Ted Black
October 14, 2023
Among the primary 4 races on the cardboard on Saturday night time for the thirty seventh version of the West Virginia Breeders Classics have been a pair of two-turn occasions state-bred for juveniles, and the outcomes advised the winners will likely be heard from once more later this fall and effectively into the longer term.
That could also be very true of Direct the Cat, winner of the $75,000 West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders Classics for two-year-old fillies. Direct the Cat, with Reshawn Latchman up, gave her backers and connections a number of anxious moments proper after the break, however inside a matter of strides she had labored her technique to the entrance and she or he merely romped home as a lot the most effective a dozen lengths clear because the 1-5 favourite for her second straight stakes rating by getting the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:19.28 for owner-trainer Cynthia McKee.
Direct the Cat now has received three straight, and whereas the primary two – by mixed margins of practically 18 lengths – have been spectacular, this one answered any lingering questions. This filly’s not solely quick, however she can also carry her pace.
“I was sick all week worried about this filly,” McKee mentioned after Direct the Cat notched her third win in 5 profession outings and pushed her lifetime bankroll previous $110,000. “I was worried how she would handle the distance. I was worried how she would handle the sloppy track. I was just worried sick all week. But she overcame it all to win tonight. She’s really, really nice. I think she’ll stay here to go in the Eleanor Casey and the West Virginia Futurity then she’ll go to the farm after that.”
“She got squeezed a little bit at the start, but once she settled into stride, she was really good,” Latchman mentioned. “She’s got so much natural speed and she’s very talented. Once she made the lead down the backside she was doing it on her own after that. She’s really nice.”
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Direct the Cat, a daughter of recent stallion Redirect, crossed the wire with a time that was greater than three-fifths sooner than that recorded by the boys within the opener.
In that boys race, the $75,000 West Virginia Vincent Moscarelli Memorial Breeders Classic, each the winner and runner-up have change into effectively acquainted in recent months and can probably see extra of 1 within the close to future.
Jubawithatwist (Gustavo Larrosa) and King Kontie (Fredy Peltroche) had dead-heated for the win within the $75,000 Henry Mercer Memorial Stakes right here 15 days earlier and people two would vie for favoritism, with Jubawithatwist going off at 3-5, whereas King Kontie was 7-5. Every different horse was in double digits.
Once once more, the duo could be just about inseparable by way of a lot the race. In almost an immediate replay of the Mercer, King Kontie carved out many of the early fractions, then was joined by Jubawithatwist on the far flip. This time, although, regardless of operating erratically, there was some daylight between them on the wire as Jubawithatwist prevailed by 1 ½ lengths because the 3-5 favourite in 1:19.97.
A juvenile son of Juba owned and skilled by Kristy Petty, Jubawithatwist notched his second straight stakes tally – really his first one outright – and now owns three wins and simply over $110,000 banked from 5 profession tries. Third two begins again within the Timonium Juvenile and second one race prior within the Hickory Tree Stakes at Colonial Downs, Jubawithatwist impressed his rider and owner-trainer along with his gritty effort.
“I really think he’s going to be even better at three,” mentioned Larrosa, who finally would win the primary three races on the cardboard, with all three winners sired by Juba. “He’s getting better with each start. Today I knew I could sit just off the speed and then let him go a little on the far turn. I had plenty of horse and when that other one [King Kontie] fought back a little, he really dug in for me.”
“He was training great since that last race,” Petty mentioned. “He lugged in a little bit late in the Mercer and that probably cost him the [outright] win. But tonight he was in a perfect spot the whole way. I had every confidence that he would go by that other horse tonight. He lugged in a little but again, but then once Gustavo got him straightened away, he was really good.”
