Breeders Classic rivals resurface

Eastern Delite, who upset last year's $450,000 West Virginia Breeders Classic at 12-1, and 10-year-old Confucius Say, a two-time winner of the 1 1/8-mile Classic, will tune up for a possible rematch this fall when they make their first start since last November in the $50,000 Frank Gall Memorial Handicap.

The Gall, a seven-furlong race restricted to West Virginia-breds, is among four stakes on the card, including a pair of $100,000 open races for 2-year-olds.

Eastern Delite defeated 1-5 favorite Confucius Say by four lengths in last year's Classic and finished more than 10 lengths in front of the old-timer when they met again a month later in the Lil Abner.

Neither horse has raced since then, but the seven-furlong distance of the Gall favors Confucius Say, who is 6 for 8 at the distance. The last time Confucius Say went seven furlongs, in last year's Charles Town Dash, he posted a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 113.

The field also includes defending Gall champion Donald's Pride, who is 14 for 32 locally, and the sharp 3-year-old Ghostly Thunder, a winner by a combined margin of nearly 14 lengths in his last two starts, both at the Gall distance.

* Essenceofthemoon, an easy winner of an allowance at Delaware Park a month ago, and Wynning Pursuit, third in the Mountaineer Juvenile on the West Virginia Derby undercard at Mountaineer Racetrack, head a field of eight 2-year-old colts and geldings going 4 1/2 furlongs in the Charles Town Juvenile (race 7).

* The unbeaten Onearmedbandit, who in three starts has yet to be behind a horse at any call, towers over seven other 2-year-old fillies going 4 1/2 furlongs in the Miss Shenandoah (race 6). Onearmedbandit earned a Beyer Figure of 83 for her most recent win, 25 points higher than the best figure of her competition.

* You Rock and Broad But Nice, who earned similar Beyer Figures beating open company by daylight margins in their career debuts, top a group of 10 West Virginia-bred 2-year-old fillies racing 4 1/2 furlongs in race 5, the $50,000 Rachel's Turn.