Lucy's Bob Boy breaks decades-old mark at Charles Town

Lucy's Bob Boy, with jockey Gustavo Larrosa aboard, races to victory in the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders' Classic at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races on Oct. 20 in Charles Town, W.Va. The 3-year-old chestnut gelding broke a 36-year-old track record with his 17-length allowance win run over 6 1/2 furlong on Tuesday night. Courtesy photo

Daily Staff Report - sports@nvdaily.com

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- The 2012 West Virginia Breeders' Classic winner, Lucy's Bob Boy, returned to the allowance ranks in the Tuesday night feature at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races and responded by not only drubbing his three overmatched opponents in a 17-length victory, but also easily breaking the track record for 6 1/2 furlongs, stopping the clock in a final time of 1:16.44.

The previous track record had stood for nearly 37 years and was set by Jet Appeal back on Jan. 6, 1976.

After a runaway, eight-length victory in the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders' Classic back on Oct. 20, Lucy's Bob Boy dropped his next start against Russell Road in the $50,000 A Huevo on Nov. 17. While both of those races were at 1 1/8 miles, trainer Sandra Dono decided to shorten the son of Flatter back to Tuesday night's two-turn 6 1/2-furlong distance.

After dueling with second choice Golden Set, himself a winner of multiple West Virginia Breeders' Classics races, through fractions of :22.97 and :45.38, Lucy's Bob Boy gradually widened his lead over the final three furlongs and was able to break the long-standing track record under jockey Gustavo Larrosa by more than a half-second while carrying 10 pounds more than Jet Appeal did in his record setting effort.