Coin Collector draws top Charles Town sophomores
Ted Black- May 13, 2023
During the weekend between the Kentucky Derby and the upcoming Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, Charles Town will offer fans an interesting and competitive stake for West Virginia-bred three-year-olds when it hosts the $75,000 Coin Collector Stakes this Saturday night, the feature and penultimate event on the eight-race program.
Typically the Coin Collector Stakes, named in honor of one of the track’s stars in the early 1990s when the James M. Casey trainee won two consecutive editions of the West Virginia Breeders’ Classic, highlights the best state-bred males but this year they will be joined by a talented filly.
Two weeks after suffering her first career defeat as the odds-on choice in the $75,000 It’s Binn Too Long Stakes here, Great Spirit is back to seek redemption in her first try against boys for trainer Crystal Pickett in the Coin Collector.
Listed as the 7-2 second choice on the morning line with regular pilot Gerald Almodovar in the irons, Great Spirit led most of the way in the It’s Binn Too Long before being nailed in the final strides by Lightnin Runner.
Perhaps not swayed by that outcome, Pickett has opted to try Great Spirit against the boys this weekend. The half-sister to the late, great Dr. Feelgood is likely to make her presence known from the outset while breaking from post six.
Last season’s champion West Virginia-bred two-year-old male, Honeyquist, will break from post two as the 8-5 morning line favorite for trainer Anthony Farrior and is expected to vie for the early lead with the fleet-footed filly to her outside. A sophomore son of Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist, Honeyquist prevailed in his seasonal debut before settling for third as the odds-on choice in a salty allowance dash last out against older rivals.
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He sports a 3-2-1 slate and over $100,000 banked from six starts overall and seeks his first stakes tally as the likely choice in this event. Arnaldo Bocachica will ride.
Another sophomore boy expected to get ample support in the Coin Collector is Juba’s Notion, hero of the West Virginia Vincent Moscarelli Breeders’ Classic last fall for then trainer John A. Casey, who has since passed away. Now trained by former local rider Kristy Petty, Juba’s Notion already sports two wins from four tries this year and four victories overall and is listed as the 4-1 third choice from post eight in a field of that size.
Gustavo Larrosa is named.
Sporting three wins from four seasonal outings, Little Roo Roo is listed as the 6-1 fourth choice for owner-trainer Mike Jones, Jr. and could be a major player in this event. The sophomore son of Limehouse defeated allowance foes last out and earlier opened the slate with a pair of victories against state-bred runners.
Little Roo Roo will be making his stakes debut in this spot, but he has displayed plenty of ability this season after two modest outings as a juvenile. Marshall Mendez has the mount.
Looking to upset the apple cart in the Coin Collector Stakes are El Lucerito (10-1) breaking from the rail, Lord of Cork (12-1) from post three, Colt Rock (12-1) just to his outside, and Kaylee’s Spitfire (15-1),.who drew post seven. Post time for the Coin Collector is slated for 10:02 p.m. on Saturday night.
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