Shenandoah Downs: Rookie Virginia-breds in the spotlight on Saturday
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The best 2-year-olds Virginia has to offer will be in action on Saturday afternoon (1:05 P.M. EDT) at Shenandoah Downs for the Virginia Breeders Fund finals. The program has grown in recent years and four full fields of eight are vying for over $90,000 each on the 14-race program.
Things kick off with the filly pacers going for $91,025 in race two and (1) CAVIART DAISY looks like a standout on paper. The daughter of Sweet Lou was fourth in the Kentucky Sire Stakes championship before heading east and has won her two preliminary legs of the Breeders Fund by a combined 12 1/2 lengths. The battle for second comes down to (2) CAVIART AMORE MIO and (4) CAVIART SANTA FE. Both have a win and a second in the series but perhaps the latter is the better bet as she has been kicking home with a bit more pace.
One race later the path to the winner's circle goes through (2) CAVIART TRENTON in the $93,275 2-year-old colt pace. One-upping Caviart Daisy, this Captain Corey-sired gelding bred by Caviart Farms won his two Breeders Fund legs by over 19 lengths total. If anyone is going to give him a run for the money it is one of two shipping in for the Tony Alagna barn. (4) CAVIART CADET and (8) HUNGRY JOEY both raced well here last weekend, and while the latter got a victory, the former looks a bit faster overall.
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Perhaps the most wide-open final on the card is also the richest, the $96,100 2-year-old filly trot (race four). Four different horses won the four preliminary legs of the series, and there is no clear standout. Owner/driver Anthony MacDonald might have a slight edge with (2) CHERRY'S GIRL due to an inside draw with a horse that blew away her competition last week after being scratched sick out of leg one of the series. Trainer Ronald Millman has a strong hand with three entrants topped by (6) CAVIART GEMMA, who clearly has enough early speed to get into the early tussle. (8) WOLFPACK ONE is on the other end of the spectrum in post eight, but she is coming off a solid 2:01 1/5 victory.
The Virginia-bred fun ends in race five with the $94,425 2-year-old colt trotting final, and this field is clearly led by (3) KALISPEL. The son of Gregory Pecs has won five of six career races and won his two legs by more than 17 combined lengths. The key to hitting a good exacta could be (2) SEMINOLE BREEZE. The Shibboleth Hanover colt has just enough early speed to get around the pole-sitter and that could have him sitting pretty as the perhaps faster (7) CAVIART WAR ROOM has to avoid breaking issues and find his way from the outside post.
Saturday at Shenandoah Downs is the penultimate card of the season as racing concludes on Sunday. Fans can watch all of the action on the track's website.