Penguin Power will attempt to win a West Virginia Breeders’ Classic race for the sixth consecutive year Saturday night when he goes in the $75,000 Dash for Cash at Charles Town. The sprint is one of 10 stakes on a card led by the $300,000 Sam Huff West Virginia Breeders’ Classic that drew the up-and-coming Jubawithatwist and past winner Muad’dib. Purses for the West Virginia-bred races total more than $1 million. Penguin Power is trained by Jeff Runco, who has starters in all 10 races on Saturday. The horse has been a mainstay for the barn, winning his first West Virginia Breeders’ Classic race, the Onion Juice, in 2019. Penguin Power then took the two-turn stakes again in 2020 and 2021 before moving over to the Dash for Cash and winning the 4 1/2-furlong stakes in 2022 and 2023. “He’s been doing four and a half pretty much the last two years,” Runco said. “As he’s gotten older, he’s happier training light and running short.” :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Penguin Power, who is now 9, won the Last Enchantment, an overnight stakes, in his most recent out Aug. 23 at Charles Town. “He ran great,” Runco said. The win was a testament to the horse’s longevity. “He’s a big, sturdy horse, and we don’t race him a lot every year,” Runco said. “He’s just a tough old guy. He loves to run and as soon as he tells us he doesn’t want to, he’ll be retired to a really great place.” Penguin Power began his career on Sept. 21, 2017. He races for David M. Raim, who named him for one of his favorite animals, penguins, Runco said. “We bought him as a yearling,” Runco said. “Liked the pedigree. That mare has had a lot of good horses. He was a big, sturdy horse. He looked like a racehorse.” Penguin Power is by Fiber Sonde, the same sire as Muad’dib. Muad’dib, who also races for Raim and is trained by Runco, will be seeking to win the Classic for the third time Saturday. The race, which is for 3-year-olds and up over 1 1/8 miles, drew 14. The gate for the three-turn race is capped at 10. Muad’dib enters off a runner-up finish in an allowance held over 1 1/16 miles Sept. 19 at Charles Town. “He just missed in the prep for this race three and a half weeks ago,” Runco said. “He’s getting a little older. A few years ago, he was pretty much unbeatable. He’s a little older, but he can still bring a good race.” Muad’dib will break from post 3. “I think he’ll be like he normally is, sitting in third or fourth, the second tier of horses,” Runco said. “You never know how it’s going to set up.” Runco won this race last year with Coastal Mission, the reigning West Virginia-bred of the year who will pass on Saturday night’s renewal as the timing is too tight off his win in the $300,000 Parx Mile on Sept. 21, Runco said. Runco said Coastal Mission is eyeing a return trip to the Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile on Dec. 7 at Aqueduct, a race in which he finished a troubled fifth last year. He will prep in the Grade 3, $250,000 Forty Niner at the Belmont at Big A meet on Oct. 26. “He ran a heck of a race at Parx and we thought we needed to give him more time, the proper amount of time,” Runco said. Muad’dib could start as the second choice in the Classic behind Jubawithatwist, who is stretching out in distance off a fourth-place finish in the Robert Hilton Memorial on Aug. 23 at Charles Town. He’s also returning to the West Virginia-bred ranks off that race, which has produced a Breeders’ Cup Sprint candidate in runner-up Bentornato. Jubawithatwist had won four straight races leading into the Hilton, all at Charles Town. His streak came at distances of 4 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. Jubawithatwist will start from post 7 for trainer Kristy Petty. Overall, the horse is 8 for 11 at Charles Town. Muad’dib is 16 for 26 at Charles Town. The second-richest race on the card is the $125,000 Cavada for fillies and mares over seven furlongs. It’s a two-turn race at Charles Town. “I think this is probably one of the most competitive races of the evening,” said Runco, who will saddle Barbers Point. Barbers Point was the runner-up in the Sadie Hawkins last out at Charles Town. The winner of the race, Hessica, also returns in the Cavada, a race she has won two times. Barbers Point will break from the rail Saturday. “She got the inside post and she’ll be able to save some ground,” Runco said. “She’ll be up there close.” Hessica is chasing after her third straight win, following an allowance and the Sadie Hawkins. She will start from post 5 for Petty. Runco has a promising 2-year-old in the $75,000 Vincent Moscarelli Memorial in Annapolis Road. The 6 1/2-furlong race will be run around two turns at Charles Town. “He just missed going four and a half in the stakes last time,” Runco said. “It’s really not his distance. Stretching out will really help him. He’s doing great, looks like a million dollars.” Annapolis Road is a son of Outwork who won his debut at Charles Town before the stakes-placing in his last start Sept. 21. He will start from post 5. “There’s a couple of decent 2-year-olds in here,” Runco said. “Hopefully, we get a good trip. We’re really excited about him.” ◗ You Bet a Fortune invades from Mountaineer for the $75,000 Russell Road to take on probable favorite Robbielikeshim for Runco. ◗ Direct the Cat, who is a six-time winner from nine starts, will be looking to get back in the win column in the $75,000 West Virginia Lottery. ◗ Runco trainee Zip Start could go favored when she meets winners for the first time in the $75,000 Triple Crown Nutrition. ◗ No Change seeks to defend his title in the $75,000 Onion Juice. ◗ Change the World brings competitive Beyer Speed Figures into the $75,000 Roger Ramey. ◗ Maggie’s Girl, a winner of two of her last three starts, is in sharp form heading into the $50,000 Blue and Gold. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.