Heading into Charles Town’s first maiden special weight event for West Virginia-bred two-year-old fillies June 28, much of the attention focused on a daughter of Mitole trained by Anthony Farrior. Mitoleisdynamite went off the 1-2 favorite following a series of sharp works at Laurel Park.

Ultimately, Farrior had the chance to celebrate the outcome in one respect, although it was not for the reason many anticipated.

Mitoleisdynamite displayed the speed most expected in the inaugural event for state-bred juvenile fillies before fading in the lane. Edy’s Flame rallied from fourth, collared the odds-on choice at the top of the lane, then drew clear late to a three-length score while getting the 4 1/2 furlongs in 53.97 as a modest 6-1 shot.

Edy’s Flame is trained by Clifford Tuomisto for owner Richard Burnsworth. Farrior bred the Flameaway filly, as he did Mitoleisdynamite, who also is owned by Burnsworth. Tuomisto also serves as an assistant to Farrior.

“She had really come into the race ready to run well, but I thought Anthony’s filly was going to be tough to beat,” Tuomisto said. “I would have been content to run second. Anthony trains a lot of horses for Mr. Burnsworth, and so he decided to give me a few. I have a couple of other two-year-old fillies, but no colts. I don’t know if my other one will make the next [two-year-old race] up here, but I’m sure Anthony will have at least one in there.”

Mitoleisdynamite had worked a bullet three-eighths in her initial workout at Laurel on May 11 and added another bullet June 21, this time a four-furlong breeze in 47.20 that was the fastest of 77 runners that morning.

Edy’s Flame arrived with a quartet of solid works herself. She breezed three furlongs on May 30 and again on June 6. She added a half-mile work on June 13 then returned on June 20 with her first gate move, a half-mile in 48.20 on June 20 that was ninth best of 32 that morning.

Mitoleisdynamite was made the odds-on choice while Edy’s Flame was the 6-1 third choice. Through the early stages of the race, Mitoleisdynamite lived up to her advanced billing, skipping through an opener in 22.53 seconds with a two-length lead. But Edy’s Flame, with Marshall Mendez in the irons, shifted gears while well off the rail entering the far turn, collared the odds-on favorite inside the eighth pole then drew clear late to a 2 3/4-length score while the choice faded late to finish fourth. 

Edy’s Flame could make her next start in either an allowance race at Colonial Downs this month or the $100,000 Keswick Stakes for two-year-old fillies on August 2. She likely then would return to Charles Town for the $75,000 John McKee Memorial for state-bred two-year-old fillies on September 19, one day before the annual $75,000 Henry Mercer Stakes for state-bred juvenile males. The nine-race West Virginia Breeders’ Classics card is set for October 11, followed by the James & Eleanor Casey Memorial for fillies on November 1.

It was Tuomisto’s third training win this year from just eight starters. In his career, he’s won 23 times from 128 starters, with purse earnings of more than $400,000.

Now, as is often the case with early two-year-olds, he’ll have to hurry up and wait.

“Once you win the first maiden special weight race you don’t have a lot of options,” Tuomisto said. “The first [state-bred] stakes up here is not until September. Fortunately, she’s Virginia certified so we’ll look at one of the stakes at Colonial Downs or maybe an allowance race down there. Of course, a lot will be determined by how well she comes out of the race the other night.”