Shenandoah Downs: Brooksforreal rewrites record book; $720,625 Virginia Breeder's Championship Day set

Kelsey Wagner's Brooksforreal shattered the track record for 2-year-old gelding pacers --- for the second straight week --- when he captured an $8,000 Virginia Breeders elimination division Sunday at Shenandoah Downs. The son of Rusty's For Real tripped the timer in his wire-to-wire performance in 1:54 1/5, nearly two seconds better than his 1:56 effort a week ago. The talented John Wagner trainee won his eighth race in a row and pushed his first-year earnings to $125,015.

Not to be overlooked was the performance of W. Hartt, H. Taylor, B. Dillon and J. Dumberger's Paxamillion, who was runner-up and finished 1 3/4 lengths behind, a week after his first leg Breeder's elimination score in 1:56 3/5. The Britney Dillon trainee was a solid second behind Brooksforreal throughout the mile Sunday and now sets the stage for a rematch in Sunday's (Oct. 27) $90,975 Breeders final in the male pacing category.

Corey Braden piloted the winner while Luke Hanners drove the runner-up. Nancy Takter's Caviart Act Two finished third and also advanced to the final.

Lucinda Belcher's Bday won the other freshman male pace elimination in 1:59 1/5. The Herman Hagerman trainee got a cover trip behind Andrew Scheller's Rusty's Lancelot, came outside in mid-stretch and hit the wire half-a-length in front with Luke Hanners in the bike. Tracy Bradshaw's Mr. Big Check finished third.

In the 2-Year-Old Filly Pace eliminations, Elwood Tignor's Mygirlmia and Dr. Edward Ward's Caviart Acadia each scored division wins. The former earned her first lifetime win in nine starts and improved from a third-place finish a week prior. William Carter piloted the More Than Better filly to a 1:57 1/5 clocking. The latter wired the field in 1:58 1/5 in just her second lifetime start and rebounded from a fourth-place finish a week ago. The Captain Crunch filly crossed first in 1:58 1/5 for trainer/driver James Stiltner II.

Scott Woogen's KJ Becky and Timothy Amos's Caviart Snowdrop finished second and third in the first elimination while D. Thompson, A L Stephens & LL Belcher's Caviart Maria and Tony Dinges & Dein Spriggs's Prairie Puma rounded out the latter division's top three.

In Saturday's freshman trotting eliminations, trainers John Wagner and Carlo Poliseno each scored a pair of victories respectively with freshman colt/geldings, and fillies.

Wagner's Roan Ridge and Swervingmervin each collected their first lifetime victories in 2:03 and 1:58 4/5. The former was making his fifth start while the latter, in pushing his career bankroll to $45,505, was making his twelfth. Wagner and Corey Braden were in the sulky, respectively. Kelsey Wagner of Fairfax, Virginia owns both winners. Cary Grady's HS Jesse and Kelsey Wagner's I Luv Women rounded out the top three in the first while Scott Woogen's Mane Man Charlie and Elwood Tignor's TJ Jadster were second and third in the latter.

Poliseno's pair --- Song Master and Kat's Fancy --- wired the field in their respective $8,000 divisions. Both broke stride in first round eliminations but stayed flat Saturday with Cody Poliseno in the bike. Song Master, a Glidemaster filly, finished in 2:02 3/5 while Kat's Fancy, a daughter of Dusty Winner, scored in 2:01 2/5. Jane Dunavant of Kenbridge, Virginia owns both.

Aurthur Hauser's Speedy Gal was second in the first division and Scott Woogen's K J Title was third. In the second split, Kelsey Wagner & Scott Woogen's K J The Thirteenth finished second and Providence West's Royal Toni took third.

With Breeder's 2 and 3-year-old elimination races for both sexes and gaits now complete, the Champions Day card on Sunday is set. The eight divisional bouts will chase a combined $720,625 in purse monies. A four-pack of $20,000 Virginia Breeders aged races will also be on the card along with a couple of other top level overnight races. The fall meet's closing day card will go to post at 1:05 PM.

-edited release (Shenandoah Downs)