The Lead:
We're headlong into state-bred championship season at racetracks across America. Saturday's festivals at Laurel for the Maryland Million and Charles Town for the West Virginia Breeders' Classics are two of the oldest dating back to the 1980s. The $300,000 headliner at Charles Town is named in honor of NFL Hall of Famer and series founder Sam Huff, and challenges WV-breds around 3 turns and 1-1/8 miles. Post time is set for 10:32 pm ET as Race 8 on the all-stakes card.
Field Depth:
Defending champion Coastal Mission has his sights on a potential Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile bid next month at Del Mar, leaving the door open at home for another horse to wear the crown. MUAD'DIB won the '21 and '22 WV Breeders' Classic and was runner-up here a year ago in this race. JUBAWITHATWIST is a multiple stakes winner locally. Those two have a strong class edge while ESPRESSO is also a 2024 stakes winner over the track.
Pace:
JUBA'S NOTION, ESPRESSO, REMYS SHOWTIME and JUBAWITHATWIST line up in posts 4-7 together all win some intent on being on or near the lead over 1-1/8 miles. This should be a solid pace for a distance beyond the optimal trip for most of these. A finisher has a real chance to make a move on the far turn before the limited stretch.
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
#1-I'M THE MONEY MAN: Three-time allowance winner this year will appreciate the distance and save ground for a late run. A cut below the top couple, but certainly in with an exotics shot.
#2-LIEUTENANT BROWN: First try at the distance for former claimer who was flat late over 1-1/16 miles in a trio of tries last winter. No outward reason to recommend vs. tougher going longer.
#3-MUAD'DIB (pictured): 7-year-old was once the king of this oval, and his 16-for-26 local record still holds a ton of clout. Judiciously and similarly campaigned the past 2 years to aim for this big check at season's end. Trainer Jeff Runco curiously has A-rider Arnaldo Bocachica named to stablemate RUNALDO, perhaps tipping his hand.
#4-JUBA'S NOTION: Third on Breeders' Classics night last year when competing with 3-year-olds on the undercard, he's 0-8 this year and faded at a big price vs. some of these in the Frank Gall Memorial. Pace, the retreat likely.
#5-ESPRESSO: Wire-to-wire winner in April's local Confucius Say Stakes over 7 furlongs, but has raced only once since and it was a disastrous ninth in a July allowance. He's never run this far and has no foundation for the distance assignment. Tough ask.
#6-REMYS SHOWTIME: Claimed for $15,00 in February, he's 0-4 for the new connections since. Admirable 35-57 in the money but a deserved longshot while making only his second lifetime stakes appearance.
#7-JUBAWITHATWIST: Odds-on favorite in the morning line boasts a sparkling 11: 8-2-0 record at Charles Town, the only real 'down' race a fourth-place finish last time out in the $500,000 Robert R. Hilton Memorial on Charles Town Classics Night. That open company race featured 1-2-3 finishers who were major stakes performers at Oaklawn, Gulfstream and Santa Anita. The questions are distance, he's only raced once beyond 7 furlongs, and taking on older stakes horses for the first time as a 3-year-old.
#8-RUNALDO: 4-year-old made a massive leap forward last time with a career-best effort over 7 furlongs, prompting perennial WV Breeders' Classics training dynamo Jeff Runco to give him his first stakes chance. His 3 prior wins were all in 4-1/2 furlong dashes, so distance is an obvious question as well as taking on stakes horses the first time. By Creative Cause out of a French Deputy mare, there's at least a mile in the pedigree and perhaps the configuration of the track and turns can carry him the extra furlong. Arnaldo Bocachica riding him over Muad'dib intrigues.
#9-LATE IN THE GAME: Third in this race last year at 12-1, he snapped an 8-race losing skid last out in a late-running allowance score. His 3-turn races at Charles Town are rock-solid and a 19-for-34 mark in the exacta locally earns respect. Ronald Sigler trains he and I'm The Money Man, and moves Denis Araujo to the stablemate.
#10-SARGENT KOBE: Bottom-end claimer last won in May and last ran beyond 7 furlongs in January. Tall order while likely to lose ground.
ALSO-ELIGIBLES: SUMMONING DENIS, JUNGLE BEAST, BAD LINEAGE and MOON FALL all would offer prices if able to draw into the field, though JUNGLE BEAST clearly looks strongest of that group even if off form in 2024.
Most Certain Exotics Contender:
MUAD'DIB has never missed the superfecta in 8 starts at the distance and is a 2-time winner of this race.
Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
I'M THE MONEY MAN at 15-1 morning line is inconsistent, but his late effort could get a piece when others give way.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
In a $300K race, let's follow the money and the jockeys. $90 win RUNALDO. $10 exacta RUNALDO over I'M THE MONEY MAN.
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