The WV Breeders Classic

10/16/2010   CT   Race #15   1 1/8m   Dirt   Stake Purse $500.000 For Three Year Olds And Upward Foaled In WV.

Defending champion Hold Tight was sent out the favorite for the WV Breeders Classic yesterday. Just behind him in the odds however was Middle East.  Though his bloodlines say sprint, his build and closing style suggested routing and the handicappers backed him closely to send him out second favorite.

Middle East repaid that trust to win the fourth running of the WV Breeders Classic, highlighting a day filled with stakes races at CT. Though a small field, each entry gave it their all and the fans came away satisfied.

The field was tightly bunched at the break and remained so for much of the race. They looked like a Blue Angels diamond formation in the early going.  Evoke had the lead but was closely stalked on either side by Easy as Pie on the rail and Hold Tight to his outside. Just a length behind them was Middle East.

Hold Tight took over the lead when the field hit the backstretch, but the rest were still at his heels full of fight, though Evoke was beginning to tire. The turn for home saw both Easy As Pie and Middle East close up ranks with Hold Tight for a three way pace deal.

Easy As Pie took a brief lead at the top of the stretch but he could not hold back Middle East, who pushed on to win driving by half a length. Easy As Pie was second with Hold Tight in at third by four lengths over Evoke.

Middle East is a sophomore autogen gelding that was developed by the owner. He enjoyed success on the statebred circuit and won his black type debut in the Coin Collector here at CT last June. He earned a career high 99 speed figure for effort yesterday and improves his record to 11-5-3 -1 with $403.700 in earnings.

Track: Fast
Time: :48   1:12³  1:37²  1:50¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 - 1 Paid 14.40

Scratched: None