Charles Town: Lucy's Bobs Boy, Russell Road clash in West Virginia Breeders Classic

[bc_video_id:307605:]In head-to-head confrontations, Lucy’s Bob Boy holds a 2-1 advantage over Russell Road. But when it comes to victories in the West Virginia Breeders Classic, the score is Russell Road 2, Lucy’s Bob Boy 1.

The two best older male West Virginia-breds in training will square off again in Saturday night’s $500,000 Classic, the richest of nine stakes on the 27th annual West Virginia Breeders Classics program at Charles Town. The track program lists Lucy’s Bob Boy at 4-5 and Russell Road at 6-1.

[West Virginia Breeders Classics: Get PPs, watch Saturday's card live]

The 4-year-old Lucy’s Bob Boy, who defeated Russell Road by eight lengths in last year’s 1 1/8-mile Classic, missed some training following his most recent victory in the seven-furlong Wild and Wonderful on Sept. 21, but trainer Sandra Dono is happy with how her horse is coming into Saturday’s race.

“He missed about a week of training after the Wild and Wonderful, but he went to the track four times last week and he’s been on track this week, so we’re happy with him,” Dono said. “We can tell that he’s just a lot sharper than he was as a 3-year-old. His attitude has been different, and we can sense when he’s ready to go. With his attitude right now, you can tell he knows he’s coming up to a race.”

The 7-year-old Russell Road, winner of the Classic in 2009 and 2011, enters this year’s race off a loss as the 2-5 favorite in last month’s Roger Ramey Handicap. Owner Mark Russell said Russell Road will be much tighter for his rematch with Lucy’s Bob Boy.

“We know what the goal is for him every year and don’t really start tightening the screws with him until a month or six weeks before the West Virginia Breeders Classic,” Russell said. “That’s one of the keys to keeping him around as long as we have. We don’t keep him cranked up all year and know we always have this spot to point to come October.”

Russell Road has collected 26 career victories and $1.5 million in earnings.

The two potential spoilers in the field of 10 are Fred High, who beat Russell Road by 2 1/4 lengths last month, and Golden Set, who seeks to become the first horse ever to win three different Breeders Classics races after taking the Vince Moscarelli as a 2-year-old in 2010 and the West Virginia Lottery a year later. He finished first in last fall’s Onion Juice, but was disqualified and placed third.

Down Town Allen stands out

The 6-year-old Down Town Allen may very well go off at shorter odds than her even-money program listing in the $200,000 Cavada for fillies and mares going seven furlongs.

Down Town Allen dominated last year’s Cavada by 7 1/4 lengths and is unbeaten in four starts locally this year. She tuned up for her Cavada defense by winning last month’s 6 1/2-furlong Ann Hilton with a 92 Beyer Speed Figure, which is the best of her 35-race career.

The 4-year-old Fear the Facelift, no match for Down Town Allen in two previous meetings this year, adds blinkers in the hopes of turning the tables.

In the other Breeders Classics stakes, each worth $65,000:

◗ Greenway Court and Paco Smart, the 1-2 finishers in last month’s It’s Only Money, are rematched going 4 1/2 furlongs in the Dash for Cash.

◗ Amherst Street, an easy winner of two fast races to launch his career, will be a heavy favorite to remain unbeaten when he stretches out around two turns for the first time in the 6 1/2-furlong Vincent Moscarelli Memorial for 2-year-olds.

◗ Hidden Canyon, who has crossed the wire first in all five of his starts this season, looks formidable in the seven-furlong West Virginia Lottery for 3-year-olds.

◗ Jax and Jill, who was under consideration for the Cavada, will be difficult to deny facing fellow 3-year-old fillies in the seven-furlong West Virginia Division of Tourism.

◗ Multiple stakes winner In the Fairway looks to make amends for his thrid-place finish as the 1-5 favorite in last month’s It’s Only Money when he goes seven furlongs in the Onion Juice.

◗ The 3-year-old Red Hot Diva, who upset even-money favorite Severn Shore in last month’s Harry Buch Handicap, will try to duplicate that feat in the 1 1/8-mile Distaff.

◗ Nana Anna, who won the first race of her career when she raced on dirt after beginning her career with two turf races, figures to be a tepid favorite in a full field of 2-year-old fillies going 4 1/2 furlongs in the Triple Crown Nutrition.