A pair of $125,000 stakes races highlighted the West Virginia Derby (G3)
undercard on Sunday. The first of the two, the
Harvey Arneault Memorial
Breeders’ Cup H., was taken by John Orecchio’s WILD TALE (Tale of the Cat). The
Michael Dini-trained four-year-old rated near the back of the pack through
fractions of :21 2/5, :44 2/5 and :57 1/5 before making his move to the front.
Piloted by jockey Mark Guidry, who won the night’s feature event aboard Real
Dandy (Yankee Victor), the dark bay colt came out six wide in upper stretch,
surging to take a 1 1/4-length victory. He completed the six-furlong affair in
1:09 4/5 over a fast track and paid $39.20 at 18-1. The win increased his
earnings to $205,840 while improving his record to 18-7-3-1.
In the next race, the $125,000
West Virginia Governor’s Cup S., Michael Bruder’s M B
SEA (Alphabet Soup) proved much the best as the six-year-old dominated his foes
en route to a seven-length score. The Dale Romans trainee trailed the field under
Guidry through splits of :24 1/5, :48 and 1:12 1/5 before making a powerful
sweep into the stretch and driving away to conclude the 1 1/16-mile contest in
1:43 4/5. The dark bay left the gate at 5-2 to pay $7. He now shows a line of
39-7-6-6 with $534,618.
Loren Cox’s LADY GRACE (With Approval) broke sharply and grabbed the early
lead in the $120,200
West Virginia Senate President’s Breeders’ Cup, never
relinquishing that command en route to a 1 1/2-length triumph for her
owner/trainer. The seven-year-old mare completed the one-mile firm turf test in
1:33 3/5 under jockey Rex Stokes III. Lady Grace is perfect in five starts on
the year, also winning the Firecracker S. this year. The dark bay mare improved
her line to 41-11-5-5 with $296,405 in earnings.
The day began with the $85,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies S., captured by
Emerald Green Acres and T. Brienen’s LIZZY’S TOWNSHIP (Delaware Township), who
scored in that six-furlong event by a neck under Craig Perret in 1:12 2/5 for
conditioner James P. DiVito.
Robert Cole’s OUTCASHEM (Mazel Trick) proved best in the $85,000
West
Virginia Legislature Chairman’s Cup S. The four-year-old gelding came home a
three-length winner, completing 4 1/2 furlongs in :51 under Travis Dunkelberger
for trainer Scott Lake.
J. Michael Baird’s COBRA LADY (Cobra King) ran away with the $85,000
West
Virginia Secretary of State S. in the next race to come home 5 1/4 lengths ahead
of her nearest rival. The Baird trainee completed six furlongs in 1:09 4/5 under
jockey Bobby Walker, Jr.
Ken Taylor et al’s CRAFTY TRICKER (Favorite Trick) won the $85,000
Mountaineer Juvenile S. for trainer Tim Salzman. Ridden by Dunkelberger, the
juvenile finished the six-furlong affair in 1:12 1/5, winning by 2 3/4 lengths.
The evening concluded when Bruce Hundley’s IMMEDIATE REACTION (Cozzene)
capped off the nine-race card with a victory in the $85,000
West Virginia House
of Delegates Speaker’s Cup S. Setting out the early lead, the four-year-old
colt wired the field to win by 1 1/4 lengths, completing the one-mile turf event
in 1:33 3/5 under jockey Joe Stokes for conditioner Michael Pappada.