September 16 racing highlights: Runnin’toluvya impresses
War Dancer won the PTHA President’s Cup. Photo By Taylor Ejdys/EQUI-PHOTO
From Staff Reports
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: Runnin’toluvya impresses in maiden score
Tim Grams trainee Runnin’toluvya wasn’t exactly ignored by the wagering public in last night’s first at Charles Town. But he wasn’t embraced either, going off as the 4.90-1 fourth choice in the $23,000 maiden special weight for juvenile West Virginia-breds.
Bettors probably won’t make that mistake again.
The Fiber Sonde gelding, ridden by Oscar Flores, blitzed the field by just over six lengths to win the 4 1/2 furlong test in a sharp time of 52.62 seconds. Favored Limehouser was a well-beaten second. For comparison purposes, a maiden special weight race for older state-bred distaff runners later in the card was a full second slower, checking in at 53.63 seconds.
Runnin’toluvya had finished second, with a trouble line, on debut and then followed that up with a disappointing seventh-place finish after rounding the turn seven wide on August 13. But he was showing two works in the interim, including a bullet half-mile in 47 4/5 seconds on September 9.
[su_divider top=”no” style=”double” divider_color=”#0b0c0c” size=”1″]BY THE NUMBERS: Handle
- Delaware Park: $1,331,928
- Charles Town: $730,005
- Penn National: $846,197
TODAY’S ACTION
- Tracks in action: Laurel Park, Penn National, Charles Town
- For full-card picks and analysis from Laurel Park, check out The GQ Approach.
- Struth (2-1) hasn’t been worse than second in six starts — but the Mike Trombetta trainee has been second in three straight. He’s favored in today’s seventh at Laurel, a $45,000 allowance test going one mile on the main track, and will have Trevor McCarthy up for the first time. Another Trombetta trainee who’s also a frequent bridesmaid, Flash McCaul (9-2), is the second choice and will have Alex Cintron aboard. He most recently was fifth in the Grover Delp Memorial Stakes last month at Delaware. Also of note: Mister Diz Stakes upset winner John Jones (10-1), who switches back to the main track at a distance he’s won three times. Luis Garcia is up.
- Chrome Mine (8-5) makes just her second start of the season this evening in a $24,500 allowance at Charles Town going 6 1/2 furlongs. The multiple stakes winner has won eight of 12 career starts but was fifth last out in a $100,000 stake at Mountaineer. Oscar Flores will ride for trainer David Walters. The Mineshaft mare’s stiffest competition may come from Settle ‘n Speight (3-1), who ran well last out when second behind next-out stake winner Southern Girl in a Delaware Park allowance. Wesley Ho will ride for Ollie Figgins.
