Imperative, Page McKenney Return for Charles Town Classic

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Photo: Chad B. Harmon
Imperative wins 2014 Charles Town Classic

KM Racing Enterprise and J K Racing's Imperative and Adam Staple and Jalin Stable's Page McKenney, second and third, respectively, behind Moreno in last year's Charles Town Classic (gr. II), are among 10 older horses entered in the $1.25 million event April 23 at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.

The Classic, at 1 1/8 miles around three turns, is race 12 on a 13-race program that begins at the special post time of 12:45 p.m. EDT.

Imperative, who won the 2014 Charles Town Classic in his first local appearance, is one of three runners exiting the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), in which he finished an even fourth. The others are Hronis Racing's Hard Aces, who finished second to Melatonin, and Reddam Racing's Donworth, who came in seventh after a troubled trip and is the morning-line favorite for the Classic.

In 15 starts since his Charles Town win, Imperative hasn't won a race, but he has earned $750,000 in purse money. Trainer Richard Baltas has secured the services of jockey Mike Smith, who rode Imperative to a close second-place finish behind Hoppertunity in the San Antonio Stakes (gr. II) two starts back.

"I don't know if it's the turns or maybe it's the surface, but he sure does seem to like it (at Charles Town)," Baltas said. "He doesn't like the track really hard. The horse is doing great, and it looks like the Big 'Cap is coming up strong."

Effinex, third in the Santa Anita Handicap, returned to win the April 16 Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II).

"Mike (Smith) knows the horse," Baltas said. "He has been on him before and has been working him here in California before he left. He's not an easy horse to ride. You have to know when to time his move, so Mike's not going to move too early."

Imperative, a 6-year-old Bernardini   gelding, drew post 5 and, like seven others in the race, will carry 118 pounds because they haven't won a graded or group stakes in 2016. Page McKenney, winner of the grade III General George Stakes in February, and S'maverlous, who captured the grade II New Orleans Handicap in March, will carry 120 pounds.

MITCHELL: Page McKenney Sprints to General George Win

Page McKenney, a 6-year-old Eavesdropper gelding trained by Mary Eppler who will be ridden as usual by Horacio Karamanos, drew post 9 and is seeking the 17th win of his career. Earlier this year the former claimer cleared the $1 million mark in earnings in the Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel Park.

Page McKenney has raced once at Charles Town—in last year's Classic.

"He's coming into the race super," Eppler said. "There will only be two horses in the race that have run over the track, so that will be a plus for us. Last year was the first time Horacio Karamanos had ridden over the track, so that experience will help, too."

Gata Racing Stable's S'maverlous, claimed for $32,000 last year, was an easy winner of the New Orleans Handicap for trainer Mike Maker, who also entered Ken and Sarah Ramsey's International Star in the Charles Town Classic. The latter crossed the wire third in the New Orleans Handicap but was placed second on a disqualification to give Maker a one-two finish.

ANGST: S'maverlous Stuns New Orleans Handicap Field

S'maverlous, a 6-year-old Tiz Wonderful gelding, will be ridden by Jose Lezcano from post 3. International Star, a 4-year-old Fusaichi Pegasus   colt, will break from post 6 with Jose Ortiz.

"He's a versatile horse," Maker said of S'maverlous. "It looks like the pace could be pretty lively, so we'll tell Jose to let him break and let him take him where he wants to be. International Star likes to close, so it could set up well for him, too. He trains on a three-quarter-mile track, so there should be no problem with the track."

Donworth, a 4-year-old Tiznow   colt by trained by Doug O'Neill, finished third in the San Antonio in his first start for the trainer. He basically lost all chance when he clipped heels and was steadied at the three-eighths pole in the Santa Anita Handicap.

"Donworth is going to be free running early," O'Neill said. "And he should love the tighter turns."

The program includes six other stakes, including the $150,000 Sugar Maple presented by CANTER Mid-Atlantic for fillies and mares at seven furlongs.

Charles Town Classic S. (gr. II)

Hollywood Casino At Charles Town Races, Saturday, April 23, 2016, Race 12
  • 1 1/8m
  • Dirt
  • $1,250,000
  • 4 yo's & up
  • 6:05 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Sonny Inspired (MD) Jevian Toledo 118 Phil Schoenthal 20/1
2 2Charitable Annuity (WV) Antonio Lopez 118 James W. Casey 20/1
3 3S'maverlous (KY) Jose Lezcano 120 Michael J. Maker 10/1
4 4Donworth (KY) Mario Gutierrez 118 Doug F. O'Neill 3/1
5 5Imperative (KY) Mike E. Smith 118 Richard Baltas 7/2
6 6International Star (NY) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Michael J. Maker 8/1
7 7Stanford (KY) Javier Castellano 118 Todd A. Pletcher 9/2
8 8La Macchina (KY) Channing Hill 118 Otabek Umarov 15/1
9 9Page McKenney (PA) Horacio Karamanos 120 Mary E. Eppler 6/1
10 10Hard Aces (KY) Abel Lezcano 118 John W. Sadler 8/1
11 11Incremental (KY) Geovanni Franco 118 Otabek Umarov 20/1