Photo:

Charles Town / Coady Media

Runaldo, a 4-year-old Creative Cause gelding, made a
determined run down the homestretch and outlasted odds-on favorite Jubawithatwist on
Saturday night for a three-quarter-length upset in the $270,000 Sam Huff West Virginia Breeders’ Classic for state-bred horses at Charles Town.

A Huntertown Farm homebred son of Creative Cause, Runaldo (7-1)
never had raced longer than seven furlongs in 11 previous starts. He was called
as far back as 3 1/2 lengths in sixth place midway through the three-turn, 1
1/8-mile race. Ridden by Arnaldo Bocachica, a five-time winner Saturday, he started
to move forward inside the last half-mile.

Click here for Charles Town entries and results.

Taking the three path out of the final turn, Runaldo
gradually made up ground on Jubawithatwist (1-9), finally taking the lead at
the eighth pole and holding on for his first stakes score.

Jubawithatwist, who also raced from mid-pack, finished
second. Muad’dib (9-1), who raced along the rail in the stretch just behind the
top two, finished another half-length back in third. It was another 10 1/4
lengths to fourth-place Late in the Game (24-1) followed in order by I’m the
Money Man (67-1), Lieutenant Brown (79-1), Sargent Kobe (115-1), half-mile leader
Remys Showtime (174-1), Espresso (54-1) and quarter-mile and three-quarter
pacesetter Juba’s Notion (56-1).

The winning time on the fast dirt track was 1:53.23
following early fractions of 24.83, 49.04, 1:14.67 and 1:39.84.

Runaldo paid $16.00, $3.60 and $2.20; Jubawithatwist $2.20 and
$2.20; and Muad’dib $2.20.

Coming off a seven-furlong allowance win nearly two months
ago at Charles Town, Runaldo upped his record to 12: 5-3-1 for trainer Jeff Runco with the $135,000
first-place money bringing his career earnings to $228,326.

The race for 3-year-olds and up highlighted the 38th annual West Virginia Breeders’ Classics night, a card that had nine state-bred races worth $950,000 in added money.