Harlan's Destiny Back With State Breds in Cavada
Looking at the last 3 starts for James F. Miller’s Harlan’s Destiny reveals fifth, seventh and four place finishes – on the surface, a record hardly worth of earning a horse the status of the 7-to-5 morning line favorite in a $150,000 race. However, when the string of outings comes in the Bourbonette Oaks (G3) at Turfway, Beaumont (G2) at Keeneland and a $75,000 stakes at Prairie Meadows where she ran into the likes of multiple graded winner Sarah Sis among others, it’s easy to see why the filly by Harlan’s Holiday will assume the role as the horse to beat in a group of 7 West Virginia-breds set to contest the $150,000 West Virginia Cavada Breeders’ Classic as part of the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics XXIX program on Saturday night.
While she’s spent the first part of her three-year-old season battling in graded stakes company, Harlan’s Destiny has won all 3 of her starts against West Virginia-bred company to date, including a win in last year’s West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders’ Classic. In between victories in the Breeders’ Classic and Eleanor Casey Memorial in 2014, Miller’s homebred filly captured an allowance race at Churchill Downs.
After some time off following an injury that occurred at the beginning of her start at Prairie Meadows, Harlan’s Destiny returns to the scene where she’s never lost in hopes of adding a second Breeders’ Classic race to her resume.
Conditioned by Wayne Catalano for the first 8 starts of her career, Harlan’s Destiny will be making her first start while under the care of Charles Town’s leading trainer, Jeff Runco, while Jevian Toledo has the mount.
Both Miller and Runco will be represented by other separate interests in the Cavada as the Miller owned Henny’s Princess – herself the winner of the West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders’ Classic in 2013 for trainer Keturah Obed-Letts – and the Runco trained Pocket Gift will be a part of the field. Owned by Silverton Hill, Pocket Gift most recently beat the talented Cuppa Mocha Mojo, who she will meet again on Saturday night, in the Ann Hilton Handicap.
Red Hot Diva, the second choice on the morning line at 5-to-2, will also be looking for her second victory in a Breeders’ Classics event after winning the Breeders’ Classic Distaff in 2013. The Ollie Figgins III trainee has the services of Travis Dunkelberger on Saturdayevening.
Hattie B and Dora Dora complete the lineup for the 7 Furlong Cavada.
The Cavada is set as the seventh race on Saturday night’s card with a post time of 10:10pm EST.
$150,000 WEST VIRGINIA CAVADA BREEDERS CLASSIC (WV)
October 10, 2015
Race 7 – Post time 10:10pm EST
F&M 3&up, 7 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Henny’s Princess, Gustavo Larrosa, 122, Keturah E. Obed-Letts
2. Harlan’s Destiny, Jevian Toledo, 119, Jeff C. Runco
3. Cuppa Mocha Mojo, Jose Montano, 122, David Walters
4. Red Hot Diva, Travis L. Dunkelberger, 122, Ollie L. Figgins, III
5. Hattie B, Luis Raul Rivera, 122, Sandra A. Dono
6. Pocket Gift, Arnaldo Bocachica, 122, Jeff C. Runco
7. Dora Dora, Xavier Perez, 122, Katharine M. Voss
Source: Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races