Woodstock, VA — Four divisions of Virginia Breeders’ Fund first round pacing eliminations for freshmen took place Sunday at Shenandoah Downs, and Janet Davis’s Caviart Trenton authored the fastest mile of the quartet, tripping the timer in 1:57 in a colt pace.
Tim Deaton led the winning effort which came in coast-to-coast fashion — the Captain Crunch gelding’s fourth win in eight career starts. Ramona Gillespie owns the winner and was 13-1/2 lengths the best as the 1-9 betting choice. Stacey McLenaghan’s B Real finished second and Adrian Wisher’s Better B In was third.
Another Caviart horse won the first colt elimination Sunday — Tracy Bradshaw’s Caviart Sheridan. The Tall Dark Stranger gelding was captained to victory by Tony Morgan in 2:01. The winner maintained the front spot all the way through and held off Dan Gassien’s pesky Dapperfly at the finish by one-half length. Tony Alagna’s Hungry Joey was third.
Jamie Sullivan’s Caviart Daisy got to the front from the getaway in her fillies elimination test, led the entire way, and crossed impressively in 1:57.3. The daughter of Sweet Lou cut panels of :29.1, :59.4, and 1:29.3 in winning her fourth race in nine starts. Tony Morgan was in the sulky for owner Frank Chick of Harrington, Delaware. Alex Goldin’s Caviart Santa Fe took the runner-up spot, 3-1/4 lengths off the pace, while William Wyatt’s Freaky Dream’s finished third.
In the other filly elimination, Marna Shehan’s Caviart Amore Mio beat Herman Hagerman’s More Than Better after the duo competed one-two throughout the mile. The winner was driven by Tyler Shehan who triggered a 1:58.0 clocking and was 2-1/2 lengths the best. Caviart Farms owns the winner. The runner-up was piloted by Morgan and is owned by Hagerman Racing, while Chuck Perry’s Luna Speaks took third.
Gary Messenger’s Caviart Gemma authored a dominating wire-to-wire performance in one of Saturday’s Breeder’s Fund 2-Year-Old Trot eliminations. The Captain Corey filly crossed 12-1/2 lengths the best and crossed in 2:02.3 with Fern Paquet Jr. in the bike. The winner is owned by Scott Woogen and picked up her second career win from six starts. Mike Whitaker’s Talehia finished second and Ron Millman’s Sister Mago was third.
In the other filly trot elimination, Millman’s Progressive wired the field as well though the margin of victory was considerably less. The daughter of II Mago maintained a front stepping cushion of two-plus lengths throughout the first three fractions before eventual runner-up Bobbie Mac closed the gap to within a nose. The pair battled through the final turn and into the stretch before Progressive crossed one-half length in front in 2:04.2. Scott Woogen owns the winner. Logan Ebersole’s Bobbie Mac finished second and Sarah Andrews’ Imarealgogetter was third.
Bob McKim’s Kalispel powered home to a 2:03.3 mile in the second of two freshman colt trot divisions Saturday, wiring the field by 11 lengths in 2:03.3. The Gregory Pecs gelding has made four starts — all in Woodstock — and has bankrolled $36,400 so far. He prevailed in a $6,000 Virginia Sire Stake elimination and $64,000 final where he wired the field handily in both. Millman’s Doctor Scott finished second and Jason Skinner’s Wolfpack Bourbon took third.
Les Givens’ Convicted Criminal captured the first $8,000 colt division trot in a gate-to-wire effort in 2:05.2. The Betting Gangster gelding won his second lifetime race in 2:05 2/5 after leaving from outside post seven. He finished 1-1/4 lengths ahead of runner-up Dan The Man (Bib Roberts) and Seminole Breeze (Stacey McLenaghan). The winner is owned by Arlene Cameron and Nanticoke Racing.
A second round of eliminations will take place next weekend (October 18, 19) while a four-pack of $80,000 finals will take place on Saturday October 25.