Carve Sharp Again in WV Governor's Stakes
Image:
Description:
Carve made his sixth start of the year Aug. 2 and came away with his fourth victory of 2014 in the $200,000 West Virginia Governor's Stakes at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort .
Ridden by Jesus Castanon, Carve survived a stretch-long duel with front-running Adirondack King to win the 1 1/16-mile test by a neck in 1:44.44 on a fast track. Favored Mylute was two lengths back in third.
Brad Cox took over the training of Carve for this year, and the results have been very good. The Mike Langford-owned 4-year-old gelding by First Samurai won the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (gr. III) in his last start, finished a close third in the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II), and won two allowance races.
"He seems definitely improved as a 4-year-old," Cox said. "He really blossomed this spring. He was OK at Oaklawn, but when the weather warmed up he got really sharp. I thought he was better going into this race than the Iowa race. We'll pick our spots wisely with him."
Carve, out of the A.P. Indy mare Apt, was bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider. He has now earned $686,931.
In the $100,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes on the West Virginia Derby (gr. II) program, Bourbon Lane Stable's Hashtag Bourbon impressively defeated seven other 2-year-olds with a sharp off-the-pace win under Brian Hernandez Jr .
Hashtag Bourbon had raced once before, in a maiden special weight event at Churchill Downs in late June. He finished third in that race after a poor start.
"In his maiden race he blew the break and spotted the rest about five or six lengths," trainer Kellyn Gorder said. "That turned out to be a formful race, so that gave us the confidence to run a maiden in a stakes. He did break a lot better today."
Hashtag Bourbon covered six furlongs on a fast track in 1:11.45.
Hashtag Bourbon becomes the first stakes winner for Central Kentucky-based freshman sire Super Saver . Out of the Robyn Dancer mare Waltzing With Deb, he was bred in Kentucky by Farfellow Farms. Gorder said he hasn't penciled in the next start for the colt.
The $100,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies was won by Curtis Green's A. P.'s Glory, who had won her debut by almost eight lengths on Polytrack at Arlington Race Course. With Corey Nakatani riding, A. P.'s Glory took over at the half-mile pole, opened up by four lengths, and held safe a fast-closing Heart's Song to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:11.79 for six furlongs .
Trained by James DiVito, the filly is by Mineshaft out of the Honour and Glory mare Casino Glory. She was bred in Kentucky by her owner.
In the final race of the day, the off-the-turf $100,000 West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker's Cup, Vinery Stables' Regally Ready, winner of the 2011 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. I), dominated the field to win by 12 1/2 lengths under Rosie Napravnik for trainer Steve Asmussen .
Regally Ready, a 7-year-old gelding by More Than Ready out of the King of Kings mare Kivi, was bred in Kentucky by Grapestock. He now has 14 wins in 35 starts for earnings approaching $1.5 million.