Im the Director and Annapolis Road split a pair of decisions in West Virginia-bred stakes action earlier in the fall. But with just one last state-bred stake for two-year-olds on the docket, only Im the Director is slated to face the starter.

Im the Director, a two-year-old Redirect gelding, is the 3-5 morning line favorite in Saturday evening’s $50,000 West Virginia Futurity. He’ll face seven others – but not Annapolis Road – in the Futurity, which is the eighth on a nine-race card.

Bred by the late John McKee, Im the Director is trained by his widow Cynthia McKee for her own Beau Ridge Farm operation. The gelding has had a busy campaign, making seven starts already, and while he’s crossed the finish line first in two of those, only one counted; in another, he was disqualified for impeding a rival.

That one win came in the 4 ½-furlong Henry Mercer Memorial Stakes, in which he held off the late bid of Annapolis Road. That rival turned the tables three weeks later, though, overhauling Im the Director in the Vincent Moscarelli Memorial on West Virginia Breeders Classics night.

Im the Director has made one start since, finishing second in an allowance contest November 7 following a very troubled trip. Regular pilot Marshall Mendez will ride.

Bail Is Denied, 7-2 on the morning line, has twice been the beneficiary of trouble involving Im the Director. The first time, Bail Is Denied was put up to first after finishing a distant second when Im the Director was disqualified for impeding a rival. And most recently, Im the Director’s traffic trouble helped Bail Is Denied to an allowance victory.

Trained by Ronald Sigler for Caseys Legacy LLC, Bail Is Denied, a Juba gelding, has two wins from six starts and was a well-beaten third in the Moscarelli Memorial. Wilfredo Santiago has the call.

The only other horse in single digits is John’s Notion (8-1), trained by Kristy Petty for Allen Casey. Like Bail Is Denied a Juba gelding, John’s Notion has a win from five starts and most recently was third, 3 ¾ lengths behind Bail Is Denied in that Nov. 7 allowance.

Gustavo Larrosa will ride.

The field also includes three trained by Ollie Figgins, III – recent maiden winner Bold Rock (10-1) along with maidens Alice’s Moon (12-1) and Bull Rider (50-1) – last-out maiden winner Jeannette the Jet (15-1) for trainer Jeff Runco; and This Juice B Loose (12-1), a winner at first asking who has yet to finish in the money in four tries against winners for trainer Anthony Lucas.

The West Virginia Futurity is carded as the eighth race on a card that kicks off at 7:00 p.m.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST OFF TO THE RACES RADIO!