Jubawithatwist romps in Sam Huff Breeders' Classic
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Jubawithatwist floored heavy favorite Teachintherelease to win the $300,000 West Virginia Sam Huff Breeders’ Classic by 10 lengths on Saturday at Charles Town. Far from a dramatic and hard-fought upset, the 5-year-old gelding took over on the far turn and never looked back in his first stakes victory since 2024.
Though he went off at 5-2 in the field of 10 West Virginia-breds, the Kristy Petty trainee was a clear second choice behind Teachintherelease, who was bet down to 2-5 in search of his eighth straight victory at his home track. In the $75,000 Frank Gall Memorial in August, he defeated Jubawithatwist by three lengths.
All seemed business as usual when Carlos Lopez kicked ahead aboard the heavy favorite in the early going of the three-turn, 1 1/8-mile race, completing the opening quarter-mile in 24.67 seconds and half-mile in 48.97. Jubawithatwist and his stablemate, the 54-1 longshot Gimmethatsugar, stalked in second and third, and no other runner cracked that top flight in the stretch.
In a professional ride under Antonio Lopez, Jubawithatwist gradually cut into Teachintherelease’s lead, hooking up with the front-runner at the quarter pole and demanding him to show more out in front. In the past, particularly at the 1 1/8-mile distance, Teachintherelease had been more than prepared for such a challenge, but he had nothing to offer on Saturday.
Though he managed to hold second for trainer Stephen Murdock, Teachintherelease was left firmly behind, a rare occurrence in his 37-race career. Jubawithatwist dominated in the stretch, completing the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:52.53 and paying $7.20 to win.
Gimmethatsugar, Petty’s stubborn outsider, tried his best to deliver a one-two finish for the trainer, finishing 1 1/4 lengths behind Teachintherelease in third.
Cavada Breeders' Classic
In her own spot of revenge, Zip Start rallied from eighth to win the $125,000 Cavada Breeders’ Classic by three lengths on Saturday. Overnight Pow Wow, the 2-5 favorite who defeated her in back-to-back starts, faded to fourth.
Zip Start was the second winner on the statebred stakes card for trainer Jeff Runco, who entered 13 horses, as well as jockey Arnaldo Bocachica.
In the only race on the card that went to a deep closer, Zip Start and Bocachica bided their time early in the two-turn, seven-furlong race before unleashing a powerful move on the far turn. The front-running Overnight Pow Wow was already fading and the new shooter Edy’s Flame could not hold on after taking over from a stalking position.
In her last two starts, Zip Start was plainly overwhelmed by Overnight Pow Wow, who easily kicked away on the front end in the midst of a four-race winning streak for trainer Cynthia McKee.
She was not necessarily challenged while completing the opening quarter-mile in 22.73 seconds and half-mile in 47.08, but as soon as she showed cracks, Zip Start was the obvious beneficiary. The Runco trainee completed the seven-furlong distance in 1:26.55 and paid $11 to win.
Petty Perfect, another familiar rival, rallied from sixth for Kristy Petty, but came up a neck short behind Edy’s Flame.
Russell Road Breeders’ Classic
Upset winners dominated the late portion of the 10-race statebred stakes card at Charles Town, but several favorites still took care of business. Back against West Virginia-bred 3-year-olds, Ryan’s Run kicked clear to a crushing 11 1/2-length victory in the $75,000 Russell Road Breeders’ Classic.
Of Runco’s fleet of local contenders on Saturday, Ryan’s Run was easily one of his most daunting after finishing third in the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial in August. In his prior four starts against statebreds, he was unbeaten and unchallenged, making his most recent dominant effort a return to form. He paid $2.40 to win.
In his first of two stakes wins for Runco on the card, Bocachica coaxed the heavy favorite along on the front end, completing the opening quarter-mile in 22.73 seconds and half-mile in 46.54. He was firmly in command at the top of the stretch and poured it on from there, completing the seven-furlong distance in 1:24.56.
Coach Siggy, the 7-1 third choice trained by Anthony Farrior, chased in second all the way around the track and finished 1 1/4 lengths clear of the Anthony Lucas-trained gelding Ihaveanappforthat.
Lottery Breeders’ Classic
Among 3-year-old fillies, At a Premium proved just as sharp in the $75,000 Lottery Breeders’ Classic, taking over on the backstretch and pulling clear to a three-length victory for trainer David Walters.
Like Ryan’s Run, At a Premium went undefeated in her first four career starts before stepping up to face open company on the Charles Town Classic undercard in August. She finished second by a half-length in the Grade 2 Charles Town Oaks, making it all the more natural for her to go off at 1-9 in her return to statebred company on Saturday.
Jockey Jeiron Barbosa, who won two stakes on the card, briefly stalked aboard the heavy favorite, stalking just behind longshot Truth and Justice through an opening quarter-mile in 23.94 seconds. He did not waste much time thereafter, taking over to complete the half-mile in 48.59.
Truth and Justice stuck around for a time and was eventually replaced by the stalking God’s Pride, who maintained pressure on the far turn. At a Premium easily dispatched both over time, however, and was never in serious trouble. She completed the seven-furlong distance in 1:25.54 and paid $2.20 to win.
God’s Pride, a last-out allowance winner trained by Timothy Collins, finished 9 1/4 lengths clear of Truth and Justice, who held third for Cynthia McKee.
Walters said the Lottery might be At a Premium’s final race this year, though she could run one more time in November.
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Both juvenile races on the Breeders’ Classics card went to front-running favorites, as Crystal Veil crushed six fillies in the $75,000 Triple Crown Nutrition, while Call Me Micky J. held on in the $75,000 Vincent Moscarelli Memorial. Both 2-year-olds earned their second stakes victories.
Trainer Anthony Farrior’s only stakes winner on the card came in the first race, and Crystal Veil could not have been much more convincing. Barbosa eased her through an opening quarter-mile in 23.49 seconds and half-mile in 47.60, leaving her with plenty for the stretch run.
Coming off a 5 1/4-length romp in the $75,000 John McKee Memorial last month, she ran a similar race against similar rivals on Saturday and skipped away by 4 3/4 lengths. She completed the 6 1/2-furlong distance in 1:22.22 and paid $4.20 to win.
On a Pedestal, the 2-1 second choice trained by Stacey Viands, never seriously challenged the favorite while chasing in second. She finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead of A Notable Nature, the McKee Memorial runner-up trained by Ronald Sigler.
In the Moscarelli Memorial, Call Me Micky J. had an easier time in the early stages and much tougher time near the wire for trainer John Salzman Jr. Carlos Lopez, who won two stakes on the card, got away with an uncontested lead through an opening quarter-mile in 23.65 and half-mile in 47.65, but he was still challenged at the end.
Jack Carson, the 9-2 third choice trained by Jeff Runco, gave the favorite everything he could handle in the final furlong, digging in under Bocachica in a prolonged bid.
Call Me Micky J., an easy winner of the $75,000 Henry Mercer Memorial last month, was asked for more this time, but he responded well to the test and held by a half-length. He completed the 6 1/2-furlong distance in 1:20.53 and paid $4.40 to win.
The top two put their eight rivals far behind by the end, as Dry Martini Again finished 14 1/4 lengths back in third for Kathleen O’Connell.
Dash for Cash Breeders' Classic
Life Is Daily, a 4-year-old gelding making his stakes debut for David Walters, got the best of a three-horse blanket finish over Honeyquist and Duncan Idaho in the $75,000 Dash for Cash Breeders’ Classic.
Honeyquist, the Farrior-trained front-runner, took an uncontested lead in the 4 1/2-furlong sprint and blazed through an opening quarter-mile in 21.60 seconds, but that quick start left him vulnerable in the late stages.
Duncan Idaho, the 3-5 favorite trained by Jeff Runco, could not make up the late ground and finished third by a nose, but Life Is Daily and Carlos Lopez were up to the task. The new face drove between rivals and dug in to win by a nose, completing the 4 1/2-furlong sprint in 51.90 and paying $8.40 to win.
*** Juba’s Parade, a front-runner trained by Wade Sanderson, turned away Skie’s Music to win the $75,000 Roger Ramey Breeders’ Classic Distaff by three-quarters of a length. With an expert ride from Wilfredo Santiago, the 6-year-old mare completed the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:53.98 and paid $9.20 to win.
*** Thelastsay, a 2-5 favorite trained by Ronney Brown, staved off Navy Band and Here’s a Quarter to win the $75,000 1/ST BET Breeders’ Classic by three-quarters of a length. Navy Band, the runner-up, was disqualified to fifth for interfering with Cappuccino Crunch into the turn.
*** Dorado, a 6-1 outsider trained by Javier Contreras, kicked well clear under Wesley Ho to win the $75,000 Onion Juice Breeders’ Classic by eight lengths over longshots Juba’s Hat Trick and Mr. Dumbledore. It was the 5-year-old gelding’s first stakes victory.
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