The Week In Review: State-Bred Stakes Winners Shine in Spotlight

With major Breeders' Cup prep races all in the books, this past weekend's stakes action focused on state-bred and -sired programs in West Virginia, Maryland and Louisiana. It wasn't difficult to find three standout horses who turned in headline-worthy efforts for smaller-scale outfits whose perseverance and accomplishments routinely fly beneath the radar.

Leading the charge at Charles Town was breeder/owner/trainer Cyndy McKee's Beau Ridge Farm, which won four of Saturday's night's 10 Breeders' Classic stakes for West Virginia-breds, and ran second and third with two other entrants.

“It felt like I was in a dream,” McKee told TDN Sunday afternoon.

Catch the Humor (Girvin) won the $75,000 Russell Road S. by 10 ½ lengths. It was the 3-year-old gelding's third career start.

Direct the Cat (Redirect) tallied by 9 1/4 lengths in the $75,000 West Virginia Lottery S., giving the 3-year-old filly seven victories in her last eight starts by a combined 68 lengths.

Overnight Pow Wow (Fiber Sonde), the only filly to have beaten Direct the Cat in the last 14 months, prevailed as the 7-10 favorite in the $125,000 Cavada S. as the lone 3-year-old against a field of older distaffers.

The 6-year-old gelding No Change (Fiber Sonde) captured the $75,000 Onion Juice S. at 4-1 odds.

“The one I was really shocked by was Humor,” McKee said of her 7-1 winner. “He had just broken his maiden in a field that looked like it was light. I figured, 'He's ready for it; if I get in I get in, and if I don't I don't.' I knew he wanted to run farther. We got in, and-that was it.”

Direct the Cat, who won at 1-10 odds, remains the “big horse” in McKee's barn, however.

After Overnight Pow Wow stopped her stablemate's win streak back on July 27 in the $75,000 Sylvia Bishop Memorial S. for state-bred 3-year-old fillies, McKee told TDN that Direct the Cat had been suffering from what was initially believed to be a superficial cut that happened when she won a July 4 seven-furlong, second-level open allowance at Charles Town by 15 ¼ lengths.

“She got what everyone at first thought was a minor cut on her hind leg,” McKee said on Sunday. “Another horse ran up on her and cut her.”

But the laceration turned out to be trickier to treat than it looked like it would be.

“It ended up being about $8,000 [in veterinary bills] getting her healed up,” McKee said.

That meant missed training for most of August before Direct the Cat “got back on her game,” McKee said.

“I would have loved to have had her in the [Aug. 23 GII Charles Town] Oaks with Pow Wow [who ran fourth at 44-1 odds],” McKee said. “But Direct the Cat missed all that with this 'minor' cut.”

Direct the Cat earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure on Saturday; Overnight Pow Wow a 77. McKee said she is contemplating shipping out of town for better money against open company.

“I don't know if I can find somewhere off the beaten track to try and get a shot at graded stakes placings for both these fillies,” McKee said. “I'll start looking [Monday].”

Earlier this year, McKee told TDN that operating Beau Ridge has been challenging since her husband, John, died at age 83 in 2023. The 170-acre spread,  just five miles from Charles Town, is home to 80 horses spread across four stables, plus a foaling barn, a show ring, and a three-eighths-mile training track. Both Redirect and Fiber Sonde stand there for $1,000 stud fees, as do three other stallions.

John had been a major force in establishing and being president of the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association, so the wins on Saturday were particularly special for Cyndy.

“It's great not only for the farm and the stallions, but also for the morale of the help-and the morale of me for continuing on without John,” McKee said. “That makes it all worthwhile.

“I told my crew [Saturday] night, 'Guys, y'all better love this moment, because I'm not sure we can ever do it again,” McKee said. “It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience-you better enjoy it.”

Homebreds Sweep Maryland…

A few hours earlier and 75 miles east of Charles Town, homebreds swept all eight of the stakes on the Jim McKay Maryland Million program at Laurel Park.

Brilliant Ice, a 5-year-old gelding owned and bred by Crystal Park Stables, uncorked a 5 1/4-length victory in the featured $150,000 Classic S. He earned a 94 Beyer, a career best in what was his first win beyond a mile.

“He is the great-grandson of the first horse that we ever owned,” said Phil Bartz, a principal of Crystal Park Stables, which was enjoying its first stakes win after several decades in the racing and breeding business.

Stretching to nine furlongs was a little bit of a question, but, Bartz said, “His grandmother, who we owned, won at a mile and eighth here. And the way he was finishing at a mile, we thought he could do it. I didn't think he would be this dominant, but it was awesome.”

Brilliant Ice was the first Maryland Million winner in 15 tries for trainer Annette Eubanks, who watched the race at home while recovering from a knee replacement. Earlier on the card she ran second in the $100,000 Sprint with even-money favorite Band Camp (Bandbox), a homebred gelding she owns in partnership with her son, Dan, of Rising Sun Racing Stables.

“It's very emotional because mom is not doing very good today. It's the biggest day of her career and she couldn't be here for it,” Dan Eubanks said. “[Brilliant Ice] ran huge. It's like a homebred for us and for them. We just missed with Band Camp, and it's just an awesome day. Mom's 80 years old and having her best year ever. This is amazing. These horses can break your heart, and sometimes they can make it.”

Bartz said of Eubanks: “She's been our trainer for over 30 years. We met her when she claimed Ice's great-grandmother away from us,” he added with a laugh.

“She's just phenomenal, She really cares about the animals, and that's why we stayed with her for so long.

“It just means everything,” Bartz summed up.

Let Freedom Ring…

Free Like a Girl (El Deal), a $5,500 auction buy in Louisiana as a yearling, edged closer to the $2-million earnings mark Friday night with career victory number 19 at 1-10 odds in the $100,000 Magnolia S. at Delta Downs for Louisiana-bred distaffers.

Those purse winnings represent about 363 times the value of her modest sales price.

With $1,979,978 in purses, the 5-year-old is the highest Louisiana-bred earner of all time. She was bred by sisters Kim Renee Stover and Lisa Osborne.

Trained by Chasey Deville Pomier (who was celebrating a birthday Friday) and owned in partnership owned by Pomier, Gerald Bruno Jr., and Jerry Caroom, Free Like a Girl's 84-Beyer effort represented a homecoming to Louisiana after more than half a year of punching far above her weight in out-of-town stakes.

Free Like a Girl's multi-track tour over the spring and summer included Grade 1 placings in the Apple Blossom H. in April at Oaklawn Park (third) and in the La Troienne S. in May at Churchill Downs (second). She also won the $500,000 Pink Ribbon S. at Charles Town in August.