I Just Did It facing males in Robert Levitt Stakes

Son of a Bear may be the best 3-year-old male on the grounds at Charles Town. But is he faster than the 3-year-old filly I Just Did It?

The answer should be revealed when I Just Did It challenges males for the first time in Saturday night’s $50,000 Robert Levitt Stakes. The seven-furlong race for West Virginia-bred 3-year-olds is the first local prep for horses on the road to the West Virginia Breeders’ Classic program on Oct. 16.

The Levitt is a stepping-stone to the seven-furlong West Virginia Lottery.

I Just Did It, a homebred for owner-trainer John A. Casey, comes into the Levitt off a 6 1/4-length romp going seven furlongs on July 9. She has put up back-to-back Beyer Speed Figures of 89 and 88 that are the best among the six horses in Saturday’s field.

In comparison, Son of a Bear, 5 for 8 lifetime, earned an 86 Beyer for his 5 1/2-length score over open company in a second-level allowance on May 30 and an 81 for finishing second, beaten three-quarters of a lengh, by the older horse Ghostly Thunder in a third-level allownance on July 16.

Aside from the two logical favorites, Black Belt and Taylor’s Flight are the most likely candidates to pull an upset.

Black Belt, based at Thistledown with trainer Gerard Bennett, won his only previous start at Charles Town in the 4 1/2-furlong Coin Collector in mid-June. He has not won going longer than five furlongs.

Taylor’s Flight surrendered a five-length lead in the final furlong of the Coin Collector to wind up second by a neck. He did win by five lengths going seven furlongs before that. Most recently, Taylor’s Flight had to check and finished a nonthreatening sixth in the same July 16 race as Son of a Bear.