Coleswood Sweeps Lucrative WV-Bred Stakes

The trip from Charles Town Aug. 6 proved lucrative for Coleswood Farm, which swept both $100,000 West Virginia-bred stakes at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort on its West Virginia Derby (gr. II) program.

In the Fairway, who has come to life since being gelding after the 2015 season, took the Northern Panhandle for 3-year-olds and older, while Spa Creek won the Hancock County Stakes for fillies and mares. Both races were at six furlongs.

A milestone was achieved in the Northern Panhandle, when Mark Russell's 10-year-old gelding Russell Road cleared the $2 million mark in earnings with a game second-place finish.

In the Fairway, a 6-year-old homebred by Posse  , took advantage of a contested pace and advantageous outside position under jockey Arnaldo Bocachica to run down Russell Road, who broke from the rail and dueled for the lead but didn't get to the center of the track until the stretch. The rail wasn't the place to be in the first four races. 

"He's a good horse," trainer Jeff Runco said of Russell Road, "but (In the Fairway) got a great trip and the race really set up for him. All he wants to do now is run (since he was gelded). It's like the new youth movement."

In the Fairway, who paid $8 to win as the third choice and covered six furlongs in 1:10.58 on a track rated fast, finished 6 1/2 lengths ahead of Russell Road, who had three-quarters of a length on Feelin Great. In the Fairway, a 13-time winner, cleared the $500,000 mark in earnings with the Northern Panhandle win. 

Russell was on hand to watch Russell Road, one of the most popular horses to ever race at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.

"He has so much heart," the owner said. "He loves to compete, and that's why he has been hanging around for this long. I couldn't be more proud of him. He was inside, and the race set up for outside closers."

In the Hancock County, Runco had two entrants: Navy Ribbon, undefeated in seven starts but stuck in post 1, and Spa Creek, a seven-time winner who drew post 7.

Navy Ribbon, a 4-year-old Pure Prize filly, dueled early and gradually dropped back along the rail. Spa Creek, a 6-year-old Smoke Glacken mare who raced in last of 11 at the first call, circled widest of all, nailed the speed, and pulled away to win by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:11.25 for six furlongs on a track rated fast. 

"We talked about this week," said Runco, whose Coleswood Farm owns Rutledge Farm-bred Spa Creek in partnership with David Raim. "It was a solid group. (Navy Ribbon) had the one post, and I wasn't wild about that. It turned out to be a terrific race set-up for Spa Creek. There was a lot of speed, so I told (jockey Luis Quinones), 'I'll see you in the winner's circle. This sets up for us.' I think the outside was the place to be."

Spa Creek, who paid $20.60 to win, won by 2 1/4 lengths over Moonshine Promise, with favored Red Hot Diva another length back in third.