Coastal Mission, the overwhelming favorite for Saturday’s Funkhouser Memorial, will bypass that race and target the Grade 2 Cigar Mile.
The ageless Penguin Power is, to his connections’ amazement, still going strong at eight and recently became the first horse to win five WVBC races.
Coastal Mission passed his latest test with flying colors, winning the 1 1/8-mile Sam Huff WV Breeders Classic by nearly six lengths with consummate ease.
Trainer Jeff Runco has horses in six stakes Friday night at Charles Town, including Muad’dib, bidding for an upset in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic.
Jubawithatwist became Charles Town’s first two-year-old winner of the year on a June 30 card that featured first-out winners in starring roles.
Two-time WV-bred horse of the year Muad’dib snapped a brief losing streak June 16, and his connections are targeting the biggest local race.
In a deep and contentious renewal of the Confucius Say Stakes, Coastal Mission proved best in what amounted to his first local stakes try.
Muad’dib remained undefeated against WV-breds with a surprisingly tough score in the Randy Funkhouser Memorial Stakes Saturday at Charles Town.
Muad’dib withstood a strong challenge from an unexpected source to win the WV Breeders’ Classic for the second straight year.
Penguin Power scored in the WVBC Dash for Cash to become just the second horse to win four WVBC events.