Rusty’s For Real gelding breaks record again

(WOODSTOCK, VA — (10/21/2024) — Kelsey Wagner’s Brooksforreal (Rusty’s For Real) shattered the harness racing 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. He tripped the timer in his wire-to-wire performance in 1:54 1/5, nearly two seconds better than his 1:56.0 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 overlooked was the performance of W. Hartt, H. Taylor, B. Dillon and J. Dumberger’s Paxamillion who was runner-up and finished 1¾ 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 Tatker’s Caviart Act Two finished third and also advanced to the final.

Lucinda Belcher’s Bday (Racing Hill) 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 (More The Better N) and Dr. Edward Ward’s Caviart Acadia (Captain Crunch) 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 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 filly crossed 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 (Il Mago) and Swervingmervin (Il Mago) each collected their first lifetime victories in 2:03.0 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 (Glidemaster) and Kat’s Fancy (Dusty Winner) — 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, crossed 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 latter, 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 other top level overnite races. The fall meet’s closing day card will go to post at 1:05 PM.

Saturday’s Pink Power event in Woodstock raised money for the Shenandoah Valley chapter of the American Cancer Society in the name of Cathy Rutherford, Shenandoah Downs’ beloved Paddock Judge who passed away several week ago after a courageous battle with breast cancer. Nearly $5,000 was raised thru various efforts that included a donation from the U.S. Driver’s Club, proceeds from a specially made t-shirt that honored Cathy, a 50/50 split and Booze Wagon raffle.

For complete Saturday race results, click here: US Trotting results.

For complete Sunday race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Darrell Wood, for Shenandoah Downs