Dusty Winner gelding, a homebred of Jane Dunavant, broke stride in his first prep a week earlier and was overlooked by the betting public. Trainer Carlo Poliseno piloted the winner to his first score in four career starts. The 1-9 betting choice, K J Dash, went off stride making a move from fourth approaching the final turn but rebounded with a :29.1 closing panel to finish third. Robert Allison Jr.'s Meantrottinmachine was second.
A pair of $8,000 filly trot eliminations followed. Nanticoke Racing Inc. and Delbert Cain's Platinum Proposal prevailed in the first by a comfortable four lengths in 2:05. The daughter of E L Platinum made up for a break in her initial prep with a solid performance courtesy of driver Jim Morand, who won his first race ever at Shenandoah Downs. After surging past front-stepper and eventual third-place finisher Ida Muscles at the half, the Les Givens trainee coasted home for her first lifetime score. Scott Woogen's KJ Angel was second.
The afternoon finale pitted first leg winners Chinco Mayo (Robert White) and Rip Away (Jane Dunavant) against each other and the rematch did not disappoint. A nose separated the pair at the wire as White's E L Platinum filly crossed in 2:05.1 after a thrilling stretch duel. Both trotters broke during the mile -- Chinco Mayo at the third marker and Rip Away just after the start. White piloted his filly while Cody Poliseno drove the runner-up. Arthur Lisi's Divoc finished third.
Post time for Sunday's Virginia showcase day is 1 p.m. Admission is free and concession specials include $1 hot dogs and $2 canned beer. The Champions card is available for wagering via all major ADWs and tracks/OTBs. Free Trackmaster programs and Derby Bill Watson's tip sheet will be available at shenandoahdowns.com.
Long, Woogen Star In Amateur Driving Series
The limelight belonged to 19-year-old Wyatt Long and Dr. Scott Woogen at Shenandoah Downs on Saturday, Oct. 21, as the U.S. Harness Driver’s Club had a trio of races.
Long, who won a week ago with Rollatown in a “non-winners of $1,501” conditioned event last week, stepped up in class himself and guided Righthererightnow to a win in the “non-winners of N $4,001” pace on Saturday, giving the five-year-old Rockin Image gelding very smart handling and rocketing home fastest of all to score in 1:56.1.
Long was patient in the early stages as a battle ensured through quick panels of :27.2 and :56.1 over a track labelled “good” and was still biding his time next to last with the eventual winner past the third station in 1:26. After finding some room to roam, Long sent Righthererightnow kicking home fastest of all to score by 1-1/2 lengths over Ive Got Hootspa, handled by John McNeil III. Cole On The Beach was third for Kubi Erzene, another half-length away, while Carlas Mach A was next for Yogi Sheridan. KJ Erich picked up the nickel with Woogen handling the lines.
The winner earned his third success of the year in 27 starts to send his 2023 bounty over the $25,000 mark by $25. He’s banked $93,665 career wise with 18 wins.
Trained by Eric Davis for Joseph Pisarski, Righthererightnow was fourth choice on the toteboard and paid $18.60 to win.
Long, by the way, now has 20 lifetime wins -- 19 this year -- pushing his UDRS up close to .300.
Woogen had yet another driving double -- his fourth in five weeks in USHDC events -- and scored with Moneyorroses and the veteran pacer Freak On A Leash.
Moneyorroses scored in 1:57 as the 3-5 choice in the betting, cutting the mustard with this five-year-old Cougar Hall gelding to score over Team Captain, handled by Long, with Infinite Warrior, teaming up with Justin Griffith, third. Machet Time, with Erzene in the sulky, was fourth while Arts Beach was next for Sheridan.
Moneyorroses is owned and trained by Eric Davis with this third success of the season pushing his seasonal earnings to $23,690 and lifetime bankroll to $112,683.
Woogen then came back to the winner’s circle with Freak On A Leash after a 1:56.1 mile -- his margin a length over Allieverdreamof, driven by Sheridan, with Need Arocket next for McNeil. Art Nukem, handled by Stacey McLengahan, was fourth with Texas Terror N picking up the nickel for Erzene.
Freak On A Lease earned his fourth success of the year in 30 starts to send his 2023 earnings to $17,207 and lifetime bankroll to $156,010 on the strength of 37 wins in 161 career starts. The eight-year-old World Of Rocknroll gelding is trained and owned by Lawrence Cooper. He paid $9 as second choice in the betting.
(With files from Shenandoah Downs / USHDC)