Virginia Breeders stakes 2-year-old preps this weekend

WOODSTOCK, VA — 10/20/2023) —- Two-year-old harness racing pacers and trotters of both sexes will take center stage this weekend at Shenandoah Downs as the final round of Virginia Breeder’s prep and elimination races take place in advance of the $702,200 “Day of Champions” card on Sunday October 29.

Prep races are slated Saturday in the colt/gelding trot and Sunday in the filly and colt/gelding pace while a pair of elimination races will occur Saturday in the filly trot.

Debbie Warnick’s Royal Beep Beep (Yankee Royalty), Ashley Paige’s Rusty’s Baby Ruth and Pamela Wagner’s Petes For Real all won their respective first round preps last weekend. The former wired a seven-horse field in 2:01 4/5 with Declan Donoway aboard. The trotter is now 2-for-4.

Pam Wagner and Scott Woogen’s K J Dash (Lockkeeper) came into that race 5-for-6 with a hefty $110,912 bankroll but went off stride at the top of the stretch. The gelding still managed a second-place finish after regaining the gait. Donaway is set to pilot Royal Beep Beep from the rail as the 9-2 second pick in Saturday’s 13th race while Corey Braden will direct K J Dash from post five as the morning line choice.

Rusty’s Baby Ruth (Rusty’s For Real) entered last week’s prep fresh off a pair of seconds in the Maryland Sire Stakes competition but broke through to get her picture taken in the $8,000 Shenandoah filly pace. The impressive Elwood Tignor trainee has earned $82,825 and has yet to finish out of the top three in eight starts. Regular driver William Carter will be back in the sulky again in Sunday’s 13th race.

Pete’s For Real (Rusty’s For Real) finished two lengths ahead of Tracy Bradshaw’s Bgoing Away in the colt/gelding pace in a 1:59 1/5 maiden breaking mile. He had previously been winless in six Maryland Sire Stake starts. Fern Paquet, who drove for trainer John Wagner last week, returns to the sulky in Sunday’s 14th race and will leave as 6-5 early choice from the rail.

Jane Dunavant’s Rip Away and Robert White’s Chinco Mayo each captured 2-year-old filly trotting divisions last week and interestingly, have drawn into the same field this Saturday. The former crossed in 2:07 4/5 with trainer Cody Poliseno in the bike while the latter powered home to a five-length victory in 2:04 1/5 with owner/trainer Robert White at the helm.

The pair will leave from posts one and five respectively. The second prep in this category features Nanticoke Racing Inc. and Delbert Cain’s Platinum Proposal as 7-5 early pick. Jim Morand will pilot for trainer Les Givens against five other young freshmen fillies.

Shenandoah Downs’ weekend cards both begin at 1 PM. Fifteen races are on Saturday’s card while fourteen are slated for Sunday. Free Trackmaster past performance programs along with Derby Bill Watson’s tip sheet can be accessed at shenandoahdowns.com. Wagering is available via major online platforms like TVG, Twinspires, Xpressbet and NYRAbets and at many tracks and OTBs.

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

by Darrell Wood, for Shenandoah Downs