Mark Russell’s Russell Road ran his record to eight-for-eight in West Virginia-bred stakes with a victory in the $51,100 A Heuvo Stakes at Charles Town Races & Slots Nov. 21.
With Travis Dunkelberger riding for trainer James W. Casey, Russell Road easily won the 1 1/8-mile event by eight lengths over Dancin Baker. Peaceful Bliss finished third. The final time was 1:52.66 on a fast track.
The winner was the heavy favorite at 0.10-1 and forced a minus place pool of more than $20,000.
Russell Road, a 3-year-old gelding by Wheaton out of the Verification mare Roberta Grump, has won seven of nine starts this year for earnings of $476,295. In his previous start, Russell Road won the West Virginia Breeders Classic, which carried a first-place payday of $234,000.
Overall, Russell Road has won 12 of 15 starts with a second and a third. He has won 10 stakes.
Earlier this year, Russell Road, bred by Robert Lloyd, won the open Dancing Count Stakes at Laurel Park in Maryland. He then finished fifth in the grade III Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, and since that race has competed solely at Charles Town.
Russell Road won the open Blue and Gold Stakes at Charles Town in April, and finished third behind Big Drama and Bunker Hill in the open Red Legend Stakes at the West Virginia track in July.
