Lake Ponchatrain surges to victory in Dance to Bristol Stakes

In upper stretch of the $100,000 Dance to Bristol Stakes, Angel At War spurted clear of her nearest rivals and looked to have the race in her pocket. But then the locally based Lake Ponchatrain found her best gear and roared by to a 1 1/2-length, going-away victory under jockey Xavier Perez.

Saturday was the first running of the Dance to Bristol, which was formerly named the Sugar Maple, and it was fitting Perez won. He rode Dance to Bristol in the final nine races of her career in 2013 and won seven straight races on her, including the Grade 1 Ballerina, the Grade 2 Honorable Miss, and the Grade 3 Bed o' Roses in New York.

In all, Dance to Bristol won 10 of 20 starts and $980,000 for Mid-Atlantic trainer Ollie Figgins III.

The Dance to Bristol was the second win of the day for Perez, who also won the Down Town Allen on Anna's Bandit.

Lake Ponchatrain is now 12 for 33 in her career and 9 for 20 at Charles Town. She had won an allowance race at Mahoning Valley in her start prior to the Dance for Bristol.

Keep Your Distance set quick fractions of 23.05 seconds and 47.08 in the Dance for Bristol, a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares. She was challenged on the far turn by Angel At War and Frosty Margarita while 3-5 favorite Ascertain was being asked but was not responding in fourth.

At that point, Lake Ponchatrain still had a lot of work to do. Perez took her wide into the stretch and she proved clearly best in the final furlong despite Perez dropping his whip in upper stretch.

Lake Ponchatrain paid $10.60 in the eight-horse field. She was timed in 1:25.76

Angel At War finished second, three-quarters of a length ahead of In the Navy Now, who checked in third. Ascertain ended up fourth.

William and Mary easy winner in Coin Collector

As expected, William and Mary, the top 2-year-old at Charles Town last year, proved clearly best in the $50,000 Coin Collector Stakes for West Virginia-bred 3-year-olds.

The son of Windsor Castle broke sharply, outsprinted Jaxbradenrishi and Dionysus' Chalice for the lead in the 4 1/2-furlong race, then had plenty left in the stretch to hold off Opera Nite by 3 3/4 lengths. Jockey Antonio Lopez took William and Mary in hand for much of the final sixteenth.

William and Mary paid $2.80 in the nine-horse field of 3-year-olds. He covered the course in 52.31. Dionysus' Chalice finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Opera Nite.

William and Mary, who is trained by James W. Casey, is now 5 for 7 in his career. The Coin Collector was his first start since he finished fourth in the $100,000 Frank Whiteley Jr. at Laurel Park in January.

He now has three stakes wins at Charles Town. He previously had won the Henry Mercer Memorial and the Tri-State Futurity.

Anna’s Bandit rolls in Down Town Allen

Trainer Jerry Robb cross-entered Anna's Bandit in the $100,000 Primonetta Stakes at Laurel Park and in the $35,000 Down Town Allen. He opted for the Down Town Allen and Anna's Bandit drew away in the stretch to score by 4 1/2 lengths, with jockey Xavier Perez taking her in hand during the final sixteenth of the 6 1/2-furlong race for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares.

Anna's Bandit has now won four straight races dating back to December. Lifetime, she is 6 for 11.

Anna's Bandit paid $3.80 in the scratch-reduced field of six. Among the four scratches was Moonlit Song, who would have been a solid favorite.

Lies and Scandals and T Rex Express raced on the early pace while Anna's Bandit took up a stalking position. Anna's Bandit and T Rex Express drew away from the field on the second turn with Anna's Bandit taking control of the race in upper stretch.

T Rex Express finished second, with Cuppa Mocha Mojo in third, a length behind her.

Anna's Bandit was timed in 1:20.10.

Follow the Notion just gets up in Lucy's Bob Boy

Follow the Notion raced well back early, steadily advanced, and then ran down 3-5 favorite North Atlantic in the stretch to take the $35,000 Lucy's Bob Boy by a neck.

With Jose Montano aboard, Follow the Notion rallied four wide into the stretch of the two-turn, seven-furlong race for West Virginia-breds and was up to take control in deep stretch. North Atlantic stalked the early leaders, lodged a three-wide bid on the far turn, and gained the lead nearing the sixteenth pole before being outfinished.

Prince of Windsor, 24-1, prompted the early pace and then lasted for the show, finishing 1 1/4 lengths behind North Atlantic and a nose ahead of Charitable Annuity, who was fanned extremely wide into the stretch while mounting a bid from last position.

Follow the Notion, who is owned, trained, and was bred by Gary Williams Jr., paid $6.80 while covering the course in 1:27.04.

He is now 8 for 26 in his career, with all of his races coming at Charles Town.

Noblame battles to victory in Its Binn Too Long Stakes

Noblame won a race-long battle over 4-5 favorite Late Night Pow Wow to win the $50,000 Its Binn Too Long Stakes by a half-length.

Noblame, who is trained by Joe Sharp, paid $5.40 and was timed in 53.87, following an opening quarter-mile in 21.65 seconds. Jockey J.D. Acosta was aboard from post 1.

Bound to Windsor, who broke a bit slowly, finished third, 4 1/4 lengths behind Late Night Pow Wow, in the 4 1/2-furlong dash for West Virginia-bred fillies.

Noblame, a 3-year-old daughter of Blame, is now 4 for 7 in her career. She is 2 for 3 at Charles Town. She shipped in last year to win the Rachel's Turn Stakes.