Down Town Allen looks to fire fresh in Cavada

The 7-year-old mare Down Town Allen, unbeaten in eight starts at Charles Town over the past two seasons, will try to extend that streak in Saturday night’s $200,000 Cavada, the richest of eight undercard stakes for West Virginia-breds at Charles Town.

The seven-furlong Cavada, the richest event for females on the all-stakes Breeders’ Classic program, immediately precedes the $500,000 Classic as race 8 at 10:17 p.m. Eastern.

Down Town Allen, who did not run in last year’s Cavada after winning the 2012 running by 7 1/4 lengths, has been off since mid-August, but the extended break should not bother her. She won her first start this season off a break of 210 days and cruised to a four-length score in the Sadie Hawkins following a layoff of 63 days.

Already the richest West Virginia-bred filly or mare in history, Down Town Allen would move within $5,000 of become the first female millionaire the state’s breeding program has produced should she win the Cavada for a second time.

Fear the Facelift is back to defend her Cavada title, but her form is murky. In her lone start this year a month ago, Fear the Facelift was competitive for a half-mile before fading, beaten 17 1/2 lengths. Over the past five years, her trainer, Hugh McMahon, is 5 for 23 (22 percent) the second time off the layoff with horses sprinting 6 1/2 to seven furlongs.

:: West Virginia Breeders Classic: Get PPs, watch Saturday's card live

The eight-horse field also includes Red Hot Diva, who won last year’s 1 1/8-mile West Virginia Breeders’ Classic Distaff as a 3-year-old. She was beaten four lengths by Down Town Allen as the runner-up in the Sadie Hawkins.

In the other undercard stakes, all worth $80,000 or $85,000:

◗ Harlan’s Destiny, based in Kentucky with trainer Wayne Catalano, will be a solid choice in the 4 1/2-furlong Triple Crown Nutrition for 2-year-old fillies after romping by 5 1/4 lengths in her local debut last month.

◗ Pin High, a winner of three of his last four starts, is among a trio of 3-year-olds whom leading trainer Jeff Runco will saddle in the seven-furlong West Virginia Lottery. Runco also has High N Dry, the 7-2 morning-line favorite shedding blinkers and cutting back from 1 1/16 miles, and Solo Flight, no worse than second in his last three races.

◗ Stakes winner Hear the Chatter, stretching out beyond 5 1/2 furlongs for the first time, and One More Time, an easy winner at Delaware Park on Oct. 1, give trainer John Casey and owner Kristy Petty a potent one-two punch in the 6 1/2-furlong Vincent Moscarelli Memorial for 2-year-olds.

◗ Greenway Court, who sped to a 2 3/4-length score as the 3-5 favorite a year ago, defends his title in the 4 1/2-furlong Dash for Cash. His most serious challenger may be Halter Off, who owns two wins against open company this season.

◗ In the Fairway, 10 for 21 lifetime, looks to win the seven-furlong Onion Juice for a second straight year. He won the 2013 running by 2 1/2 lengths at 2-5 odds. He won the Moscarelli in 2012.

◗ Queen’o’daball, a distant second in this race a year ago, and Dimples, the runner-up in the West Virginia Division of Tourism as a 3-year-old in 2013, head the fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles in the Distaff.

◗ Chrome Mine, 5 for 6 lifetime, looks formidable in the seven-furlong West Virginia Division of Tourism for 3-year-old fillies.