Charles Town: Amherst Street short price in Tri-State Futurity

The unbeaten West Virginia-bred gelding Amherst Street, who cruised to his third straight victory as the 1-5 favorite in last month’s Vincent Moscarelli Memorial on the West Virginia Breeders Classic program, figures to be a short price again in Saturday night’s $100,000 Tri-State Futurity at Charles Town.

Trained by Javier Contreras, Amherst Street has been in front at every call in each of his first three starts. He easily handled two turns and the stretch-out to 6 1/2 furlongs for the Moscarelli, so the seven furlongs of the Futurity shouldn’t pose a problem for him.

Comeonletsplay, second to Amherst Street three weeks ago, appears to be the only one of seven challengers capable of giving the Futurity favorite any competition. Making his first start beyond 4 1/2 furlongs and first start in two months, Comeonletsplay rallied mildly to finish second in the Moscarelli, beaten 1 3/4 lengths. He gets a four-pound weight shift in his favor for the rematch and could turn the tables if he moves forward second time going two turns in the second start of his form cycle.

◗ Red Hot Diva and Fear the Facelift, dominant winners as heavy favorites on the West Virginia Breeders Classic card on Oct. 19, clash going 1 1/8 miles in the $50,000 My Sister Pearl for statebred fillies and mares.

The 3-year-old filly Red Hot Diva challenged older horses in the Distaff while attempting nine furlongs for the first time and drew off to a 6 1/2-length victory. She has now won back-to-back routes after racing at seven furlongs or less in the first eight races of her career.

In contrast, the 4-year-old Fear the Facelift will be asked to run longer than seven furlongs for the first time in her 26th lifetime start. She seemed to have plenty left in her tank, however, after romping by nearly 13 lengths in the seven-furlong, $180,000 Cavada.

Queen’o’daball, a distant second to Red Hot Diva last month, could play spoiler if she moves forward second time off the layoff in her second attempt at 1 1/8 miles.