Lake entry easily capable of one-two finish

Trainer Scott Lake has the potential to gobble up 80 percent of the $100,000 purse in Tuesday's Charles Town Dash Invitational Handicap.

Lake, who has dominated the stakes scene at the West Virginia oval this season by winning 5 of the 8 stakes run so far, clearly has a tremendous advantage in the 4 1/2-furlong dash with his one-two punch of Outcashem and Explosive Count.

In fact, only four horses are lined up to face Lake's coupled entry, and the best of those, P. Kerney, is cross-entered in Monday's $75,000 Mountain State at Mountaineer, and appears to have a better chance of winning that race.

Among the others, Swissle Stick is 1 for 26 lifetime and Blown Audit has lost his last 10 starts - including three against claimers.

That leaves the 6-year-old Earth Power, who has won 8 of 20 starts and $254,525 at Charles Town, as the lone real obstacle who might prevent Lake from a one-two finish and an $80,000 payday.

The 5-year-old Outcashem and 8-year-old Explosive Count have combined to win their last nine starts. Outcashem has been the faster horse, winning the five-furlong Panhandle Handicap at Mountaineer in early May with a 101 Beyer Speed Figure and posting a career-best 114 Beyer the last time he raced 4 1/2 furlongs at Charles Town.

Not even the high weight of 129 pounds may be enough to slow down Outcashem, a winner of 16 of 27 lifetime. He successfully carried that much weight winning a $10,000 starter handicap at Philadelphia Park in April.

Explosive Count has been primarily facing high-priced optional claimers during his four-race win streak, which includes three races at Pimlico and one at Aqueduct. He will making his first stakes appearance since finishing fourth of five in a six-furlong sprint at Remington Park last September.

There will be a special 4 p.m. Eastern first post time for the holiday card.