Ryan’s Run draws in, draws off in Coin Collector
Runco trainee improves to 2-for-2
Ted Black
May 10, 2026
Heading into the latest edition of the $75,000 Coin Collector Stakes for West Virginia-bred three-year-old males on Saturday night at Charles Town, there was equal anticipation regarding the horses that initially drew into the field and the one on the also eligible list.
When the entries were taken for the Coin Collector Stakes on Wednesday morning and post positions were drawn, trainer Anthony Farrior appeared to be holding all of the cards with four entrants in the field including one of two fillies slated to test the boys. Moreover, Richard Burnsworth owned all or part of all four, and part of two others sent from Mountaineer by trainer Jay Bernardini.
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Meanwhile, Ryan’s Run, the lone entrant for trainer Jeff Runco following an impressive debut score in January, was on the outside looking in and had also been entered in an allowance race on Friday.
But on the morning of the Coin Collector, four of the original 10 entrants, including both fillies, scratched and Ryan’s Run, who had been scratched out of the allowance the night before, drew into the body of the race and was made the even-money favorite at post time for Runco and owner-breeder Coleswood Farm.
When the gates opened, The Big Lep and Ryan’s Run both broke alertly and they dueled for command leaving the chute and down the backside and by the opener in 21.79 seconds, six lengths clear of their remaining foes.
Midway on the far turn, Ryan’s Run collared The Big Lep while still under confident handling from his rider drew clear to a 5 1/2-length score while stopping the timer in 51.80 in his stakes debut. A sophomore son of Runhappy, Ryan’s Run drew in, drew off, and is now 2-for-2. Farrior trainees The Big Lep and Irish Jubalee settled for second and third, with Tricks R For Juba in fourth.
“This horse had been working really well coming back,” Runco said. “But my wife, Susan, deserves most of the credit. She picks the stallions for our broodmares and a lot of times this is the result. I’m just lucky to be able to train for her. I really think he’s going to be better stretching out. There’s no rush with him. We’ll find something for him.”
“When he broke the way he did, I had so much horse,” Bocachica said. “I looked over and saw J.D. working on his horse to keep up and I still hadn’t moved on my horse. He’s been working like an older horse in the mornings. I knew he’ll be even better going two turns up here.”
Several races earlier on the card, Captivated Drama (Walter Cullum) delivered a 7-1 upset in a salty one-turn allowance/optional $25,000 claiming event for older runners when he broke well to press the pace down the backside, surged to a short lead at the head of the lane, and then just outlasted the late bid of 8-5 favorite Pork Chop Pete for a nose victory. A five-year-old Stanford gelding trained by Sherry L. Jackson for owner Devin Walker, Captivated Drama posted his second win from six seasonal outings and now owns a 9-8-6 slate and nearly $225,000 banked from 32 career tries after getting the 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.56.
One race prior, Big Joe B (Christian Maldonado) continued the upset theme when he rallied from last with three furlongs remaining to overhaul the leaders while racing widest of all through the lane to capture a two-turn allowance/optional $15,000 claiming event for state-bred older males. A five-year-old Long River gelding owned, bred and trained by Michael Atkins, Big Joe B recorded his second win from six seasonal tries and now owns a 5-7-4 slate and nearly $160,000 banked from 32 career tries after getting the seven furlongs in 1:27.71 as the 9-1 fourth choice in the compact field of five.
Big Joe B was claimed from the race by trainer Tim Shanley and owner Kendrick Bullard.
In the penultimate race on the Friday card, Petingas Twin (Bocachica) forged a mild upset in a two-turn, open allowance for older males when he gained command soon after the break and led throughout before holding safe 3-5 favorite Barbadian Runner (Forest Boyce) for a neck score. A five-year-old Take Charge Indy gelding trained by Anthony Farrior for owner James C. Wolf, Petingas Twin recorded his first win in four seasonal tries and spoiled the four-year-old debut of Barbadian Runner, last year’s champion Maryland-bred three-year-old male and hero of the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial over this strip last summer for trainer Henry Walters.
On Thursday, At a Premium (Jeiron Barbosa) easily lived up to her billing as the prohibitive 1-9 favorite in a two-turn allowance for state-bred fillies and mares when she gained command soon after the break then led throughout en route to a 12-length score. A sophomore daughter of Great Notion trained by David Walters for owner-breeder Jill Daniel, At a Premium remained undefeated in two career tries by getting the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:20.34 as the odds-on choice in her second consecutive dominant performance.
The Coin Collector is named for the two-time West Virginia Breeders’ Classic hero and recent West Virginia-bred Hall of Fame inductee, a Weshaam gelding who was bred by John A. Casey and Dudley Skinker, owned by Casey, and trained by Raymond Benton.
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