For Now, Nine Expected to Race in WV Derby
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A field of 11 that appeared headed for at most seven starters for the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. I) Aug. 1 at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort was back up to nine two days before the race.
The uncertainty over the field is the result of a Thoroughbred racing schedule that will offer four stakes—three of them graded—for 3-year-old males going two turns the weekend of July 31-Aug. 2. Multiple horses were cross-entered, and on July 29, a day before the draw, Monmouth Park announced it had jacked up the purse for Aug. 2 William Hill Haskell Invitational (gr. I) from $1 million to $1.75 million.
The purse hike announcement came just after the draw for the Aug. 1 Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course. Two colts entered in the New York race were being considered for the Haskell, according Monmouth releases.
Mountaineer officials received word the morning of July 30 that War Story, trained by Jeff Radosevich, and Tommy Macho, trained by Todd Pletcher, would race in the West Virginia Derby. Tommy Macho was cross-entered in the $100,000 Curlin Stakes July 31 at Saratoga, while War Story's connections indicated via Twitter during the week that the colt would be entered in the Haskell.
Pletcher already had committed Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) winner Madefromlucky to the Mountaineer race. Tekton, trained by Anthony Dutrow, was entered in the Curlin, West Virginia Derby, and Jim Dandy, and was listed as under consideration for the Haskell.
So, as of Thursday morning, the field for the West Virginia Derby looked like this, in post-position order: Tommy Macho, Alliseeisgold, Tale of Verve, War Story, Iron Fist, Bent On Bourbon, Thirtysilverpieces, Madefromlucky, and Souper Colossal. The other two that were entered but not expected to race at Mountaineer are Stanford and Tekton.
"That's the story," a Mountaineer official said Thursday morning, "at least for the next hour."