Virginia 2-year-old champs continue winning ways

WOODSTOCK, VA – 10/26/2022 – Pamela Wagner’s (Rusty’s All In), winner of $220,116 entering last Sunday’s $8,000 Virginia Breeder’s 3-Year-Old Colt Pace harness racing elimination at Shenandoah Downs, continued his winning ways in preparation for the $650,000 “Day of Champions” card November 6.

The 3-year-old gelding surged past front stepping rival Big N Bad Brad — also owned by Wagner — before the third fraction then held on for a comfortable 1¼ length victory over the prior leader in 1:57 3/5.

John Wagner drove the victor while Fern Paquet Jr. guided the runner-up. Wagner’s Janet’s For Real finished third. Anthonys All In captured Maryland Sire Stake finals at both Ocean Downs and Rosecroft Raceway this year and at Rosecroft in 2021.

The two top finishers continued a spirited duel that carried over from their freshmen campaigns. Anthonys All In got the best of Big N Bad Brad in both the Breeder’s 2-Year-Old Prep and Final, winning by one-half length and a neck respectively.

The top three finishers in Virginia’s 2021 2-Year-Old Filly Pace Championship finished in the same order Saturday in the $8,000 3-Year-Old Elimination. Caviart Farms’ Caviart Carmel (Always B Miki) surged past Janie Hartley’s Caviart Lizzie coming out of the final turn and scored a 2 ¾ length triumph in 1:58 1/5.

The filly won the final last year in 1:57.0, 1 ¼ lengths the best over the same runner-up. Paquet drove for trainer Marna Sehanan in the big win last October as well as in Saturday’s elimination. Janet’s For Real finished third.

Three-year-old trotters dueled on Sunday and last year’s freshmen champs picked up right where they left off last fall.

Pamela Wagner’s Shes All Woman (Anders Bluestone) wired the Filly Elimination field in 2:01.0 crossing 2 1/4 lengths better than runner-up Ellen’s Wish. The filly wired competition in both the prep and final last year as a 2-year-old. She was driven by Victory Kirby Sunday for trainer John Wagner. Ellen’s Wish was driven by Todd Warren and is trained by co-owner Betsy Brown. 14-year-old Morgan Marston shares ownership with Brown. Antares Star finished third.

Jane Dunavant’s Big Daddy D and Pamela Wagner’s Jas Bluestone (Anders Bluestone) — respective first and second place finishers in the 2021 Colt Trot Final — each won elimination races as 3-year-olds Sunday. The former, who brought a bankroll of $114,259 into the race, wired the field in 2:03 3/5 with Carlo Poliseno in the sulky while the latter, crossed in 2:03 1/5 with Victor Kirby aboard. Both Poliseno and Kirby train their trotters as well.

Virginia Breeder’s two-year-old elimination races take place this weekend. Eight title bouts for 2 and 3-year-old pacers and trotters of both sexes — each with a minimum $80,000 purse — will close out the meet on November 6.

In other action Saturday, a pair of undefeated two-year-old horses retained that status after wins against other freshmen competitors. Leon Harris’s Prime Hall Caviar (Armed Dangerously) and Chuck Perry and James Fitzgerald’s Antaeus (Heston Blue Chip) are both 5-for-5 in Woodstock courtesy of the weekend scores.

Prime Hall Caviar, parked out through most of his trotting mile, got to the finish one length in front while Antaeus dominated his pacing venture in coast-to-coast style, winning by 15 ¼ lengths. The former collected two of his wins at during the Shenandoah County Fair while the latter earned one Fair victory.

For complete pari-mutuel race results, click here.

For complete non-wagering race results, click here.

by Darrell Wood, for Shenandoah Downs