Woodstock, VA – Lisa Martin and Kathy Schoeffel’s Seminole Breeze captured Saturday’s (April 25) $100,000 Virginia Sire Stake three-year-old colt trot at Shenandoah Downs and turned the tables on 2025’s two-year-old champ Kalispel – as the pair reversed finishing order as sophomores.
Corey Braden drove the son of Shibboleth Hanover to a half-length victory over Bob McKim’s heavily favored Kalispel in a full eight horse field. The favorite led all the way until mid-stretch, authoring quarter panels of :30, 1:00.4 and 1:31.1 while maintaining a cushion of 1-1/2 lengths throughout. Seminole Breeze, a Stacey McLenaghan trainee who was second in one of two elimination divisions a week ago, came on late to nip Kalispel at the wire in 2:00.4. Eleven of the winner’s 12 career starts have come at the Woodstock oval.
The impressive Kalispel entered the stake with six career wins in eight starts – all at Shenandoah – and just fell short of wiring the field in start nine. Billy Carter was in the sulky for the son of Gregory Pecs. Tremaine Harding’s Harding Boy, an elimination division winner, took third.
JML Racing’s KNL Neely Girl was best in the $100,000 three-year-old filly trot final as reinsman/owner Jesse Leinbach piloted the daughter of Snow King to a 2:05.4 finish. Leinbach, who registered just his second career win in the sulky, led his charge to a neck victory over first leg prep winner Jet Joanna.
“It’s crazy,” said Leinbach, who also owns the winner. “It feels surreal like it’s not even real. This is why we’re in it. We work hard at it every day. God blessed us with a win today.”
KNL Neely Girl won a Virginia Sire Stake prep division as a two-year-old last year, which gave Leinbach his first ever driving win. Cliff Green trains the winner. Sierra Seidner’s Jet Joanna was second and Tracy Bradshaw’s Bottaboom finished third.
Pacing finals were won respectively by Jason Walters’ Fools Journey in the filly division and by Debbie Warnick and Corey Braden’s Morton J in the colt/gelding division.
The former wired the field in 2:01.2 as a 1-9 heavy choice with Justin Walters aboard. The Journeyman filly won her prep by 4-1/4 lengths a week prior. Debbie Warnick’s Dancing Joyce was second and Tremaine Harding and Cornelius Martin’s Can’t Stop Bopping took third.
In the latter, Morton J faced a lone competitor – Artzinapowerhouse – and in identical front stepping fashion as last week, opened up by seven lengths at the quarter and never looked back. The Strong Player gelding crossed in 1:57.2 in dominating form. Braden drove for trainer Scott Warnick. Michael Viars and Pam Horton’s Artzina colt took second for trainer Stacy Laviolette.
In non-stakes action, Scott Woogen’s K J The Thirteenth captured Sunday’s (April 26) $10,000 Open Handicap Trot in a coast-to-coast performance. The 4-year-old mare crossed in 1:57.3 after delivering quarter panels of :28, :59 and 1:28.2. Justin Vincent piloted for Warnick. K J The Thirteenth won his third straight start — the most recent pair at Shenandoah while the earlier one came at Rosecroft.
Roger Hammer’s Battin Athousand was second, 3-1/4 lengths behind, while David Dobbelmann’s Big Daddy D finished third.
Shenandoah Downs continues its spring meet Kentucky Derby weekend with cards scheduled Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 at 1:05 p.m.