At some point, owner-trainer Cyndy McKee will likely feel the need to take Direct the Cat out of town in search of bigger purses. But that point’s not yet, and tonight the two-year-old Direct the Cat will face six rivals in the $75,000 James and Eleanor Casey Memorial Stakes at Charles Town Races.

She’ll face them as the overwhelming 1-5 morning line choice in a race in which her nearest competitors on the morning line are a pair of runners she beat by a dozen lengths last time out.

Direct the Cat, a two-year-old Redirect filly bred by McKee’s late husband John McKee, took three tries to break her maiden but now arrives with a three-race win streak and two consecutive stakes wins.

She’s won in one-turn dashes and in a two-turn race. She’s won on fast tracks and sloppy ones. In her three wins, she’s won by a combined 30 lengths while leading at every call. She’s earned three Beyer speed figs of 80+, while none of her rivals has surpassed 61.

In short, she’s about as strong a favorite as you’re likely to find. Regular pilot Reshawn Latchman will do the honors this evening, and the Casey Memorial is carded as the seventh on an eight-race program.

Two horses she beat by a dozen in the West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders Classic – and who finished a neck apart from each other – are 5-1 Ran Out of Trainer and 6-1 Runaway Beauty. The added ground in this seven-furlong affair perhaps edges the bettor towards Runaway Beauty of this pair, but it will take the favorite faltering considerably for either to have a shot at the big prize.

Also here is Lona Lee (10-1) for Kristy Petty. She won nicely at second asking going 4 ½ furlongs, and runner-up Miss Bee Bop returned to graduate next out.

Post time for the card is 7:00 p.m., with the Casey Memorial slated for 10:02.

PICKS FOR TONIGHT’S CARD

RACE 1: 5-1-3-6

RACE 2: 2-4-5-3

RACE 3: 1-4-5-3

RACE 4: 1-6-5-4

RACE 5: 2-4-5-3

RACE 6: 6-5-1-2

RACE 7: 6-5-1-2

RACE 8: 5-4-8-2

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