Mountaineer to Open 2016 Season Saturday
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Photo: Coady Photography
Full fields highlight the return of live racing to Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort Saturday, April 16. A total of 94 horses (including also-eligibles) have been entered in the nine-race card which features a first-race post time of 7 p.m. ET.
Saturday's feature will be the $25,100 Welcome Back Dash, run at five furlongs on the main track for 3-year-olds and older. That event has drawn a field of eight, including last year's winner Jasizzle, stakes winner Dry Summer, and the multiple allowance winner Atlantic Bull.
"This is our 66th year of live racing; we're scheduled for 160 days, five cards per week on Saturdays through Wednesdays, from now through Nov. 26," said Rose Mary Williams, director of racing at Mountaineer.
The $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. II) will be run on Saturday, Aug. 6. Run at a distance of 1 1/8 miles for 3-year-olds, the Derby will again anchor a nine-race card comprised entirely of stakes for purses totaling $1.65 million. Post time on West Virginia Derby Day will be 2 p.m.
All other Mountaineer cards will be run at night. There will be no racing Monday, July 4. Turf racing, contested over the inner seven-furlong grass oval, will return May 1. The majority of races will occur on Mountaineer's dirt surface, which is one mile in circumference.