Campy Cash has class edge for Runco

Thursday’s card launches the third week back since Charles Town returned from its pandemic hiatus, and the enthusiasm has abated but little for activity in the MidAtlantic region. The nine-race card has drawn a solid average field size of 8.6 runners. The featured race is a competitive $28,000 allowance for fillies and mares who have never won two races

Campy Cash, bred in Florida but now based locally with trainer Jeff Runco, drops in class as she races at Charles

Town for the first time. The Race Day filly won her debut last August at Delaware Park, winning by 4 3/4 lengths and earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 68, the highest career number in this field of eight. She then finished second in the Hollywood Wildcat Stakes in September at Monmouth Park. She was then away from the races until January, when she finished 10th in the Gasparilla Stakes at Tampa Bay. Since then, she has been transferred from Keith Nations to Runco, and shows two published works in May at Charles Town. Arnaldo Bocachica will be in the irons for the first time.

Lucky Fever, who owns the second-best career Beyer in this field, is also looking to bounce back from a poor effort, and is also making her first start in the name of a local trainer. Lucky Fever won a maiden race in her 2-year-old finale last October on the turf at Indiana Grand for trainer Brandi Steele, earning a Beyer Figure of 64. However, in her lone start this year, she stopped badly while finishing eighth in a claiming race in April at Oaklawn Park. She has returned to post solid works at Oaklawn and Indiana, and will have Jose Montano aboard for trainer Clifford Tuomisto.

Both Campy Cash and Lucky Fever will be cutting back slightly for this 4 ½-furlong allowance. Campy Cash’s maiden victory came at 5 ½ furlongs, while Lucky Fever won at five furlongs.

Sweetonthegents and Adabel are coming off maiden victories at Charles Town and Laurel Park, respectively, with Sweetonthegents winning at 4 ½ furlongs. The consistent Nice n’ Broad, a three-time winner last year at Charles Town, has been on the board in all three of her starts this year, all Charles Town allowance races.