Russell Road formidable

Russell Road, a winner of four straight races since adding Lasix, will be heavily favored to make it five in a row in the $50,000 West Virginia Futurity at Charles Town.

Last time out, Russell Road romped in the Tri-State Futurity by

8 1/4 lengths.

His chief challenger will again be Pagan Cat, who finished a distant third in the Tri-State Futurity. Two races ago, Pagan Cat won the Vincent Moscarelli Memorial on the West Virginia Breeders Classics program. He would have to improve at least 15 points on the Beyer Speed Figure scale to threaten Russell Road.

There are only two other betting interests in the race, including a four-horse coupled entry for trainer John McKee.