Dr. Feelgood wins Leavitt Stakes to stay undefeated

Dr. Feelgood improved his perfect record to four wins with a determined victory Saturday night in the $51,100 Robert B. Leavitt Stakes at Charles Town.

He was hustled from the gate by jockey Darius Thorpe and put on the lead in the seven-furlong race for West Virginia-bred 3-year-olds. Opera Night pressed Dr. Feelgood on the backstretch, but he drew clear again nearing the far turn.

Opera Night had more to give, though, and challenged again approaching the stretch, possibly gaining a short lead. But Dr. Feelgood dug back in and edged away to a 1 1/4-length victory.

William and Mary, the 3-5 favorite, was never far back but lacked the needed closing punch. He was slowly gaining ground at the wire but finished third, a neck behind Opera Night.

Dr. Feelgood paid $11.20 and was timed in 1:26.42. He set quick early splits of 23.10 and 46.76 seconds but took 14.49 seconds to cover the final furlong after a six-furlong time on 1:11.93.

The Leavitt was the first stakes win for the 23-year-old Thorpe, who has been riding since 2014. He also won race 4 on Saturday.

Dr. Feelgood was bred by Francis Daniel III, is owned by Jill Daniel, and is trained by Crystal Pickett. He is a son of Fiber Sonde out of the Polish Numbers mare Happy Numbers and is a half-brother to Get the Sensation, with whom the Daniels and Pickett won the Its Binn Too Long and Fancy Buckles stakes at Charles Town in 2015.

Happy Numbers won two of her three starts, an Aqueduct maiden race in 2003 and a $30,000 claiming race at Gulfstream Park in 2004.

Upcoming Charles Town stakes for which Dr. Feelgood may be considered include the $50,000 Frank Gall Memorial for 3-year-olds and up on Sept. 22 and the $75,000 West Virginia Lottery Breeders' Classic for 3-year-olds on Oct. 13. Those races are both at seven furlongs.