CT: Overnight Pow Wow sharp in Original Gold score
McKee trainees fill out late double
Ted Black
May 31, 2026
The last two winners of the West Virginia Cavada Breeders’ Classic, defending champion Petty Perfect and 2024 heroine Overnight Pow Wow, squared off in Saturday’s $75,000 Original Gold Stakes for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares at Charles Town Races. One of them left no doubt.
When the gates opened in the Original Gold Stakes, named in honor of the Ronney Brown-trained two-time winner of the Cavada, Overnight Pow Wow, with Reshawn Latchman up, broke alertly from along the fence as the 4-5 favorite and gained command passing the finish line the first time. Longshot Shewonttalktome was just off her flank through the clubhouse turn and down the backside, while Petty Perfect, Juba’s Parade, The Sky Is Falling and Zip Start bided their time from well off the pace.
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Overnight Pow Wow appeared to be on cruise control through honest splits of 23.41 and 46.94 for the first two calls, but she was unable to shake loose from Shewonttalktome for much of the contest. Finally at the top of the lane, the odds-on choice spurted clear and held safe the late bid of Juba’s Parade for a three-length score while stopping the timer in 1:26.01 for the seven furlongs.
Shewonttalktome held the show spot as Ronald Sigler trainees Juba’s Parade and Shewonttalktome rounded out the triple.
A five-year-old Fiber Sonde mare owned and trained by Cynthia Mckee, Overnight Pow Wow notched her second win in four seasonal tries and now owns a stout 12-4-2 slate and over $428,000 banked from 21 career outings. A full-sister to state-bred stars Late Night Pow Wow, Muad’dib, and Duncan Idaho, Overnight Pow Wow is approaching the twilight of her racing career for McKee before she becomes a broodmare at her Beau Ridge Farm.
“After she crosses the wire in the Cavada, she’s done racing,” McKee said. “She’s had a realy good career already, and her bloodlines are already established. I was a little nervous when she drew the rail for this race, but Reshawn wasn’t worried. When she broke, I thought she would have the lead a little easier than what she did. But she finished up really well. I’m hoping to get another race in her locally before the Sadie Hawkins and the Cavada. But after the Cavada she’s done racing and she’ll be a broodmare.”
“She broke well and she relaxed for me even though there was another horse alongside us,” Latchman said. “But I had confidence in her the whole way around there. When we turned for home I knew she still had plenty left.”
McKee completed the late double one race later. Catch the Humor, a five-year-old Girvin gelding she owns and trains, lived up to his role as the 8-5 favorite in a two-turn allowance for older runners when he rallied from off the pace under Denis Araujo and swept past the dueling leaders on the far turn en route to a 1 1/2-length score. Catch the Humor, who prevailed sharply in his seasonal debut, now owns six wins from 12 career tries after getting the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:19.11.
Two races prior to the stakes, Mayorofgreencounty (J.D. Acosta) forged a $15.60 upset in a two-turn allowance for state-breds when he gained command soon after the break, rebuffed pace pressure early then just outlasted the late bid of 24-1 outsider Fiber Proof late for a half-length score. A sophomore son of Mitole trained by Anthony Farrior for owner-breeder James F. Miller, Mayorofgreencounty recorded his second straight triumph and second tally from four career tries while getting the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:20.48.
Then two races earlier, Gimmethatsugar (Antonio Lopez) delivered a modest upset in a two-turn allowance for state-bred older runners when he rallied from off the pace and overhauled Coach Siggy in the lane for a 2 1/2-length score. A four-year-old Candygram gelding trained by Kristy Petty for her son Allen W. Casey, Gimmethatsugar posted his first win in two seasonal outings and now owns a 3-5-5 slate and over $110,000 banked from 20 career tries after getting the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:19.94 as the 9-2 third choice.
Two races earlier, Over the Bull (Denis Araujo) registered a 25-1 shocker in a two-turn allowance/optional $15,000 claimer for state-bred fillies and mares when she rallied to split horses late and outkick 2-1 second choice Our Memories for a neck score. A four-year-old daughter of Bullsbay owned, bred and trained by Michael Sterling, Over the Bull recorded her first win from four seasonal outings and now owns a 4-2-4 slate and nearly $120,000 banked from 20 career tries after getting the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:20.85.
NOTES After the last race was made official on Saturday night, Charles Town announced there will be a carryover of slightly more than $100,000 heading into Thursday’s pick-six sequence (races 4-9). The track will also offer a mandatory payout on the Pick 6 that night.
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