Runco, Raim, Bocachica loaded for West Virginia Classics Night

The 5-year-old Muad’dib tasted defeat for the first time in his most recent start – but ran the best race of his career. It was a performance that will make him a strong favorite Saturday night in the $300,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic at Charles Town.

Muad’dib will be returning to the statebred ranks for the 1 1/8-mile race following his bang-up second-place finish in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. The Saturday card features 10 stakes for West Virginia-breds for total purses of $925,000. First post is 7 p.m. Eastern.

Muad’dib brought a 10-for-10 record into the Charles Town Classic, with all of his wins having come over the local oval. He contested the pace and finished second, sandwiched between Grade 1 winners Art Collector and Mind Control.

“He ran really big that night,” said Jeff Runco, who trains Muad’dib for David Raim. “It was a tough bunch of horses. We’d never tried him against the real deal. He deserved a shot at it. Hometown horse, gave him a chance, and he ran super.”

Muad’dib earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 92, the best last-race number in the eight-horse West Virginia Breeders’ Classic, which will be run around three turns. Muad’dib won the race a year ago under Arnaldo Bocachica, who has the mount again Saturday from post 6.

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“He’s pretty versatile,” Runco said. “The horse will do pretty much what you want. He’s won wire to wire. He’s come from slightly off the pace, and come from a little more off the pace. We know that Candy Invasion will be coming late. We’re keeping that in mind.”

Bocachica won a track-record eight races on last year’s West Virginia Breeders’ Classics card, with all of his victories coming in stakes. On the same night, Runco won seven stakes and Raim, five.

Muad’dib led the charge with his win in the richest offering on the card. The son of Fibre Sonde debuted in February 2020. He is a full brother to Late Night Pow Wow, a multiple Grade 3 winner who was 12 for 15 with earnings of $700,400. Muad’dib has a current bankroll of $553,265 – and a special place in the hearts of Raim, Runco, and Runco’s wife, Susan.

“He’s got a great personality,” Runco said. “He’s ornery. He’s lovable. He’s a big horse who loves to train. He loves being at the racetrack, and loves all the attention he gets.”

Candy Invasion enters off an allowance win over West Virginia-breds on Sept. 17 at Charles Town. He closed from next-to-last and went on to an 8 1/2-length victory for his breeder, owner, and trainer, John A. Casey.

Cavada Stakes

The second-richest race on the card is the $125,000 Cavada for fillies and mares over seven furlongs, which is a two-turn race at Charles Town. Raim, Runco, and Bocachica will team with the win-streaking The Sky Is Falling.

She is looking for her fifth straight win in a streak that began in May. Her run includes a pair of stakes at seven furlongs at Charles Town.

“She beat the older fillies in the Sadie Hawkins last time,” Runco said. “She’s really got a stellar record. She’s going against the older fillies for the second time. I expect her to run well. She’s been training well.”

The Sky Is Falling will break from post 7 in the field of seven Saturday.

“With the outside post, there shouldn’t be much in her way,” Runco said. “She’ll be able to dictate where she wants to be in the race.”

Dash for Cash Stakes

The card opens with the Dash for Cash, which is one of six stakes worth $75,000 each. It is for 3-year-olds and up and will be run at a distance of 4 1/2 furlongs. The six-horse field is led by Penguin Power.

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Penguin Power is 16 for 29 and has been a stalwart for Raim, Runco, and Bocachica. He’s won two of his last three starts, including a stakes, since he began racing at this distance on a regular basis. Penguin Power, who is 7, is nearing $500,000 in career earnings.

“He’s really done good,” Runco said. “We shortened him up. He’s got a little age to him now. He’s got a lot of speed and has taken to the new distance really good this year. He’s a tough old guy. He’s all business, all training, wants to train.”

Penguin Power will start from post 2 in the Dash for Cash. He’s drawn just outside of his primary pace rival, Golden Key, who defeated open company in a recent allowance at Charles Town.

Department of Tourism Stakes

Change the World will attempt to win her fourth straight race when she moves into stakes company for the $75,000 Department of Tourism at seven furlongs.

Change the World is a daughter of Overanalyze who has won a string of conditioned allowances this meet at Charles Town. She will face eight others when she breaks from post 7 under Bocachica.

“She’s a homebred for my wife,” Runco said. “She’s a really nice filly. She’s won three in a row, against 3-year-olds and up.”

Change the World races in the name of Coleswood Farm.

“Susan runs the farm, does the matings, the breeding,” Runco said. “We’ve got six mares. We try to keep a tight-knit band of mares. My wife does a great job.”

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The couple also has runners in both of the 2-year-old stakes Saturday, with Sail On Breeze a top contender in the $75,000 Triple Crown Nutrition.

The 6 1/2-furlong race is restricted to fillies.

Sail On Breeze was an impressive debut winner. She will break from the rail and add blinkers off a third-place finish in the Rachel’s Turn at Charles Town.

“She’s had two really good workouts with the blinkers,” Runco said.

He noted the daughter of Street Boss is a half-sister to Lewisfield, a four-time stakes winner who earned $535,264.

Pinnacle Relief is a homebred for the Runcos in the $75,000 Vincent Moscarelli, while they also are co-owners of Xcellent Start. Xcellent Start will add blinkers Saturday.

“We talked to his rider and he’s been a little lost in his last two starts, not quite as focused as we’d like,” Runco said.

◗ Stowe Angel moves back to three turns for the $75,000 Roger Ramey, a 1 1/8-mile race she won by more than six lengths in 2021.

◗ One Night Mike tries to make it three in row in the $75,000 Lottery.

◗ The $50,000 Blue and Gold drew the 5-for-9 runner Full Moon Lover.

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