Mike Montgomery
Russell Road, under Luis Perez, collects his 23rd lifetime victory in the A Huevo for West Virginia-breds.
Independence Day arrives two days early at Mountaineer Park with a pair of $75,000 turf stakes.
Since the track is dark Wednesday and Thursday, the holiday celebration is set for Tuesday night, with a nine-race card starting at 7.
It kicks off with a bang, with the one-mile stakes occupying the first two races on the program: the Independence Day followed by the Firecracker for fillies and mares. Both proved popular at the entry box, with full fields of 12 for both and several more sitting on the also-eligible lists.