Runaldo perseveres, prevails in West Virginia Breeders’ Classic
Runaldo, a 4-year-old Creative Cause gelding, made a determined run down the homestretch and outlasted odds-on favorite Jubawithatwist on Saturday night for a three-quarter-length upset in the $270,000 Sam Huff West Virginia Breeders’ Classic for state-bred horses at Charles Town.
A Huntertown Farm homebred son of Creative Cause, Runaldo (7-1) never had raced longer than seven furlongs in 11 previous starts. He was called as far back as 3 1/2 lengths in sixth place midway through the three-turn, 1 1/8-mile race. Ridden by Arnaldo Bocachica, a five-time winner Saturday, he started to move forward inside the last half-mile.
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Taking the three path out of the final turn, Runaldo gradually made up ground on Jubawithatwist (1-9), finally taking the lead at the eighth pole and holding on for his first stakes score.
The win was one of the four in stakes races Saturday night for trainer Jeff Runco, all of which came with Bocachica riding.
Jubawithatwist, who also raced from mid-pack, finished second. Muad’dib (9-1), who raced along the rail in the stretch just behind the top two, finished another half-length back in third. It was another 10 1/4 lengths to fourth-place Late in the Game (24-1) followed in order by I’m the Money Man (67-1), Lieutenant Brown (79-1), Sargent Kobe (115-1), half-mile leader Remys Showtime (174-1), Espresso (54-1) and quarter-mile and three-quarter pacesetter Juba’s Notion (56-1).
The winning time on the fast dirt track was 1:53.23 following early fractions of 24.83, 49.04, 1:14.67 and 1:39.84.
Runaldo paid $16.00, $3.60 and $2.20; Jubawithatwist $2.20 and $2.20; and Muad’dib $2.20.
Coming off a seven-furlong allowance win nearly two months ago at Charles Town, Runaldo upped his record to 12: 5-3-1 with the $135,000 first-place money bringing his career earnings to $228,326.
The race for 3-year-olds and up highlighted the 38th annual West Virginia Breeders’ Classics night, a card that had nine state-bred races worth $950,000 in added money.