Alwaysmining pointing to Miracle Wood

On Dec. 29, Alwaysmining won his third race and second stakes in a row. His stock has risen since.

In his most recent effort, Alwaysmining won the seven-furlong Heft Stakes at Laurel Park by 1 1/2 lengths over win Win Win Win, who was six lengths clear of the rest of the field. Last Saturday, Win Win Win improved his record to three wins in four starts by romping to a 7 1/4-length victory in the Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

He earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure in the Pasco for trainer Mike Trombetta and his owner-breeder Charlotte Weber.

Two starts ago, Alwaysmining won the statebred Maryland Juvenile Futurity over Our Braintrust, who has since finished second to Grade 1 winner Mind Control in the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct. Our Braintrust was recently sold to Gary Barber, is now trained by Mark Casse, and will likely make his next start in either the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct or Grade 2 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Kelly Rubley is pointing Alwaysmining to the $100,000 Miracle Wood at Laurel on the Feb. 16 Barbara Fritchie undercard. She breezed the son of Stay Thirsty a bullet half-mile in 49 seconds over the Tapeta surface at Fair Hill last weekend.

“It was very easy for him,” Rubley said of the work. “The Miracle Wood is a mile, so that’s a nice progression.”

Rubley plans to stretch out Alwaysmining around two turns.

“I think he’ll be able to do it,” she said. “We’ll see.”

Alwaysmining was purchased by Jim McIngvale for $130,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale. He made his first three starts at Keeneland and Churchill Downs before being shipped to Laurel, where he won a maiden race by 4 1/2 lengths. He was purchased privately following that race by Gregory and Caroline Bentley, the owners of Runnymede Farm in Pennsylvania.

Rubley also recently won the Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel with General Downs, a 6-year-old gelding owned by West Point Thoroughbreds. General Downs has steadily improved since being turned over to Rubley in early 2018 and is under consideration for the $100,000 John B. Campbell Stakes at Laurel on Feb. 16.

“He’s such a cool horse, it was great to see him be successful in that race,” Rubley said. “We’ll see how he’s doing, and if he’s up for the Campbell, maybe we’ll give it a try.”