Eliminations held for Virginia Day of Champions

October 17, 2007

Virginia-bred 2 year olds prepped for the $350,000 Virginia Harness Day of Champions with six eliminations Tuesday night at Colonial Downs, with the splits for freshman colt and gelding pacers won by First Rate and Boss Outlaw.

Pot Luck Stable�s First Rate went off at 1-20 in the first elimination and lived up to expectations by leading every step of the way for driver Tim Curtin. The Real Artist gelding cruised through glacial early fractions before unleashing a devastating :26.1 final quarter to win by 3 1/4 lengths over Happy Trip with Blueridge Cherub another 4 3/4 lengths back in third. First Rate paced the mile in 1:53.3 and scored his fourth win from six starts for trainer Sam Beegle.

Boss Outlaw also went gate to wire in his division. The JK Outlaw colt was pushed through faster fractions en route to a 2 1/4-length victory in 1:51.4. Blueridge Finance was second and the Curtin/Beegle combo picked up another contender for the final with Liteninstrikstwice�s third-place finish.

James Coughlin owns and trains Boss Outlaw, a winner of six of eight starts in his nascent career.

The 2-year-old filly pacers also contested two eliminations, both won by even money favorites after closer than expected duels.

Pamela Wagner�s One More Hug rallied to win the faster division by one length over 24-1 shot Caviart Cimarron. One More Hug made an electrifying first-over move on the turn to reach contention and looked home free in midstretch after powering past pacesetter Pink Sweater.

Caviart Cimarron rallied strongly inside, however, to push One More Hug in the final eighth before settling for second. Pink Sweater held on well for third.

Manley Brown Jr. trains One More Hug and leading driver Dave Ingraham guided the Real Artist filly to the win in 1:53.4.

Sweet Bobbie Ann gave Curtin his second win of the night with a gritty neck victory in the second elimination. The Dragon Again filly swept past pacesetter Sugar Bunny at the eighth pole but could not subdue that stubborn rival. Sugar Bunny fought back along the inside to engage the favorite in a tense stretch duel but Sweet Bobbie Ann fought on to secure the win in 1:54.2. Southern Blue was four lengths back in third.

Robert Myers trains Sweet Bobbie Ann for owner John Myers.

The Virginia-bred trotters enjoyed less pressured races with just one prep for colts and geldings and one prep for fillies in which all starters were guaranteed spots in the rich finals.

Keystone Callie scored a stylish front-stepping victory over nine rivals in the 2-year-old filly trot prep. The Angus Hall filly shot straight to the lead for driver John Wager and was never seriously challenged through a mile in 1:57.4. Blueridge Saprisa closed well to get second, 1 1/4 lengths behind Keystone Callie and a length ahead of Dreamanda, who finished third as the 6-5 favorite.

Brown trains Keystone Callie for Pamela Wagner.

Wagner, Brown and Ingraham picked up yet another winner in the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot prep as Chiselled blew by the field in midstretch to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:56.2. The Kadabra gelding just missed Super Chuck�s track record of 1:56.1.

Electric Chicken finished second with Seven Bends another 3 1/4 lengths back in third but 15 lengths clear of fourth-place finisher Misterio.

The Virginia Harness Day of Champions will feature eight finals on Saturday, Oct. 27, with a special 1 p.m. post time. The 3-year-old Virginia-breds will have their preps on Saturday, Oct. 20. (Colonial Downs)

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