Harlan's Destiny returns from layoff with new trainer in Cavada
Charles Town and its racing fans lost the queen of the West Virginia-breds this year when the 8-year-old mare Down Town Allen had to be euthanized following injuries she sustained in her first start of the season. The absence of Down Town Allen, the only West Virginia-bred female ever to attain millionaire status and a two-time winner of the richest race for statebred females, makes Saturday night’s $150,000 Cavada the place to search for her successor.
The seven-furlong Cavada, which goes as race 7 at 10:10 p.m. Eastern, is the richest of eight supporting stakes restricted to West Virginia-breds on a program topped by the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic.
The seven-horse Cavada is headed by the 3-year-old Harlan’s Destiny, who makes her first start since May and her first start since moving into the barn of Charles Town’s perennial leading trainer, Jeff Runco. As a 2-year-old last season, Harlan’s Destiny went 3 for 3 at Charles Town, including a pair of stakes. Although she is 0 for 3 this year, two of those defeats came against Grade 3 and Grade 2 stakes company.
Notably, Runco does quite well with horses returning from layoffs of 61 to 180 days following a trainer switch in races at 6 1/2 to seven furlongs, winning at a 31 percent clip (12 for 39) over the past five years, according to DRF Formulator.
The field also includes Red Hot Diva, 10 for 22 lifetime at Charles Town and second by a neck in the seven-furlong Sadie Hawkins two starts ago; and Dora Dora, beaten just three-quarters of a length in last year’s Cavada.
In the other undercard stakes:
◗ Help a Brother, the winner of a no-conditions allowance against open company at Mountaineer last time out, and In the Fairway, who won this race in 2013 and was second by a nose last year, are prime contenders in the $70,000 Onion Juice at seven furlongs.
◗ Spa Creek, who has raced just once since missing by a head in this stakes a year ago, and Blisstikus, the winner of the 1 1/16-mile prep for this race last month, are the prime contenders in the $70,000 Distaff at 1 1/8 miles.
◗ Navy Ribbon, unbeaten in four starts, heads a group of 10 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs in the $60,000 West Virginia Division of Tourism.
◗ Hear the Chatter, a five-time stakes winner in his first 12 career starts, should go favored in the $60,000 West Virginia Lottery for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.
◗ Bullets Fever, an easy winner of her career debut going 4 1/2 furlongs, and Romantic Cork, who cleared her maiden condition when stretched out to 6 1/2 furlongs, are serious threats in the $60,000 Vincent Moscarelli for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs.
◗ Aye a Song, who knocked off the previously unbeaten R C’s Daisyduke in last month’s 4 1/2-furlong Rachel’s Turn, is rematched with that 2-year-old filly in the $60,000 Triple Crown Nutrition at 6 1/2 furlongs.
◗ Greenway Court, 3 for 3 this season and 13 for 25 lifetime, will try to win the $50,000 Dash for Cash at 4 1/2 furlongs for the second time in the last three runnings.