Doppelganger lead Charles Town Classic field
At 0h54, on August 23, 2023 • By CHARLES TOWN
When the unfortunate news broke last week of the passing of Bruce Lunsford’s two-time defending Charles Town Classic champion Art Collector due to complications of laminitis, it left a hole not only in the barn of trainer Bill Mott but also in the race he was looking to become the first three-time winner of.
As a result, a full field of 10 runners with one alternate will head to the gate Friday night as the Grade 2, $1,000,000 Charles Town Classic looks to crown its first new champion since Sleepy Eyes Todd took the 2020 edition of West Virginia’s richest race.
Grade 1-winner Doppelganger, multiple graded-stakes winner Skippylongstocking and late entrant Giant Game now will find themselves vying for favoritism in this year’s Charles Town Classic.
Trainer Brittany Russell will send out Doppelganger, winner of the Carter Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct this April. The 4-year-old son of top sire Into Mischief is coming off a win in the Battery Park Stakes at Delaware Park. Russell also took advantage of her stable’s proximity to Charles Town to get Doppelganger a work over the track and under the lights, which can be a variable for many runners racing at Charles Town for the first time. Working between races last Thursday, Doppelganger was credited with a half mile in 46.60 seconds and a robust gallop out in 59.40, indicating his readiness for Friday’s contest.
Doppelganger has the lone North American Grade 1 victory in this year’s field, but Skippylongstocking may attract more attention at the betting windows in this year’s Classic. The 4-year-old son of Exaggerator has consistently kept good company in his races, with the Classic set to mark his 11th consecutive start in graded-stakes company.
The Charles Town Classic is scheduled as Race 11 on the card with a post time of 10:25 p.m. EDT.
