Breeders Classics series is season's highlight
As usual, the West Virginia Breeders Classics races will be the focus of the stakes schedule at Charles Town.
The 19th annual series of stakes for West Virginia-breds will be held Oct. 8, highlighted by the $300,000 Breeders Classic at 1 1/8 miles and the $250,000 Cavada for fillies and mares at seven furlongs.
The only other six-figure stakes on the schedule is the $100,000 Charles Town Dash on July 4.
Two new stakes for 2005 are the Go for the Green, a $75,000 event at 1 1/4 miles July 2, and the Auld Lang Syne, a $50,000, seven-furlong race Dec. 31.
In a change unrelated to the stakes program, Charles Town will race an additional 35 days this year, raising the number of live racing dates to 245. The additions are the result of a new three-year contract between track management and horsemen.
2005 stakes schedule
| DATE | EVENT | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Sat.,April 9 | POTOMAC | 3YO & Up* | 7 furlongs | $40,000 |
| Sat.,April 23 | SPRINGTIME | F&M 3YO & Up* | 7 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat.May 7 | SHENANDOAH | 3YO | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.May 21 | RHODODENDRON | 3YO F | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,June 11 | SUMMER CLASSIC | 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 50,000 |
| Sat.,June 25 | SUMMER DISTAFF | F&M 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 50,000 |
| Sat.,July 2 | GO FOR THE GREEN | 3YO & Up | 1 1/4 miles | 75,000 |
| Mon.,July 4 | CHARLES TOWN DASH | 3YO & Up | 4 1/2 furlongs | 100,000 |
| Sun.,July 24 | HBPA HORSEMEN'S | F&M 3YO & UP | 4 1/2 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sun.,July 24 | HBPA DASH | 3YO & Up | 4 1/2 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sun.,July 24 | HBPA WEST VIRGINIA | F&M 3YO & Up | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sun.,July 24 | HBPA/W.VA. RACING COMM. | 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 13 | ROBERT G. LEAVITT MEMORIAL | 3YO* | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 20 | SADIE HAWKINS | F&M 3YO & Up* | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Aug. 27 | FRANK GALL MEMORIAL | 3YO & Up* | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 10 | MILLARD HARRELL MEMORIAL | 3YO* | 7 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 10 | ROGER VAN HOOZER MEMORIAL | F&M 3YO & Up* | 7 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 17 | RUTH FUNKHOUSER | 3YO F* | 7 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 17 | DR. ERNEST BENNER | 2YO* | 6 1/2 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 17 | GOLDEN GULL | 2YO F* | 4 1/2 furlongs | 40,000 |
| Fri.,Oct. 7 | HBPA CITY OF CHARLES TOWN | 3YO & Up | 4 1/2 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Fri.,Oct. 7 | HBPA CITY OF RANSON | F&M 3YO & Up | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 8 | TRIPLE CROWN NUTRITION BC | 2YO F* | 4 1/2 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 8 | W. VA. DIVISION OF TOURISM | BC3YO F* | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 8 | W.VA. LOTTERY | BC3YO* | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 8 | W.VA. DASH FOR CASH | BC3YO & Up* | 4 1/2 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 8 | W.VA. ONION JUICE | BC3YO & Up* | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 8 | W.VA. CAVADA BC | F&M 3YO & Up* | 7 furlongs | 250,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 8 | W.VA. VINCE MOSCARELLI BC | 2YO* | 6 1/2 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 8 | W.VA. BREEDERS CLASSIC | 3YO & Up* | 1 1/8 miles | 300,000 |
| Sun.,Oct. 9 | HBPA GOVERNOR'S CUP | 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 22 | TRI-STATE FUTURITY | 2YO | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Nov. 12 | WEST VIRGINIA FUTURITY | 2YO* | 7 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,Nov. 26 | AUTUMN | F&M 3YO & Up | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Dec. 10 | SNOW WHITE | 2YO F | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Fri.,Dec. 23 | ST. NICK | 2YO | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Dec. 31 | AULD LANG SYNE | 3YO & Up | 7 furlongs | 50,000 |
* West Virginia-breds