Virginia Breeders championships held at Shenandoah Downs

Woodstock, VA — A pair of 1:57.1 winning miles were authored in both the 2-year-old filly and 2-year-old colt pace Sunday (Oct. 13) at Shenandoah Downs as the $382,125 Virginia Breeders Championships closed out the 2019 fall season. A total of 11 Breeders races were on the docket including a trio in the older divisions which were added to the traditional eight for freshman and sophomore pacers and trotters of both sexes.

Breeze Away B and Nvrfearlloydishere captured respective freshman pacing championships in matching times. The former went outside of leader Fire Me Up at the half in the $42,275 filly championship, took command shortly after and crossed 2- 3/4 lengths the best over Fire Me Up. The Nuclear Breeze filly, owned and trained by William Fletcher, won her prep a week ago in identical fashion. Allan Davis drove the winner who is now 5-for-8 in 2019. Larry Jackson’s Hillbilly Kisses was third.

Pam Wager’s Nvrfearlloydishere wired the field in a $47,950 male counterpart and cut early panels of :29.1, :59.4 and 1:28.4 before beating Caviart Revere by 1-1/2 lengths. The Rusty’s All In gelding is trained by Arlene Cameron and was driven by Eddie Davis Jr. Also a winner in his prep, the victor is 6-for-9 this year with purse earnings of $65,825. Caviart Farms in Vienna, Virginia had the third and fourth place finishers — Caviart Sage and Caviart Val — in addition to the runner-up.

Cate’s A Keeper and Chauffer prevailed in their respective freshman filly and colt trot divisions. Eddie Davis Jr. piloted Cate’s A Keeper to an exciting nose victory in the $45,325 filly trot in 2:03. The daughter of Lockkeeper received a perfect pocket trip behind Two Itchy and in the stretch, came out to successfully challenge. The winner featured the same Wagner and Cameron owner/trainer battery while runner-up Two Itchy is owned by Graham Grace Stables and is conditioned by Megan Roberts. Cate’s A Keeper won for the sixth time in nine starts and her bankroll surged to $74,988. Lizzie Borden finished third.

Jane Dunavant’s Chauffer won his third straight race in Sunday’s $47,975 freshman colt trot, wiring the field in 2:04. Trained by Carlo Poliseno and driven by Art Stafford Jr., the Dusty Winner gelding crossed one length the best over his stablemate Air Time which Poliseno drove. Chauffer’s win pushed his 2019 earnings to $86,767. Pam Wagner’s Mr Herps finished third.

Dunavant scored again in the $41,800 3-year-old colt trot with Psycho, turning the table on Great Am I who won this division in 2018. After breaking at the start and trailing for most of the first half, Art Stafford Jr. guided Psycho past Great Am I while rebounding before the half, then caught leader Trot Away Marvin near three-quarters. The Crazed gelding finished in a career best 2:01.4.

In the $43,000 filly counterpart, Debbie Warnick’s Sweet Reason went coast-to-coast and secured a 1-1/4 length win over Zsa Zsa Dabor in 2:02.4. Trained by Scott Warnick and driven by Kim Vincent, the Gregory Pecs filly cut fractions of :30.1, 1:02.2 and 1:34.1 before bettering her prep mile time by over a full second. Tracy Bradshaw’s J Go finished third. Four of the five participants in the filly trot were by Gregory Pecs who along with Artzina, are the two stallions that stand in Virginia.

Elwood Tignor’s Sketcher, a runner-up to Rusty’s Houdini in the sophomore colt pace prep race a week ago, reached the winner’s circle in the $42,400 finale by beating the prep victor by 1-1/2 lengths. Billy Carter, the meet’s leading driver, directed the 2:02.3 effort. Sketcher won for the seventh time in his career and his earnings now top the $60,000 mark. Susan Viars’ Little Firm finished third.

Larry Jackson’s Hillbillycamtastic was the lone participant in the $41,400 3-year-old filly pace. After posting a 2:08.2 uncontested time in the prep, the Cam’s Rocket filly knocked four full seconds off that on Sunday, connecting in 2:04 with Frank Milby aboard. Amanda Jackson trains Hillbillycamtastic.

Chuck Perry Jr.’s John’s Dream, Debbie Warnick’s Bee Beep Bye Bye and Mark Gray’s Hot Hot Jenna all scored victories in $10,000 older events.

John’s Dream, the Shenandoah track record holder (1:52.1), strolled to a ten length win in the horse/gelding pace in 1:56. The 6-year-old Dream Away gelding won his 34th race. Beep Beep Bye Bye wired the field in the older trot with Justin Vincent in the sulky. The 9-year-old Like A Prayer mare captured her 23rd lifetime race. Hot Hot Jenna also went wire-to-wire in the mare pace, finishing in 1:58.2. The 6-year-old daughter of Jenna’a Beach Boy won her 14th career race.

The Breeders races put a finishing touch on the 2019 season in Woodstock which featured ten pari-mutuel cards over five weeks in addition to the two non-betting Breeders cards.

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