Second on debut two weeks ago, Gurney Halleck turned the tables with a rallying victory in the Henry Mercer Memorial Stakes at Charles Town Races.
In the first Charles Town stakes for two-year-olds – and a preview of next month’s WV Breeders Classics – Im the Director and Diakonissa scored.
A pair of Charles Town stakes – one on Friday and one on Saturday – put 2-year-olds in the spotlight for the first time this year.
King Kontie and Jubawithatwist shared top honors as they dead-heated for the Henry Mercer Memorial Stakes win at Charles Town.
Two-year-old West Virginia-breds will square off in a wide-open renewal of the Henry Mercer Memorial Stakes at Charles Town, and Powered by Love is favored.
Upsets were the order of the day at Charles Town Saturday as Paymengold (23-1) and Lightning Runner (12-1) took a pair of juvenile stakes.
Trainer Jeff Runco will saddle the morning line favorite for both of Saturday’s 2-year-old Charles Town stakes with Xcellent Start and Sail On Breeze.
Fancy Her Up dominated the Rachel’s Turn Stakes in fast time on a Charles Town card where veteran Hypothesis and Run to Daylight also won stakes.
Familiar foes – Golden Key, Aaron’s Tap and Hypothesis – meet in Saturday’s Last Enchantment S. at Charles Town, and juveniles meet in two other stakes.
Runnin’toluvya outdueled rival Penguin Power to win the Gall Memorial, and sire Juba got his first stakes winner on a night of stakes at Charles Town.