WV Derby Day -- almost heaven, West Virginia

Hundreds of miles away from the West Virginia panhandle, my heart still flutters as the first Saturday in August approaches. WV Derby Day! This year, the race has been upgraded to a G-2, and just in time, as the reigning Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird drops by to make a run for the $750,000 Derby purse.

While the Derby, race 8, is getting all of the attention, the undercard features shippers from Todd Pletcher and Steve Asmussen as well as some longtime local favorites. Here's a brief look at the day:

Race 1 - Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes - $85,000.
6f, dirt. 2yo. (Past performances; pdf)
Seven entries, including Pletcher-trainee Zip in Time. Pittsburghers love the Rooneys, any Rooney, so it's quite possible that final odds on Asmussen's Prince Rooney will be even lower than the ML 7-5.

Race 2 - West Virginia Legislature Chairman's Cup - $85,000.
4-1/2 f, dirt. (Past performances; pdf)
This is the race of the day! EZ Warrior, who ran third to Hard Spun in the 2007 Kings Bishop, ships in take on Charles Town Dash winner Trust or Bust. Speedy Piratesonthelake gets Mike Smith in the irons. The lone female entrant, La Chica Rica won the Hancock County Handicap over this track in May. Lots of good entrants, lots of angles, but here at Turf Luck, we'll be cheering for the Morning Line favorite, our beloved Bernie Blue who scored a 103 speed figure winning the Dale Baird Memorial last out. He's won this one before, here's hoping the 7-year old can do it again.

Race 3 - West Virginia Secretary of State Stakes - $85,000.
6f, dirt. Fillies & Mares. (Past performances; pdf)
Nadeshiko was a surprising second to Lady Chalice in the Saylorville at Prairie Meadows in June, but in this spot, she's the ML favorite.

Race 4 - Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes - $85,000.
6f, dirt. 2yo fillies. (Past performances; pdf)
Four of the entrants are coming off a winning debut, including For Royalty. With Mike Smith on board again for Todd Pletcher, she looks like a serious contender to ML favorite Bronx City Girl, who ran third in her first stakes attempt, the Prairie Gold Lassie at Prairie Meadows.

Race 5 - West Virginia Senate President's Breeders' Cup Stakes - $110,000.
1 mile 70 yards, turf. Fillies & Mares. (Past performances; pdf)
First turf race of the day, and another opportunity to cheer on a longtime favorite as Beautiful Venue. She won this two years ago, and she's been in the money at Mountaineer 10 of 11 times. Mike Smith rides yet again for Pletcher, this time on Mega. I'm still rooting for Beautiful Venue. (Cat-xacta alert for Madison and Floyd: Lady Cat and Cat Hop.)

Race 6 - The Harvey Arneault Memorial Breeders' Cup Stakes - $110,000.
6f, dirt. (Past performances; pdf)
Graded stakes winner Ravalo returns to the Mountain as a heavy favorite in this spot. Yes, Mike Smith has the mount, though amazingly, Ravalo's trainer is not Todd Pletcher.

Race 7 - The West Virginia Governor's Stakes - $125,000
1-1/16 miles, dirt. (Past performances; pdf)
Shadowbdancing looked simply magnificent in the paddock before the G2 Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows; though he finished a length behind Jonesboro, he filled in a nice little exacta for the Quinella Crew. Somehow, I always thought Dubious Miss was a mare, but no, he's a gelding, a rather speedy one who's been winning with Calvin Borel in the irons. Today, like Mine That Bird, he's ridden by Mike Smith.

Race 8 - The West Virginia Derby (G3) - $750,000.
1-1/8 miles, dirt. (Past performances; pdf)
Only 6 entrants this year: Awesome Rhythm, Big Drama, Mine That Bird, Monty's Best, Soul Warrior, and Sunday Sunrise. (The last two are coupled, leaving just five wagering opportunities.)

Year in and year out, the journalist who seems to offer the best insights into the West Virginia Derby is Bill Mooney, whose articles appear on both the Review (WV) and Mountaineer's website. Mooney's most interesting is this observation:

"On June 7 at Woodbine, Awesome Rhythm drew off to an 8 ½-length victory in the Victoria Park Stakes, which is a 1 1/8-mile race. It was the colt’s third consecutive stakes triumph, with the prior two having been achieved at 1 1/16 miles. In all three races, Awesome Rhythm was never more than four lengths removed from the lead. It is a similar pattern to that of several recent West Virginia Derby winners, Sir Shackleton (2004), Zanjero (2007) and Ready Set (2008)." (Mountaineer site)

Race 9 - The West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker's Cup Stakes - $85,000.
1 mile 70 yards, turf. (Past performances; pdf)
The Morning Line favorite is Blues Street at 7-5. Of course he's trained by Todd Pletcher. Of course, that's Mike Smith holding the reins. With this much Mike Smith, I wouldn't be surprised to see a crew from Animal Planet filming an episode of Jockeys.

If you plan to go:

• Bring sunscreen. It's a long day, there's little shade, and the forecast calls for mostly sunny with highs in the low 80s.
• Eat before you get to the track. While Mountaineer offers some fine dining in its trackside restaurant, and its La Bonne Vie recently received an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, it's been impossible to get a reservation ever since Mine That Bird's appearance was announced. Keep in mind that you likely won't be able to bring in your own cooler. You may call Mountaineer at 1-800-80-40-HOT to protest inquire about this policy.
• Bring your own chairs. Seating will be at a premium. Even in the best of times, Mountaineer has trouble handling the crowds on Derby Day; this year, I'd expect it to be standing room only. In the past, the outdoor deck seating has been full by noon. (The Derby is slated to be run around 5:40.) The outdoor "grandstand" consists of approximately 50 seats. Most days, Mountaineer regulars carry in their own lawn chairs and settle in on the apron. There are indoor grandstands which are not air-conditioned. Traditionally, the highest indoor level has not filled until after race 1 or 2. While they're a long hike up the stairs, there is one added benefit: the windows on the upper deck offer a view of the paddock.
• Add a half-hour to your ETA for parking. Though there is no fee for parking, the lots will be packed. One year, one non-MTB year, we spent a full 20 minutes being directed to a spot that seemed to be a country mile away from the track. Check with Mountaineer, but usually a shuttle bus runs from the casino to the track every 10 minutes or so. For folks who have difficulty walking distances, this might be an option.
• Enjoy the fine stylings of Mountaineer's announcer, Peter Berry. While Mountaineer does a lot of things wrong, it knows how to hire talent. Berry is the standard by which track announcer's should be measured. He's that good.

And finally:

• Buy a Derby drink. Mountaineer seems to change its "signature" drink every year, but whether its called a "Blue Derby" or a "Perfecta", you'll pay around $4 for a cool, tasty drink served in a souvenir derby glass. Hmmm....maybe you should buy two. You'll probably need the extra liquid refreshment. And if you happen to find that there's no room in your cupboard for all of your souvenir glasses, there's a homesick librarian in Des Moines who would be glad to take one off your hands.
  

WV Derby: thumbs up ... and down

It's been a week, and I find I've been having trouble summarizing West Virginia Derby Day, possibly because I always try to follow my mom's old adage, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Today, it dawned on me that perhaps if you do say something nice, you've earned the right to offer some criticism, at last freeing me to share some impressions of Mountaineer's Big Day:

Thumbs up:

* Mountaineer's new "signature" Derby drink: The Perfecta. For $3.50, one could obtain a refreshing concoction of lemonade and vodka served in a souvenir Derby glass. I may have enjoyed these a tad too much, as our supply of souvenir glasses filled the entire top rack of my dishwasher on Sunday.

* B.E.Taylor's soulful rendition of the national anthem. It's always shocking, and delightful, to hear a live performance of music at the track, even if it's only the Star-Spangled Banner.

* The WV Derby undercard. Eight other stakes races were run at Mountaineer on Saturday, and Steve Asmussen won two of them with a pair of impressive young 'uns: Crackalackin, who won the Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes by 4-1/2 lengths and Elocution, who won the Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes by 5. There's some nice coverage of the day's other winners at Bloodhorse.

* The WV Derby. A breath-taking finish to this one, as you can tell from Peter Berry's fine call on the replay (NTRA). Asmussen won this as well, with Zanjero, but Bwana Bull gave him a run for his money.

* Bernie Blue. Gotta love this gelding and his win in the WV Legislature Chairman's Cup Sprint. Here's his line from the chart of the 4-1/2f run: "blew by the pacesetter in upper stretch drawing off in the three path for a convincing win." Six lengths -- convincing, indeed!

* M B Sea. Though M B Sea won the 2005 running of the Governor's Stakes, my companions thought the 8-year-old might have lost a step and went with Mr. Pursuit. I passed on this one, so was free to cheer wildly as M B Sea pounded past Mr. Pursuit in the stretch winning by 7 lengths.

* Beautiful Venue. Though three horses scratched on the filly & mare turf event, leaving a poor wagering opportunity, the WV Senate President's Breeders' Cup Stakes (or as we call it, "The Lady Grace Stakes") was still pretty exciting as the youngest of the entrants, 3-yo Beautiful Venue emerged victorious from a speed duel with Afleet Angel while setting a track record for 1mile 70 yards.

* Rex Stokes. The King has often opined that Mountaineer regular Rex Stokes III could ride with the best, and on Saturday, Stokes faced some top-notch names, as Robbie Albarado, Shaun Bridgmohan, and Mark Guidry brought their skills to West Virginia for the day. Stokes held his own against the big boys, riding 4 winners on Derby Day -- Beautiful Venue, M B Sea, Country Diva, and Cowboy Hardware -- with Bridgmohan taking 3 races (the Asmussen entries). Mountaineer regular Deshawn Parker piloted Bernie Blue to his win, Albarado took the final race with Buckeye Buddy, and Guidry, who'd hoped to win three WV Derbies in a row, was shut out.

Thumbs down:

* The new "No coolers allowed" rule. This seemed harsh in the 90+ degree heat. Apparently many of the early arrivals were as surprised as I was to discover that Mountaineer had instituted a new policy and beefed up security to enforce it. Since the program says only "Bottles, Cans, or other containers of alcoholic beverages are not permitted to be brought into Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort," one might assume that unopened bottles of Aquafina and cans of Diet Dr. Pepper might be permitted. One would, apparently, be mistaken.

* The construction throughout the track's interior. Though I knew Mountaineer had been remodeling the ground floor of the track facility for some time now, I assumed that the work would be complete for the track's showcase day. ESPN was there, for goodness sakes! Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss, as well as 14,000 fans, got to walk past a quarter of the mutuel windows and a substantial part of the interior wrapped from ceiling to floor in some dirty white plastic sheeting. I tried hard not to be offended by the signs stating "Please pardon our construction as we upgrade our property," since the part of the construction that is finished -- the newly unveiled simulcast area -- is really lovely, with glistening monitors at roomy cubicles, and its own teller counter. If only those construction signs hinted at some customer, rather than stockholder, benefit.

* No cameras allowed. Yes, dear readers, for two years, I have been committing some sort of Mountaineer crime. That photo of Punk, those pics of the paddock -- all apparently in violation of a Mountaineer rule! A security official told me to "bury my camera at the bottom of my purse or it would be confiscated." Of course, your ever polite Quinella Queen complied, but I did ask why this was necessary. After stumbling a bit for an answer -- apparently nobody else asks these kinds of questions -- the official informed me that "people don't want their pictures taken, the numerous dignitaries, for example. You can't ever take photos at the track."

Huh? Though I did bury my camera and its brand new batteries in the bottom of my seemingly bottomless purse, there was much muttering at the Turf Luck table. Some questions we would have liked to ask, but didn't:

What dignitaries? The politicians who give the trophies for the events named for their positions? When was the last time you met a politician who didn't want to be photographed? And why is it ok to take photos at Saratoga, Keeneland, Churchill Downs? Are these not tracks? Are these not tracks that attract much more illustrious dignitaries than we can hope to see in Chester, WV?

The only answer we could derive, with the help of a few of those Perfecta drinks, was that Mountaineer is not really a track -- it's a slots palace with a track on the side, so slots rules are the rules. I suspect the ban on cameras is due to the fear that some camera-wielding slots spy will sneak upstairs and take a picture of the blinking lights that denote the real business at Mountaineer.

Sigh. Even on Derby Day, with ESPN covering the race, and Jerry Bailey sitting twenty feet away, even on this kind of a day -- it's not really about the horses, the trainers, the jockeys, the track records. It's not about the fans. Nope. It's all about the slots, baby.


Here, dear readers, is my last photo from Mountaineer. I took it prior to my encounter with security, about 2 hours before the first post.


Look at it, and imagine that it's five hours later in the day. Imagine it's twenty minutes before the West Virginia Derby. Imagine a group of seven or so, standing in the fresh mulch to the left of the ring of greenery before the horses arrive. Imagine this group of six or so men and one woman are all in race day finery. At the center of the group, there's a small gentleman wearing a suit and fedora talking with great animation. Every eye in the group is riveted on this dapper little man as Pete Anderson, former jockey of Forego, current trainer of Delightful Kiss, regales some of his rivals with a track story that causes the group to break into grins. It is a lovely scene, capturing that calm before the race routine begins and a respect among competitors, that hints at the marvel and mystery of racing.

It's an image I'll carry with me in my mind, because, of course, that's the only way: you can't take pictures at the track.

WV Derby Day overview -- and free past performances

Though the $750,000 Grade 3 West Virginia Derby continues to garner some attention in the mainstream racing press, there's little attention being paid to the rest of the Mountaineer's stakes-filled Saturday card. Here's a brief overview of the card, with links to free past performances, where available:

Race 1 - Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes - $85,000.
6f, dirt. 2yo. (Past performances)

After a third place finish in the G3 Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs, Steve Asmussen's Crackalackin goes forth as the ML favorite. The field of 12 also includes Robbing the Bank, 2nd in the Prairie Gold Juvenile last month, Luvandgo, who earned an 81-Beyer while placing 2nd in a MSW at Churchill last out, and Preachin Man, winner of the Minstrel Stakes. At the rail will be Yonegwa with Mark Guidry in the irons; Guidry tends to do well at Mountaineer, and Yonegwa posted a bullet work at Churchill last week. With ML odds of 12-1, Yonegwa's one to consider.

Race 2 - West Virginia Legislature Chairman's Cup - $85,000.
4-1/2 f, dirt.

Joe DeVivo at DRF writes that this race "might pose the day's most intriguing head-to-head showdown, between Bernie Blue, the hottest horse on the grounds, and graded stakes winner He's Got Grit." I'm inordinately fond of Bernie Blue, who won the 5-1/2f Mountain Stakes in July and the 1mile-70yd Slipton Fell Handicap in June. He's the ML favorite, he's my favorite, 'nuff said.

Race 3 - West Virginia Secretary of State Stakes - $85,000.
6f, dirt. Fillies & Mares. (Past performances)

Rex "The Speed Doctor" Stokes will ride Country Diva, who's placed or better six out of her seven tries at Mountaineer. Her strongest rivals appear to be Trout River Red, Cajun Mistress, and Vote Early. I'm thinking New Year's Eve Stakes winner Excellerant, with Robbie Albarado up may have a shot, though her 1-post position might discourage those familiar with Mountaineer's periodic "dead" rail, so I'll be watching how Yonegwa does in the first race before I wager on this one.

Race 4 - Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes - $85,000.
6f, dirt. 2yo fillies.

Rumor has it that the North American Graded Stakes committee may grant this race Grade III status in the near future (The Review, 8/3), as two of last year's entrants -- Appealing Zophie and Meadow Breeze -- went on to win G-1's later in the year. This year, Steve Asmussen's Elocution is the overwhelming favorite at 3-5 in the morning line, with John Servis' Ms. Officer Rocket closest in the ML at 4-1. I want to have a look at Sumwhrovrtherainbw, who may have a horrible name, but is trained by David Markgraf, who's got a 33% winning percentage with 2 year olds.

Race 5 - West Virginia Senate President's Breeders' Cup Stakes - $125,000.
1 mile 70 yards, turf. Fillies & Mares. (Past performances)

Until this year, this race was run at 1 mile. Not sure why the distance was changed, but the race looks to be a grudge match between the top 3 finishers in Mountaineer's Decoration Day Handicap: Bold Passage (ML odds: 4-1), Afleet Angel (ML: 3-1), and Water Gap (ML: 5-1). Michael Matz is sending Miss Belga Bound to face the trio in her first race since an up-the-track performance in the All Along Breeders' Cup Stakes in June.

Race 6 - The Harvey Arneault Memorial Breeders' Cup Stakes - $125,000.
6f, dirt. 3yo and up.

The Student (ML: 9-5) and Forest Hill (ML: 8-5) top the Morning Line, but I'm wondering about De Brandon Boy. He broke his maiden last time out -- his first race after leaving trainer Bob Baffert. His speed figures jumped 28 points, too. Hmm.

Race 7 - The West Virginia Governor's Stakes - $125,000
1-1/16 miles, dirt. (Past performances)

Dale Romans brings M B Sea back to the Mountain where, in three previous attempts, he's never been out of the money. Surprisingly, the ML favorite is Mr. Pursuit at 7-5, who finished 3 lengths behind M B Sea in Mountaineer's Slipton Fell Handicap in June. At 5-1, the pace-setting Angler's Reef seems like a better bet to me.

Race 8 - The West Virginia Derby (G3) - $750,000.
1-1/8 miles, dirt. (Past performances)

A winner of a G-1 hasn't run in the WV Derby since 2000 -- so a visit from Blue Grass Stakes winner Dominican seems pretty special. In addition, the field includes Bwana Bull, Delightful Kiss, Dr. Googles Boogles, Moyer's Pond, Norjac, Sam P., Slew's Tizzy, Song of Navarone, Zanjero. Both Curb My Enthusiasm and Graded Stakes offer up some handicapping suggestions for this race, as does The Handicapper's Edge.

All I can say: trained by Forego's jockey! One horse barn! Shades of improbable Walter Farley books! Go, Delightful Kiss, go!

Race 9 - The West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker's Cup Stakes - $85,000.
1 mile 70 yards, turf. (Past performances)

Cherokee Prince is the 5-2 favorite for this one, and there's good reason: he's won three stakes at the Mountain since last July. (The chart for his most recent win, the Independence Day Stakes, is available on the Mountaineer website.)

Frankly, it looks like a great day is in store for those who stop by Mountaineer on Saturday. Free admission, tasty Blue Derby drinks in snazzy julep glasses, tons of sun, Jerry Bailey, and two turf races! What more could you ask for?

On the West Virginia Derby Trail

From last year's experience, I know it's silly to speculate on just who of the 70 nominees for the WV Derby will actually go the post, as someone always chooses to go to the Haskell instead. Still, I've been piecing together a list of the likely runners for the benefit of the King*, and here's what we know so far:

Definite:

• Bwana Bull - Jockey will be Dana Whitney, winner of the 2001 WV Derby. Shipped in from California on Sunday and has already jogged on the track.
• Chelokee - Considered definite as recently as 7/26.
  
• Delightful Kiss - Slated to arrive in West Virginia on Thursday.
• Moyer's Pond - Jockey will be Mark Guidry, who's won the last 2 WV Derbies.
• Slew's Tizzy - Is considered definite.
• Song of Navarone - Shipped in on Sunday.
• Try to Fly - Was slated to ship in to Mountaineer on Sunday.
  

Possibles:

• Brownie Points (DRF, 7/10)
  
• Nobiz like Shobiz (DRF, 7/19)
  
• Xchanger - Last year, Flashy Bull was the gray who was pointed to either the Haskell or the WV Derby. This year, it's Xchanger. Looks to me like he'll go to the Haskell (DRF, 7/25).
  
• Zanjero (Review, 7/26)
• Most of the rest of the 70 nominations (PPs, pdf format)
  

I've gathered much of this list from articles by Bill Mooney, who writes for the Wheeling Intelligencer and the East Liverpool Review -- and is seemingly the only journalist on earth interested in the race. Of course, he's probably the only journalist in the area, what with all of the racing media off covering Saratoga, Del Mar, and that $1 million dollar race somewhere in New Jersey. I've enjoyed reading Mooney's pre-Derby coverage for two years now, and I really appreciate his entertaining features that provide well-written summaries sprinkled with interesting background facts that humanize the entrants without being sentimental. (Not surprising, perhaps, as he won an Eclipse for his magazine writing in 1985.)

Mooney can also be pretty insightful, as when he notes in the East Liverpool Review article cited above that the WV Derby might be a perfect fit for Zanjero's "late foot." Or as in his most recent feature, where he notes:

"The North American Graded Stakes Committee designated the West Virginia Derby a Grade 3 stakes in 2002, and it has retained that status ever since. According to the committee’s own point system, the West Virginia Derby now ranks higher than the Ohio Derby at Thistledown, the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park and the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, all of which retain a Grade 2 ranking. Logic would seem to dictate that the West Virginia Derby also should be accorded a Grade 2 ranking following this year’s running, which is luring the best field in the race’s history. "(Wheeling Intelligencer, July 31)

A Grade 2 at Mountaineer?!! I agree with Mooney, that it seems logical, but I think it's highly unlikely. Still, a girl can dream, can't she?

------
* The King would like me to make mention of the fact that with his $284 trifecta in Saturday's 8th at Mountaineer, he is now at the top of the Quinella leader board by more than $200 -- and is truly King of the Castle.

Shine on, Bright One

Here at the Castle, we use our Derby glasses a lot. I'm rather fond of using them for gin and tonics, while the King prefers one for his whiskey, neat. Sometimes, I'll fill one up with diet Dr. Pepper; it tastes better encased in the names of some winning three-year-olds. Heck, I even use 'em for low-fat vanilla soymilk now and then.

Oh, be still, hearts of julep glass collectors. I'm talking about momentos from the big race in these parts, the West Virginia Derby. Though my glasses aren't worth a hill of beans on ebay, for me, they are valuable reminders of a fine summer day's racing. Holding one, scanning through the names of the 28 colts, 7 geldings, and 3 fillies whose names grace my little souvenir, I'm suddenly at a picnic table near the finish line, winning ticket in my hand. Little matter that there's no Triple Crown winner listed here; these horses came to this small market track -- and ran for us. The least I can do is read their names now and then, and wonder what they're doing now. Sir Shackleton, the 2004 winner is at stud after earning more than a million on the track. Real Dandy, the 2005 winner, recently won the $50,000 Curribot at Sunland.

And last year's winner, Bright One? Over the weekend, he ran in the $225,000 Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship Handicap:

Breaking well for regular rider John Velazquez, Half Ours led for most of the opening quarter mile before settling into second on the outside of Bright One, who set a fast pace under pressure of :21 3/5 and :43 3/5. Half Ours took over at the head of the lane and opened a clear advantage inside the eighth pole as his pace rivals Bright One, Mach Ride and Diabolical gave way....

Bright One, who finished fourth, broke down and was vanned off following the race. According to the Daily Racing Form, Bright One broke the sesamoid bone in his left foreleg and had to be euthanized. --bloodhorse.com

Oh.

So, now, as I sit here sipping watered down Jameson's in my Derby glass, I'm remembering how fine Bright One looked in the paddock last August.(See for yourself at The $2 Window.) I'm remembering how lively and festive our little old West Virginny track felt that day. I'm remembering how sweet it was to watch him lead wire-to-wire.

And I'm finding it terribly sad that he died before his name was engraved on a glass.

Here's to you, Bright One. Thanks for the memories.

What a day!

It's been a week, but I still feel caught up in the festive air of Derby Day, West Virginia-style. Last Sunday, Mountaineer Race Track was festooned with pink petunias spilling out of planters and crisp red-white-and-blue bunting adorning the decks. Combined with the clear aquamarine of the Blue Derby (official drink of the WV Derby), it all added up to a colorful and spirited day at the races.

More than 13,000 folks were on hand to witness the day of stakes racing. Favorite Change Up won the Juvenile Fillies, and Outcashem made it 7 in a row with a win in the Chairman's Cup. Sadly, She's that Cat's streak ended at five; she never fired, and Hot Storm ran away with the Secretary of State Stakes. Speedway, as someone pretty smart expected, took the Juvenile Stakes.

Six horses scratched in the Senate President's Cup, including Lady Grace. According to Mark Patterson, Asst. Racing Secretary, the trainer Loren Cox was worried about the condition of the turf. That left the door open for Island Escape to edge past post-time favorite Stella Blue for the win. Gaff just didn't seem to fire in the Harvey Arneault Memorial Handicap; Yucatan surged past favorite P.Kerney in the stretch for the win. It looked like Cherokee's Boy was going to fade in the stretch, but he seemed to get a second wind and won the Governor's Stakes by a length. The Da Hoss stakes at Colonial must be some race; its second & third place finishers combined for the biggest perfecta of the day, with Legal Control coming out on top by a nose over Touched By Madness in the Speaker's Cup.

The Derby itself has been covered by Daily Racing Form and Blood-Horse. And Thoroughbred Times noted that winner Bright One "was no secret to the fans, who made him the even-money favorite, not only because of his impressive early success but also because of public comments by Romans, who has made no secret of his admiration for the colt."

To that I might add that Bright One simply looked the best in the paddock. In fact, the colts who looked sharpest in the paddock were: Bright One, Cielo Gold, More than Regal, and Ah Day. In other words, the superfecta. (Sadly, Mountaineer didn't offer a superfecta on this race, thus allowing me to play a trifecta that included 1,3,4. Sigh.)

Wanna Runner came to the paddock long after the other entries, wearing a blanket, which struck many of the fans as rather odd, since it was an unbelievably hot day. To my untrained (and myopic) eye, he didn't look like he wanted to run at all.

I'm not sure who ESPN brought in to call the race, but I was unimpressed. (You can visit NTRA to hear it for yourself.) Maybe some year they'll let Mountaineer's excellent Peter Berry make the call.

We brought home some serious sunburn, some not so serious cash -- and four commemorative glasses. What can I say? The Blue Derby, essentially a blue margarita, is a refreshing drink, and Mountaineer sells them for $4, glass included. (Take that, $10 Belmont Breeze!)

Mountaineer roundup

"Libraries are brothels for the mind. Which means that librarians are the madams, greeting punters, understanding their strange tastes and needs, and pimping their books." --Guy Browning

For the past week, Turf Luck has received a number of visits from folks who arrived here by searching for "West Virginia Derby Entries". Oh punters, Madam QQ understands your strange need... here, dearies, let me guide you to those little corners of the Web that cater to your tastes:

Mountaineer Race Track hosts an entire card of stakes racing on Sunday. Entries were released Wednesday, and you can find them along with past performances at: Brisnet, Daily Racing Form, and Equibase. All of these sources charge a fee for the past performances, but viewing the entries is free.

Because Flashy Bull is entered in the West Virginia Derby, Darley, the home of his sire, Holy Bull, is providing free past performances for the race. Bob Baffert, trainer of Derby entrant Wanna Runner, also offers the Derby past performances at no charge. Likewise Stonerside Stables provides the past performances for the Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes (race 4) because they are the proud breeders and owners of Speedway, one of the entrants.

Daily Racing Form gives an overview of some of the races in "West Virginia Derby overflow field of 13". More pre-game analysis is available in "West Virginia Derby big test for Bright One", another DRF article that confirms that FLASHY BULL IS COMING TO THE MOUNTAIN! (Sorry, but madam has a fondness for the grays.)

DRF also previews The WV Governor's Cup and several of the day's other races.

Two articles from the Wheeling News-Register offer some information about the jockeys who'll be racing today: "Derby Field Ready" notes that three of the Derby jockeys have Kentucky Derby wins, while "Derby Brings Top Jockeys" focuses on Jeremy Rose, who'll be riding Regent Spirit in the Derby, Halo's Sailing Sain in the WV Governor's Cup and Senor Swinger in the WV House of Delegate's Speakers Cup.

Finally, here's an overview of the day, based on what grabbed my attention as my printer popped out the past performances ever so slowly:

Race 1 - The Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes. Purse: $85,000. 6f, dirt. Nine two-year-olds are entered, including Change Up, a Distorted Humor filly trained by Steve Flint and Cohiba Miss trained by Bernie Flint. Rex Stokes will be up on Meadow Breeze, who beat Cohiba Miss and Spooked, another entrant, in July. ML favorite: Appealing Zophie at 2-1.

Race 2 - The WV Legislature Chairman's Cup. Purse: $85,000. 4-1/2 f, dirt. For 3yo and up. Nine entries here, including Caller One, who's won more than $3 million in his long career (he's 9) and Bernie Blue, who won the Mountain State Stakes with a 102 Beyer on July 3. Pay attention to Scott Lake's Outcashem who's posted 3 triple-digit Beyer's this year. He's 6 for 6 in 2006, all in allowance or stakes races. And he's 2 for 2 at the Mountain. And he's the ML favorite at 4-5.

Race 3 - The West Virginia Secretary of State Stakes. Purse: $85,000. 6f, dirt, fillies & Mares, 3 and up. She's That Cat tries to make it 6 for 6 at the Mountain, but Hot Storm, who finished third in the G1 Princess Rooney in July looks hard to beat. There are 12 entries in this race; the ML favorite is Hot Storm at 8-5.

Race 4 - The Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes. Purse: $85,000. 6f, dirt. 2 yo. Eleven colts entered here, including Air Lord from Todd Pletcher (I feel oh, so Saratoga when I type that!) and Datrick, a G3 winner trained by Scott Blasi and ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan. Datrick is the ML favorite at 5-2.

Race 5 - The West Virginia Senate President's Breeders' Cup. Purse: $125,000. 1m, turf, fillies & mares. The best event you won't see on ESPN. Lady Grace won this one last year; the running line reads, "dictated, stakes record". This year the going may be tougher for the 8-yo mare. She came in 1/2-length behind Rue de Reves in the Summer Finale here last fall, and won by only a length over Cat Alert in the WV President's Cup prep race run on July 18. Cat Alert and Bag of Quarters, who came in third in the prep, have the post positions that have yielded the most winners at Mountaineer so far, but Radiant Avie, ridden by Mark Guidry, looks to be the biggest threat in the field of 12; she's fresh off a win over Rue de Reves in the Lady Canterbury. ML favorite: Lady Grace at 5-2.

Race 6 - The Harvey Arneault Memorial Breeders' Cup Handicap. Purse: $125,000. 6f, dirt. 3 and up. Gaff comes to the Mountain! Shaun Bridgmohan will ride him as he tries to rebound from the disastrous last place finish in the Smile Sprint at Calder, while Mark Guidry will be on Wild Tale for Mike Dini. One to watch: P.Kerney, who posted a 109 Beyer last time out and has run first or second in all five of his races this year. Smallest field of the day at 7 entries. Not surprisingly, ML favorite is Gaff at 8-5.

Race 7 - The WV Governor's Cup. Purse: $125,000. 1-1/16m, dirt. 3 and up. Real Dandy returns; last year, Mark Guidry rode him to victory in the WV Derby. This year, the two team up to face Don't Get Mad, winner of the G2 Indiana Derby and Cherokee's Boy who came in 22 lengths behind Flower Alley in the Salvator Mile in June. There are 8 runners in the field. ML favorite: Don't Get Mad at 5-2.

Race 8 - The WV Derby. G3. Purse: $750,000. 1-1/8m, dirt. 3yo. Bob Baffert, Richard Dutrow, King Leatherbury, Kieran McLaughlin, Todd Pletcher, Dale Romans, Richard Violette, and Nick Zito are among the trainers sending out runners in the day's showcase event. In alphabetical order, because, doggone it, that's what I do, the field includes: Ah Day, Bright One, Cielo Gold, Circle the World, Crocodile Tears, Flashy Bull, High Blues, High Finance, Luxembourg, More Than Regal, Regent Spirit, and Wanna Runner. Bright One is getting a lot of attention; his trainer, Dale Romans, is spotlighed in the Wheeling News-Register, and his photo accompanied a DRF article about the Derby. Despite that, Wanna Runner is the morning line favorite at 3-1.

Race 9 - The WV House of Delegates Speakers Cup. Purse: $85,000. 1m, turf. 3 and up. Lac a Rock went off at 36-1 in July when he won the prep race for this event with a 100 Beyer. He faces Touched by Madness and Legal Control, the second and third place finishers in Colonial's Da Hoss stakes, as well as Buckeye Buddy, who placed 2nd in Mountaineer's Independence Day Stakes. Senor Swinger, with graded stakes experience and Jeremy Rose in the irons, is the 3-1 ML favorite.

And there you have it, the big day at Mountaineer. What, you wanted picks, too? So sorry, dearie, but Madam believes these things work out best when the punter chooses.

Far from the coast

Elsewhere in the blogosphere, it's all Saratoga, all the time. Other members of the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance have been focusing on the Graveyard of Champions, but here at the Castle, we eagerly await the announcements of the entries for Saturday's Grade III West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer.

It's been a long wait; unlike practically every race at Saratoga, there's been no advance coverage of the race -- except sad announcements of horses that won't be running.

First, we hoped for Sweetnorthernsaint; when he skipped the Belmont, it was reported that he was pointing to either the Haskell or the WV Derby. Then came the news that he would be resting until fall.

Next, we heard that the top three finishers in the Ohio Derby might be headed to Chester The three -- Deputy Glitters, High Cotton, and Flashy Bull -- had already shown a willingness to run at a midwestern track, so when little embers of expectation began to kindle in the cockles of my heart, well, I let them.

Then came the news that two of the three are now headed to the Haskell. (Darn that New Jersey track with its big money!)

At the moment, the only "certain" runner is a Dale Romans horse, Bright One.

Last year's event drew some pretty impressive jockeys; Gary Stevens, Edgar Prado, Mark Guidry and P-Val all made the trip to the Mountain. Whether jockeys of that calibre will be in West Virginia this Sunday is hard to say, what with that darn million dollar race stealing all the horses.

Still, no matter who ends up coming, the Derby might be a nice wagering opportunity; after all, last year's winner went off at 7-1. Don't remember just who won the 2005 WV Derby? Take a peak back at my post from last year, where I revealed for the first time my penchant for standing on picnic tables. (Or read a more complete coverage of the day -- sans picnic tables -- in The Daily Racing Form's archives.)

Talk Derby to Me

The entries for the West Virginia Derby were announced yesterday, and, I must admit, I'm a tad excited. Gary Stevens will be riding Magna Graduate, and Edgar Prado will be on Isle of Diamond. For goodness sakes, Stevens was in Seabiscuit! And Sunday, we'll see him at Mountaineer. The WV Derby is one of the Daily Racing Form's "Race of the Week" selections, so the past performances are available for free.

The day looks to be chockful of good races -- besides the $750,000 WV Derby (G3), there are the West Virginia Senate President's Breeders' Cup Stakes, the Harvey Arneault Memorial Breeders' Cup Handicap, and the West Virginia Governor's Stakes -- each featuring a purse of $125,000. There are a number of out-of-towners running, featuring such trainers as recent Hall-of-Fame inductee Nick Zito, Bernie Flint, Richard Dutrow, and Bob Baffert.

Check out the all of the day's entries at Equibase.

And Lady Grace, my lucky horse from July 4, is running in the 5th race, a mile on turf for $125,000. She's come far since being claimed last year for $10,000.