Charles Town picks and horses to watch: July 22
Charles Town Races has an eight-race card on tap for this evening. Post time for the opener is 7:00 p.m., and we’ve got Charles Town picks.
Carryovers: Jackpot Pick 6, $45,190
- Laurel: Stakes winner Speedyness makes return FridaySpeedyness, winner of Laurel Park’s Miracle Wood Stakes earlier this year, returns from a six-month break Friday at that same track.
RACE
Race 1
CONTENDERS
1-3-2-4
ANALYSIS
Leading trainer Anthony Farrior has a pair in this maiden event for juveniles, and while #4 Country Charlie (8-5) is the morning line favorite, it sure seems notable that leading rider Bocachica, who’s ridden that runner in his first three outings, gets off to ride #1 Livin Large (5-2). This one’s been training forwardly at Laurel, but, though he’s a Maryland-bred, Farrior sends him to WV for his bow… #3 Butterscotchsundae (10-1) was slow leaving the gate on debut, and while that’s a problem in any 4 1/2-furlong race, it was compounded by his inside post position. Improvement expected today… Trainer Crystal Pickett is slated to send out a pair, including #2 Shake It Girl (7-2), whose lone work was a bullet move July 5…
Race 7
5-2-3-7
Top choice #5 Great Spirit (9-2) is a half-sister to the ultra-speedy Dr. Feelgood, a winner 13 times in 15 career starts and undefeated at 4 1/2 furlongs before his untimely demise. This one’s been training forwardly, arrives off a bullet half-mile July 5, and get Pickett’s go-to rider in Jose Montano (the two are 33% at the meet)… #2 Owe You One (2-1) was a pretty good third on debut versus the boys and would be no surprise at all in here, but the combination of Farrior, Boca, a decent debut and a bunch of first-time starters suggests to us the odds will only come down from here… #3 Xtraordinarymotion (3-1) had a credible debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis, finishing an even third. She can move forward in her second career outing… #7 Very Venus (15-1) has some pretty good siblings for Team McKee, including two-time stakes winner Silky Serena, who is a full sis and is favored in Saturday’s Sylvia Bishop Memorial Stakes…
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All good points, Frank. Love Charles Town 2 year old races. Frustrating that its end of July and there’s only been 1 2 year old race carded. And in race #3, Great Spirit is the probable winner in my opinion too. I’m going to try to beat her with Best Virginia. Contreras has sent out 7 sibs of Golden years over the last 2 years and everyone has fired. The 2 other half sib fillies of Great Spirit that Pickett has sent out(Got Your Number and Get The Sensation) in their debuts at 2 didn’t win and Got Your Number was 4-5 and ran a 6 beyer 2 years ago. I’m also putting in Appealing Road in to fill out exactas and tri’s. Three Chopt Road has to worse sire ever. 20-0-0-0 FTS with an average beyer of 13. But I like the dam and the works are good too.
Mrs Berra had 8 children but only one”Yogi”.
1st.”Country Charlie”seems to be”Living Large”
but I’ll give”Shake It Girl”a whirl.
3rd.(not 7th) It may be hard to “Best Virginia”
but Jill has”Great Spirit”ready to soar,feel free
to pour it on.
Not that anyone cares, but I’m off best Virginia because Javier has poor stats with first time starter/ first time blinkers
A little late but “Great Spirit”had them almost out of the gate.
Contreras can’t seem to get the contrariness out of them.