Runaldo, who posted a 7-1 upset in last month’s Sam Huff West Virginia Breeders Classic, will try to double up Saturday at Charles Town Races when he headlines the $75,000 Randy Funkhouser Memorial Stakes.

The Funkhouser, for older state-breds, is, like the Sam Huff, a 1 1/8-mile contest; and it concludes Charles Town’s stakes schedule for 2024.

Runaldo was up late to defeat 1-9 favorite Jubawithatwist in the Sam Huff, and he won’t have to contend with that rival here. In fact, only two others from the Sam Huff – show horse Muad’dib and fifth-place finisher I’m the Money Man – are among the nine scheduled to tangle with Runaldo.

Runaldo, a homebred for Huntertown Farm LLC, is trained by Jeff Runco. He has won five of 12 career starts, including two straight, while earning nearly $230,000. The Sam Huff was his first try beyond seven furlongs, and Saturday he will once again have Arnaldo Bocachica in the irons.

Runaldo has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite.

His top competition is likely to come from either Muad’dib (5-1) or No Change (3-1).

The seven-year-old Muad’dib, a gelding by Fiber Sonde, is on the cusp of $1 million in career earnings: close enough, in fact, that a win will put him over the top, while a second-place finish will leave him less than $100 shy.

Muad’dib has won 16 of 27 career starts, including this event in 2021 (when still contested as the A Huevo) and 2022. He also won the Sam Huff Breeders Classic in each of those years.

Bred by the late John McKee, Muad’dib is trained by Runco for longtime owner David Raim. Angel Cruz, aboard in the Sam Huff, has the return mount.

No Change is the Funkhouser’s defending champion, having parlayed a perfect trip under Marshall Mendez to a win in which he held off the late bid of Social Chic, with Muad’dib in third. He arrives off a win, too, having scored a one-length victory in the WVBC Onion Juice.

The six-year-old No Change is also by Fiber Sonde and also was bred by the late John McKee. He is trained by McKee’s widow Cynthia McKee for her own Beau Ridge Farm operation. A 17-time winner, No Change has amassed more than $540,000  in career earnings.

Marshall Mendez will ride.

Also entered is Robert L. Cole, Jr.’s Teachintherelease (7-2). A $20,000 claim back in June, Teachintherelease has since won two allowance races, as well as the Frank Gall Memorial Stakes Aug. 23 for Cole and trainer Stephen Murdock. He finished second behind No Change in the Onion Juice, leading for most of the way before being hauled in in the final furlong.

Teachintherelease likely will be first or second early, with the speedy Paymengold also likely to provide front-end zip. Breeder-owner-trainer Dewayne Johnson bypassed the WVBC races with the four-year-old Golden Lad gelding, who will enter this contest on a two-race win streak. Jevian Toledo will ride.

Others in the field include Jungle Beast, fourth in this race a year ago; Xcellent Start, an eight-length allowance winner last out; Onion Juice sixth-place finisher Royal Pain; Sam Huff fifth-place finisher I’m the Money Man; and last out allowance winner Bad Lineage.

The eight-race card is scheduled to kick off at 7:00 p.m., and the Funkhouser is the seventh race on the program.

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