Charles Town: Down Town Allen wakes up returning home for Sadie Hawkins

Horse-for-the-course Down Town Allen stamped herself a serious contender for this fall’s richest race for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares when she cruised to a five-length victory in Saturday night’s $50,000 Sadie Hawkins Stakes at Charles Town.

The seven-furlong Sadie Hawkins is a local prep for the Cavada, a seven-furlong race that last year was worth $225,000, on the West Virginia Breeders’ Classic program scheduled for Oct. 15.

A 4-year-old filly ridden by Matt McGowan for owner-trainer John A. Casey, Down Town Allen ($13.40) regained her good form after an unsuccessful experiment sprinting on turf at Penn National. She is now 10 for 17 racing on Charles Town’s bullring, including five stakes over the past two seasons.

Nature’s Annuity, the runner-up in each of the last two runnings of the Cavada, rallied to get second at 23-1. Beware of the Bop beat out Dixie Heat for third by a neck.

Aspenglow, making her first start since finishing a close second in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap in February, was caught three-wide on the first turn of the two-turn race and faded to fifth as the 1-5 favorite. It was only the second time in 15 starts locally that Aspenglow has finished worse than second.