Caviart Farms continued to dominate the Virginia Breeders Stakes eliminations for three-year-old pacing fillies as Caviart Sophie and Caviart Dawn powered to victories on Sunday, Oct. 6 at Shenandoah Downs. The pair of Sweet Lou fillies got their pictures taken after wire-to-wire efforts.
The former engaged with another of Caviart's sophomore pacers, Caviart Ainsley, in a stretch duel and as they crossed the wire, Caviart Sophie was a neck the best in 1:57.4. Driver Anibal Borjas led the winning effort for trainer Tony Alagna. Caviart Sophie's first division win a week ago came in 1:56.1, but she coasted home in that $10,811 elimination nine lengths the best. Caviart Ainsley won her first leg division by 10 lengths in 1:57, so Sunday's close clash was not unexpeected. Alagna trains both fillies who will face each other again in the Breeders Fund final on Oct. 27. Anne McDonald's Sweet Pirategirl finished third.
Alagna trainee Caviart Dawn, a distant second behind stablemate Caviart Sophie a week ago, breezed to a six-length score on Sunday over Steve Wetzel's Caviart Rachel in the second elimination. Borjas again directed the winning score in 1:55.1 for the pacer's first victory in 18 career starts. The runner-up finisher rebounded from a fourth-place finish a week prior.
Lawrence Cooper's Caviart Simon got the best of first leg winner Bgoing Away in the Virginia Breeders prep for sophomore male pacers on Sunday. The Always B Miki gelding, a Lawrence Cooper trainee who broke in his start a week ago, surged to the front before the half with Archie Burford at the controls, opened up an eight-length cushion at the three-quarter mark and held on to win by three lengths in 1:55.2. Tracy Bradshaw's Bgoing Away took second and John Wagner's Petes For Real was third.
Nanticoke Racing Inc. & Delbert Cain's Platinum Proposal won her second straight Virginia Breeders elimination for three-year-old trotting fillies, shaving nearly two seconds off her first leg clocking. Unlike a week prior where she wired the field, the E L Platinum filly had to play catch up with front-steppers Gregorys Princess and Speedy Town in the final quarter but hit the wire a length the best in 2:00.1. Her first leg victory was clocked in 2:02. Platinum Proposal collected her eighth career win. Marna Shehan's Speedy Town was second and Jane Dunavant's Glide Along was third.
In the other filly trot elim, Howard & Linda Dege's Royal Robin went coast-to-coast to earn her first lifetime win from 13 starts. The daughter of Yankee Royalty had John Wagner in the sulky and improved from a fourth-place finish in her first leg elimination, finishing in 2:02.3. William Reynolds trains Royal Robin, who never had a lead of more than 1-1/2 lengths at any point. Jane Dunavant's Rip Away took the runner-up spot while Arthur Hauser's Ida Muscles finished third.
In the three-year-old male trot eliminations, Dein Spriggs & Barbara Murphy's Caviart Grady and Debbie Warnick's Royal Beep Beep each scored wins and advanced to the Oct. 27 final. The former wired the field but battled every step of the way as Kelsey Wagner's Ronnie Ridge stalked outside within a neck the entire trip. Tyler Shehan piloted the winner for trainer Mike Murphy while John Wagner drove the runner-up. Scott Woogen's K J Pro finished third. Betting favourite Geralds A Keeper, who was eight-for-nine this year including a dominant first leg win, broke stride and finished a distant fourth.
Royal Beep Beep, who broke stride and finished fifth in his first leg elimination, stayed on gait and prevailed by 1-1/2 lengths over Kelsey Wagner & Scott Woogen's K J Dash in 2:00.4. The victor, who collected career win number eight, was driven by Pat Berry for trainer Jason Skinner while the runner-up was led by Fern Paquet Jr. for trainer John Wagner. Jaypaul Hoover's Meantrottinmachine was third.
The next two weekends in Woodstock feature two-year-old eliminations, which all lead to the $650,000 USD Virginia Breeders Champions Day card on Oct. 27 when two-year-old, three-year-old and aged finals will be contested. Post time this Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 12 & 13) is 1:05 p.m.
(With files from Shenandoah Downs)