Runco runners take four stakes on West Virginia Breeders' Classic card
Trainer Jeff Runco won four stakes to highlight the undercard of Saturday night’s West Virginia Breeders’ Classic program at Charles Town.
Arnaldo Bocachica rode three of Runco’s winners, but missed out on a fourth when the Runco-trained North Atlantic was third at 9-5.
Spa Creek ($4.60), a 5-year-old mare making just her second start this season, outfought pacesetter Dimples by a neck in the $70,000 Distaff at 1 1/8 miles. A year ago, Spa Creek was second by a head in the Distaff, but then did not race again until she scored in an allowance on Sept. 2. She covered the nine furlongs in 1:54.38 for Bocachica
Runco and Bocachica struck again when the unbeaten Navy Ribbon ($3.40) got past Nay’s Back by a neck in the $60,000 West Virginia Division of Tourism for 3-year-old fillies. It was the fourth straight win for Navy Ribbon, who ran seven furlongs in 1:28.13.
Bocachica closed out Runco’s big night when he rode Slip the Cable ($6.60) to a sixth-length romp in the $60,000 West Virginia Lottery for 3-year-olds.
Slip the Cable was making his first start since sustaining the only loss in his career in the Aug. 7 Robert Leavitt going seven furlongs. He ran seven furlongs Saturday night in 1:25.25 for his fourth win in five starts.
Jose Montano got the job done for Runco with Bullets Fever ($3.40), who was much the best in the $60,000 Vince Moscarelli Memorial for 2-year-olds. Now 2 for 2 in his career, Bullets Fever ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:19.76.
Aye a Song ($7.40) remained undefeated in three starts with a half-length score over even-money favorite R C’s Daisyduke in the $54,000 Triple Crown Nutrition for 2-year-old fillies. The John McKee-trained Aye a Song ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:21.16 under Christian Hiraldo.
Trainer James W. Casey and jockey Antonio Lopez, who teamed up to win the $500,000 Classic with Charitable Annuity, won the $50,000 Dash for Cash with heavily favored Greenway Court ($3.40). In winning for the 14th time in 26 lifetime starts and the Dash for Cash for the second time in three years, the 6-year-old Greenway Court covered 4 1/2 furlongs in 51.53 seconds.
The 6-year-old Help a Brother ($5.80), ridden by Luis Perez for trainer Lewis Craig, won the $70,000 Onion Juice by 1 3/4 lengths over Comeonletsplay. Help a Brother, who was a close fourth in last year’s Onion Juice, ran seven furlongs in 1:25.20 for his ninth win in 27 lifetime starts.