Charles Town: Practical Ideas flashes star potential in Eleanor Casey Memorial

Practical Ideas, who did not make her career debut until seven weeks ago, showed that she might be a force among West Virginia-bred 3-year-old fillies of 2014 when she romped to a 6 1/4-length victory in Saturday night’s $50,000 Eleanor Casey Memorial Stakes at Charles Town.

Ridden by Gerard Almodovar for owner-trainer C. Allen Johnson, Practical Ideas ($12.60) ran seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:28.83 for her second win in three career starts. She won her career debut on Nov. 2 and missed by a neck racing above her eligible conditions in a nonwinners-of-three lifetime allowance on Nov. 30. Both those starts came at 4 ½ furlongs.

Planking finished second, four lengths clear of Pepper Bay. Henny’s Princess was fourth as the even-money favorite.

* Fearsome confirmed his fondness for short sprints when he led wire to wire to win the $35,000 Holiday Handicap by 1 1/4 lengths. Ridden by J.D. Acosta for trainer Hugh McMahon, the 4-year-old Fearsome ($2.80) now has 6 wins and a second in 7 starts at distances of 4 ½ furlongs on less. He ran 4 ½ furlongs in the Holiday in 51.13 seconds.

Jasizzle, runner-up in the Grade 3 Aristides at Churchill Downs in June, finished second, a half-length ahead of Love to the Max. West Virginia-bred star Lucy’s Bob Boy and Top Hawker were scratched.