Kelsey Wagner’s Brooksforreal won his ninth straight race in wire-to-wire fashion and track record time Sunday in the $90,975 Virginia Breeder’s divisional championship for 2-Year-Old Colt & Gelding pacers at Shenandoah Downs. A total of eight Breeder’s titles for 2 and 3-year-olds were contested with $720,265 in purse money on the line.
Trainer John Wagner’s pacer wired the field in two previous eliminations October 13 and 20 and established a new track mark in each of those for freshman gelding pacers — in 1:56.0 and 1:54 1/5 respectively. Brooksforreal started Sunday from post two with Corey Braden in the bike against seven others, hit the opening quarter in :26 3/5 and half in :55 4/6 while maintaining a length-plus cushion over the Britney Dillion trainee, Paxamillion. The frontstepper opened up the second time around, crossing the third marker 3 1/2 lengths in front in 1:25 1/5 then cruised home in 1:53 3/5, 5 1/2 lengths the best.
With the win, Wagner’s star pacer’s bankroll surged to $170,502 from just 23 starts. Paxamillion, who completed a solid Breeder’s series, finished second while Caviart Farms’ Caviart Cash was third.
Next fastest winning mile Sunday was authored by Lawrence Cooper’s Caviart Simon in the $84,400 3-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace. The Always B Miki gelding had a win and a third in elimination action but picked it up a notch with more money on the line. Reinsman Archie Buford led the wire-to-wire effort and after opening up by five over Tracy Bradshaw’s runner-up Bgoing Away at the half, Cooper’s pacer never let up. He crossed in 1:54.0, 8 1/4 lengths the best. His previous best time in 25 starts was 1:55 2/5 in the second elimination race. Mary & John Bare’s The Marshal took third.
Caviart Farms’ Caviart Ainsley powered home in the stretch, catching and passing second place finisher Sweet Pirategirl just hefore the wire, to secure top spot in the $87,600 3-Year-Old Filly Pace title match. The daughter of Captain Crunch came within a fifth of her 1:55.0 previous best which was set at Pocono Downs. The Tony Alagna trainee was driven by 20-year-old William Carter who this past week, went over the $1 million mark in 2024 earnings. Anne McDonald owns the runner-up. Caviart Farms’ Caviart Dawn finished third. Fourth place finisher Caviart Sophie, also owned the Caviart group of Buck and Judy Chaffee, was sent off as the betting choice based on back-to-back elimination wins but broke at the start and in the stretch.
In 3-Year-Old Trotting finals, Jane Dunavant’s Pretty Two got his picture taken in the $86,000 Colt & Gelding bout while Nanticoke Racing Inc. & Delbert Cain’s Platinum Proposal took honors in the $90,000 Filly counterpart. Pretty Two, by Dusty Winner, competed in one early Breeder’s leg and prevailed in 2:01 1/5 and on Sunday, got to the front after departing the rail spot and never looked back, crossing by three over Kelsey Wagner’s Geralds A Keeper in a new life mark of 1:57 2/5. Cody Poliseno piloted the victor for Carlo Poliseno. Kelsey Wagner & Scott Woogen’s K J Dash finished third.
Platinum Proposal swept her three leg Breeder’s series, putting a cherry on top of her elimination wins with a wire-to-wire, three length victory over Marna Shehan’s Speedy Town in the final. Jim Morand was in the sulky for trainer Les Givens again and the E L Platinum filly did not disappoint after being sent off at odds of 1-9. She finished in 2:00 4/5 and increased her career earnings to $230,194. Jane Dunavant’s Glide Along finished third.
In 2-Year-Old Trotting finales, Kelsey Wagner’s Sweringmervin was best in the $92,175 Colt & Gelding Trot while Caviart Farms picked up their second championship trophy Sunday in the $94,500 filly category with Caviart Glory, who starred after leaving from outside post eight.
The former, who holds the track record time of 1:58 4/5 in that division, left from post four with Braden in the sulky. After triggering a 1:30 3/5 third fraction and holding a six-length cushion over two other Wagner horses — Roan Ridge and Magoo Will Do — the winner coasted home with a :30 4/5 closing quarter and was 2 1/2 lengths the best in 2:01 2/5.
Five of the seven entrants in the Filly Trot broke stride which opened the door for trainer Philip Scott Sonsteby’s Caviart Glory to triumph easily after securing a perfect pocket trip the first time around. Sonsteby, who was in the bike, led the Greenshoe filly past breaking leader Kat’s Fancy before the third fraction and went on to a nine-length victory in 1:59 1/5. In her sole elimination race, Caviart Glory wired the field and crossed 20 lengths in front. Kelsey Wagner & Scott Woogen’s K J The Thirteenth finished second on Sunday while Jane Dunavant’s Song Master took third.
In the final Breeder’s race, Scott Woogen’s K J Becky collected her first lifetime win in the $94,975 Filly Pace after being sent off at 8-1, highest odds of any stake winner Sunday. The daughter of Huntsille was fresh off respective sixth and second place finishes in the elimination rounds and left from post two with leading driver Fern Paquet, Jr. aboard. The Gary Messenger trainee maintained a one length lead over Elwood Tignor’s Mygirlmia through three-quarters then opened up a bit in the stretch and crossed in 1:57.0. The winner had been sent off at 20-1 in each her elims. D R Thompson, A L Stephens & L L Belcher’s Caviart Maria was second and Mygirlmia was third.
Combined with five $20,000 Breeder’s races for aged horses and a $10,000 winners over pace, over $800,000 in purse money was distributed Sunday. The Woodstock oval completed its ninth fall season as a pari-mutuel track and combined with its 2024 spring meet, raced a total of 28 days over 14 weeks. The track has applied for a pair of seven week meets again in 2025 and pending Virginia Racing Commission approval, will kick off its spring season April 26 and run through June 8. Fall dates are planned from September 13 – October 26. Details will be available at shenandoahdowns.com.
