Charles Town: Distance a worry for Silver Heart in My Sister Pearl Stakes

The talented mares Beware of the Bop and Silver Heart, both coming off daylight victories as favorites on last month’s West Virginia Breeders’ Classic program, renew their rivalry in Saturday night’s $50,000 My Sister Pearl Stakes for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares at Charles Town.

The 5-year-old Beware of the Bop, 13 for 25 lifetime locally, remains at the same 1 1/8-mile distance as she ran to score a wire-to-wire, 3 3/4-length victory as the 7-5 choice in the Oct. 15 Distaff.

Silver Heart, a 6-year-old based in Maryland with trainer Gary Capuano, improved her record at Charles Town to 10 for 25 with a one-length score as the 4-5 favorite in the $225,000 Cavada at seven furlongs on that same program.

When the two mares tangled in early July, Silver Heart got up by a neck in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance.

The extra distance of the My Sister Pearl, however, makes Silver Heart hard to take at a short price. In her lone start at the distance in this same race a year ago, Silver Heart finished fourth, beaten 12 1/4 lengths, in a race won by her stablemate, Aspenglow. It was only the third time in 11 starts since she was claimed for $12,500 in October 2009 that Silver Heart has failed to finish at least third.

In comparison, Beware of the Bop has a win and a second in her two starts going nine furlongs.

Silver Heart, a deep closer, also will be in trouble if Beware of the Bop gets away with the same kind of easy fractions – 49.96 seconds and 1:16.29 – that she did in last month’s Distaff.

Hot Sauce, who will break from the rail, may be ridden more aggressively by new rider Arnaldo Bocachica. After flashing high early speed in four straight starts going 6 1/2 or seven furlongs, Hot Sauce was taken off the slow pace set by Beware of the Bop in the Distaff and rallied mildly to get second.

Like Silver Heart, the 4-year-old Stowe White is a question mark at the distance. She followed up her 2010 win in the West Virginia Division of Tourism for 3-year-old fillies by finishing ninth of 10 in the My Sister Pearl. Last time out, she outran her 21-1 odds to finish second to Silver Heart.