Patch, Lookin At Lee Head West Virginia Derby Field
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Patch is the second choice on the morning line for the West Virginia Derby
Calumet Farm's homebred Patch, the popular classic-placed colt from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher, heads up a field of 11 sophomore runners scheduled to meet in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby Aug. 5 at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort.
The West Virginia Derby at 1 1/8 miles is the eighth race on a nine-race program that begins at 2 p.m. Probable post time for the Derby is 5:21 p.m. All starters will carry 118 pounds.
Though he has just one win from five starts, Patch brings good recent form into Saturday's race having finished third in the June 10 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). The son of Union Rags —who lost his left eye due to an ailment after he began training as a 2-year-old—finished 14th in the first leg of the Triple Crown after drawing the far outside post in the 20-horse field and was second to eventual grade 1 winner Girvin in the April 1 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2).
"He's going there because of the good timing for the race," Pletcher said July 31 after the post-position draw. "I plan to have him on the grounds Friday."
Patch's lone victory came in maiden special weight company Feb. 18 in Florida; in his career debut he finished second behind Impressive Edge, who also is entered in the West Virgina Derby. Tyler Gaffalione will be in from Florida to ride Patch as well as Madefromlucky, who will return to Mountaineer for the $200,000 West Virginia Governor's Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles.
Lookin At Lee, runner-up in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), was installed as the tepid 3-1 morning-line choice as he looks to rebound off his seventh-place finish in the Belmont Stakes. The son of Lookin At Lucky has been working regularly at Saratoga Race Course for trainer Steve Asmussen and been a confirmed closer since he went two turns for the first time last September. Corey Lanerie, who rode the colt in the Kentucky Derby, has the call.
Trainer Dale Romans, who won the West Virginia Derby with Bright One in 2006, has entered a pair of colts: NK Racing's Impressive Edge and Albaugh Family Stable's Watch Me Whip, who finished a closing fourth behind multiple graded stakes-winner Irap in the Indiana Derby (G3) in his last start July 15.
After an even third-place finish behind then-undefeated Timeline in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) May 13 at Belmont Park, Impressive Edge returned July 7 for the Iowa Derby (G3), in which he battled for the lead until late in the stretch and checked in third. He will break from post 5 with Robby Albarado named to ride.
West Virginia Derby (G3)
Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort, Saturday, August 05, 2017, Race 8
- 1 1/8m
- Dirt
- $750,000
- 3 yo
- 5:21 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Game Over (KY) |
Deshawn L. Parker | 118 | Jorge Navarro | 12/1 |
| 2 | 2Phat Man (KY) | Ricardo Santana, Jr. | 118 | Joe Sharp | 10/1 |
| 3 | 3Patch (KY) | Tyler Gaffalione | 118 | Todd A. Pletcher | 7/2 |
| 4 | 4B Squared (CA) | Mario Gutierrez | 118 | Doug F. O'Neill | 9/2 |
| 5 | 5Impressive Edge (KY) |
Robby Albarado | 118 | Dale L. Romans | 8/1 |
| 6 | 6Watch Me Whip (KY) |
Jose Lezcano | 118 | Dale L. Romans | 20/1 |
| 7 | 7Colonelsdarktemper (KY) | Jon Kenton Court | 118 | William H. Fires | 8/1 |
| 8 | 8Lookin At Lee (KY) |
Corey J. Lanerie | 118 | Steven M. Asmussen | 3/1 |
| 9 | 9Silver Dust (KY) |
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. | 118 | Randy L. Morse | 15/1 |
| 10 | 10Heartwood (KY) | Nik G. Goodwin | 118 | James K. Chapman | 50/1 |
| 11 | 11McCormick (KY) | Julien R. Leparoux | 118 | Ian R. Wilkes | 6/1 |