Charles Town Cancels Saturday Racing; Third Straight Card Missed Due To Winter Storm

Charles Town Races in West Virginia will not run on Saturday evening, the track posted on Twitter early this afternoon.

It marks the third straight day Charles Town has been forced to cancel races after a winter storm brought snow and sub-freezing temperatures to much of the Northeastern United States.

Racing will resume on Wednesday, Jan. 12, a makeup card for Thursday, Jan. 6.

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Mandatory Pick 6 Payout Scheduled For Saturday’s Season-Ending Card At Charles Town

When Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races offers its final racing program of 2021 on Saturday evening, Dec. 18, it will also be offering horseplayers a value-added opportunity with a mandatory payout of the track's Pick 6 carryover.

The Charles Town 6-12 carryover currently stands at $141,910 with 2 cards remaining prior to its distribution. The Charles Town 6-12 is a jackpot style Pick 6 covering the final six races on each Charles Town card and carries a low 12-percent takeout.

Due to the low takeout and size of the carryover, the mandatory payouts of the Charles Town 6-12 have typically resulted in a players' advantage of upwards of 13 percent paid out on top of the gross pool on the night of the distribution.

The first race on Charles Town's Saturday night program is scheduled for its standard 7:00 P.M EST post time, with the Pick 6 sequence beginning in Race 4 at 8:30 P.M. EST and culminating with the evening's ninth and final event.

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NFL Legend, Savior Of West Virginia Horse Racing: Tribute Paid To Sam Huff At Memorial Service

“Sam Huff saved the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry in West Virginia.”

That declaration was made by Ken Lowe, the chairman of the West Virginia Racing Commission, as approximately 150 friends and business acquaintances gathered Monday afternoon at the Middleburg Community Center in Middleburg, VA. to pay tribute to Robert Lee “Sam” Huff. The Pro Football Hall of Fame football player and Thoroughbred owner and breeder died Nov. 13, 2021 from complications of dementia in Winchester, VA.

Lowe was one of several speakers at the service, which was held just a few furlongs from the farm where Huff lived with his longtime partner Carol Holden.

Among them was J.W. Marriott, Jr., the 89-year-old executive chairman of Marriott International, who fondly recalled Huff's long association with the company as the vice president for special markets.  He told the story about Huff's persistent request for one of the parking spots at Marriott headquarters that were reserved for Marriott board members.

Shortly after Mr. Marriott granted Huff's wish, several other vice presidents complained. So, Mr. Marriott told those who complained that those spots were reserved “for board members and anyone else in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”

Leonard Shapiro, a former sports writer and editor at The Washington Post, who co-authored Huff's autobiography “Tough Stuff,” talked about Huff's upbringing in a coal mining camp near Farmington, WV.

Frank Herzog, one of Huff's longtime radio broadcast partners covering the Washington Redskins, shared tales of their time together in press boxes across the country. (Huff spent more than 30 years as a broadcaster for the team.)

Keith McIntosh, a regional representative for Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, also made some remarks to the attendees.

The 35th edition of the West Virginia Breeders Classics, co-founded by Holden and Huff in 1987, was held Oct. 9, 2021. The event has now generated more than $29 million in purses for the breeders and horsemen of West Virginia. In recent years, Huff served as the chairman emeritus; Holden still serves as president.

Lowe read an official resolution honoring Huff from the West Virginia Racing Commission that read in part:

“Sam Huff's efforts grew the West Virginia Breeders Classics into a premier event, bringing local and national television coverage to showcase the State of West Virginia, Jefferson County, Charles Town and the hard working people of the racing and breeding industries of West Virginia…The West Virginia Racing Commission would like to issue this resolution in honor of Sam Huff for his support, contributions and unwavering dedication to the Thoroughbred racing industry, the West Virginia Racing Commission and the State of West Virginia.”

In addition to starting the West Virginia Breeders Classics, Huff and Holden co-hosted a syndicated weekly radio show called “Trackside” for many years on their Middleburg Broadcasting Network.

The service also featured a video highlighting Huff's coal mine experience, his popularity as a member of the New York Giants and the cover story on him in TIME magazine.

Also in attendance was trainer Graham Motion, who trained Huff's stakes-winning filly Bursting Forth.

The service concluded with some personal remarks from Huff's namesake and grandson Robert Lee Huff III and music provided by the Mount Pisgah Baptist Church's gospel chorus.

Contributions in Huff's name may be made to Aftercare Charles Town, PO Box 136, Ranson, WV 25438. The 501(c)(3) organization is responsible for rehoming Thoroughbred racehorses that have raced at Charles Town.

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Father Nelson Moves To Flowing Acres Farm In West Virginia

Father Nelson, a winning half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Champali, has been acquired by Michael Ingrassia's Flowing Acres Farm, and he will relocate to the Charles Town, W.V. farm for 2022.

The 16-year-old son of Unbridled's Song previously stood privately for a West Virginia breeder. He has sired just four foals, but two of them are winners.

Father Nelson was highly touted as a 2-year-old, but faced injury setbacks that kept him from making his debut until the summer of his 4-year-old season. He won one of seven starts before injury once again derailed his career, and led him to stud duty.

Bred in Kentucky by McKee Stables, Father Nelson is out of the winning Dixieland Band mare Radioactivity, whose 10 foals to race are all winners, including four-time Grade 3 winner Champali, multiple stakes winner Drexel Monorail, and trio of stakes-producing fillies. His extended family includes Grade 3 winner Shemozzle and Irish Group 1-placed Oakworth.

“We decided after visiting and inspection of Father Nelson that he is ready for continuation of his stud career,” Ingrassia said. “He is truly remarkable specimen and has matured beautifully through the years, and is ready to continue on his sires world class legacy. Based on his world-class pedigree and the proven  success from his immediate family members it is our belief that he is a must-breed stallion.”

Father Nelson joins a roster at Flowing Acres that also includes Lukes Alley, Hello Broadway, Duke of Mischief, and Lord of Greatness. They will all stand for a complementary fee to approved mares.

“We believe the five stallions we present to the horsemen of West Virginia will continue to make the quality of racing in West Virginia grow to compete not just within the state's sire program, but be able to go on the road and compete in top events in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.”

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