Venue for April 21

[JolyB]

We've been following the trail of Derby prep races for several months now, and it's fitting that we did. Now, with the Derby field mostly fixed except for defections, it's time for a complete change of pace.

Unfortunately, Sagebrush Downs in Kamloops, B.C. has no racing in 2018, so we can't run the Forego Invitational Stakes. As an alternative, I'm thinking about a visit to wild and wonderful West Virginia for an afternoon at the Charles Town Races. They usually run their race card at night, but this Saturday is Charles Town Classic day, to be run in the afternoon. The condition book suggests a card of 13 races, but I'm hoping to shorten that to a more manageable number once entries are announced.

To get into the proper mood, please click on this link for John Denver's classic and West Virginia's state song.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=countr...R&pc=EUPP_DCJB

[RUFFIAN]

DRF STAKES LIST Does NOT show Charles Town At All
They Do Show A Bunch At Laurel
Anyone Know WHY DRF Stakes Is Not Listing CT?

***PS
I just called the racing form and they are also confused
Because they do not see a listing for Charles town
They’re going to check with the track and see what’s going on

Dixiana Elkhorn S.(Grade 2)
$250,000.00; 4 Year Olds And Up
1 1/2 Miles(Turf)

LAUREL
Federico Tesio S.
$125,000.00; 3 Year Olds
1 1/8 Miles

LAUREL
Weber City Miss S.
$125,000.00; 3 Year Olds
About 1 1/16 Miles

WOODBINE
Wando S.
$100,000.00; 3 Year Olds
1 1/16 Miles

LAUREL
Dahlia S.
$100,000.00; 3 Year Olds And Up
1 Mile(Turf)

AQUEDUCT
Woodhaven S.
$100,000.00; 3 Year Olds
1 1/16 Miles(Turf)

LAUREL
Primonetta S.
$100,000.00; 3 Year Olds And Up
6 Furlongs

LAUREL
Henry S. Clark S.
$100,000.00; 3 Year Olds And Up
1 Mile(Turf)

WOODBINE
Jacques Cartier S.
$100,000.00; 4 Year Olds And Up
6 Furlongs

AQUEDUCT
New York Stallion (Park Avenue Div.) S.
$100,000.00; 3 Year Olds

[JolyB]

Not to worry, Ruff. There are other sources of info than DRF. This came from the Bloodhorse Stakes Schedule:

Charles Town Classic (GII) CT Apr 21 $1,200k g 4&up 9f Dirt
Coin Collector S CT Apr 21 $50k g 3yo S 4.5f Dirt
Dance to Bristol S CT Apr 21 $100k g 4&up f/m 7f Dirt
It's Binn Too Long S CT Apr 21 $50k g 3yo f S 4.5f Dirt
Robert Hilton Memorial CT Apr 21 $85k g 3yo 7f Dirt
Russell Road S CT Apr 21 $50k g 3&up 7f Dirtl

The track website also is proudly announcing the Charles Town Classic, with a list of probable entrants.

Don't expect to see entries until tomorrow at the earliest.

[RUFFIAN]

Thanks JOLY
I sure will forward your information to DRF
Who should know better considering how long they’ve been around!

I thought maybe I was having a blonde moment
But then when I call DRF and they had no listing
My brain went into overload.

[Plenilune]

I like this site for stakes listings and they are listed for the entire year:

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...takes-calendar

[RUFFIAN]

Plenilune
Thanks so much for that information

All these years I have always used DRF STAKES SCHEDULE

(Twin Spires I Love For RESULTS As Each Winner Includes Pedigrees)

After this experience I think I will switch to the one you recommend

[JolyB]

Entries have been drawn for Saturday's races at Charles Town, a card that includes a group of small stakes races, many of them for West Virginia breds, and features the $1,200,000 Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. It's amazing what a track can do with slots enhanced purses. I noticed that both Javier Castellano and Irad Ortiz will be in town to ride the in Classic and a couple of other races on the undercard.

We will only play Races 1 through 11, with first post at 12:30 PM Eastern.

[DonGuido]

Originally Posted by JolyB

Entries have been drawn for Saturday's races at Charles Town, a card that includes a group of small stakes races, many of them for West Virginia breds, and features the $1,200,000 Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. It's amazing what a track can do with slots enhanced purses. I noticed that both Javier Castellano and Irad Ortiz will be in town to ride the in Classic and a couple of other races on the undercard.

We will only play Races 1 through 11, with first post at 12:30 PM Eastern.

I love it this time of year when some poor soul has to pick Charlestown and as some of you know I have been there at the Casino and all and it is BEAUTIFUL country . . . a canon balls shot from the confluence of the Shenandoha and Potomac Rivers (beautiful) . . . and one of the nearby cornerstones of our nations history at Harpers Ferry. Can't say much for the track but . . . it's racing. Way to go JB!!! I love it!!! And if you can figure out races at this track you must be related to the Devil or something close.

[RUFFIAN]

Would you consider beginning with race three...A Stakes Race
Due to an earlier post time for the Pacific Time zone (9:30am)

That gives us more time to check scratches in case we have to change something in our entry
...and it also is less races for the scorekeepers

[JolyB]

Originally Posted by RUFFIAN-333

Would you consider beginning with race three...A Stakes Race
Due to an earlier post time for the Pacific Time zone (9:30am)

That gives us more time to check scratches in case we have to change something in our entry
...and it also is less races for the scorekeepers

Ruffian, I'm going to stay with the original choice of Races 1 through 11. I already eliminated Races 12 and 13 out of deference to our hardworking scorekeepers and don't really want to carve up the race card by dropping some from the beginning and then more at the end of the card. I thought that ending our contest with the major stakes race would be the right thing to do.

I guess that I just don't consider 12:30 Eastern as an unrealistically early first post. On Derby Day and Preakness Day we will probably have first post times of much earlier than that. Your request uses the very early time in the Pacific time zone, but I don't think any on our players live in that time zone. If there are any, please tell me.

Hope that my choice of venue doesn't inconvenience you too much. With any luck there won't be too many scratches and changes. None of the races are scheduled for the turf, so we won't need to be concerned about MTO's or major scratches caused by races taken off the turf.

[JolyB]

Originally Posted by DonGuido

I love it this time of year when some poor soul has to pick Charlestown and as some of you know I have been there at the Casino and all and it is BEAUTIFUL country . . . a canon balls shot from the confluence of the Shenandoha and Potomac Rivers (beautiful) . . . and one of the nearby cornerstones of our nations history at Harpers Ferry. Can't say much for the track but . . . it's racing. Way to go JB!!! I love it!!! And if you can figure out races at this track you must be related to the Devil or something close.

I can't agree with you more, Don, especially about the beauty of the area. I once followed a map of a walking tour around Harpers Ferry and stopped at a spot at the top of a hill with a perfect view of the confluence of the two rivers. The map stated that Thomas Jefferson had called the view from that spot "the most sublime that he had ever seen", and given the site where he located his home at Monticello, he clearly knew a thing or two about sublime views.

I'm sure that you intended no puns with your reference to the "cannon balls' shot away", for the area is just steeped in Civil War history. Harpers Ferry was of course the site of John Brown's raid, and his subsequent trial occurred in the county seat of Charles Town, then part of the state of Virginia.

Best of luck figuring out the 11 puzzles we will confront on Saturday in Charles Town.

[RUFFIAN]

JOLY
Thank you for the information you offered

Although I live in Mountain Time Zone....
I was only being considerate of any players who lives in Pacific time

Delighted to hear there are no turf races as I did not realize that
Which does help in the number of scratches so I don’t have to worry
About having Cat Scratch Fever!

Thought that scoring just 9 races make the scorekeepers even happier

‘Twas Just A Suggestion of Good Will Purrrrrrrrrrrrrs