Hansen a solid favorite in West Virginia Derby

Juvenile champion Hansen, exiting a 10-length procession in last month's

Grade 3 Iowa Derby, will take his front-running show on the road to Mountaineer

Park Saturday for the Grade 2, $750,000

West Virginia

Derby. The 1 1/8-mile contest tops an all-stakes, nine-race card which,

unlike most Mountaineer programs, will be conducted in the afternoon.

Despite the presence of nine other colts and geldings, Hansen figures to be

heavily favored Saturday. Mike Smith will take over riding duties on the

charismatic gray as regular pilot Ramon Dominguez has chosen to honor other

riding commitments at Saratoga.

In addition to having a new face in the saddle, Hansen will in part be a

horse of a different color in the West Virginia Derby. The Louisville

Courier-Journal reported this week that the West Virginia Racing Commission

has granted breeder and co-owner Dr. Kendall Hansen's controversial request to

have the near white colt's tail dyed blue on raceday. Similar requests by Dr.

Hansen were denied by officials at Aqueduct and Keeneland earlier this year.

The June 30 Iowa Derby was a return to form for Hansen, who finished up the

track in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in his previous start. In eight starts so

far, the Churchill Downs classic is the only race where Hansen has finished

worse than second.

After an undefeated championship campaign that included a narrow victory over

Union Rags in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Hansen finished second in the

Grade 3 Holy Bull after a poor start in his sophomore bow. He next captured the

Grade 3 Gotham by coming from slightly off the pace from a wide post, and then

ran a game second to Dullahan in the Grade 1 Blue Grass.

Following the Kentucky Derby Hansen reverting to typical catch-me-if-you-can

tactics in the Iowa Derby, ultimately dusting Grade 2 Louisiana Derby winner

Hero of Order and Macho Bull, both of whom re-oppose the champion Saturday.

Invading from New York is Le Bernardin, a Darley-owned son of Bernardini

who's won three of five, including the Grade 3 Pegasus by a neck at Monmouth

Park last time. Another gray, Macho Macho, comes off a close second in the Long

Branch at Monmouth for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Other potential upsetters include Morgan's Guerrilla, who placed in the Grade

2 Dwyer and Grade 3 Illinois Derby earlier in the year; Hollywood Park allowance

scorer Called to Serve, a sub-par fifth in the Grade 2 Swaps last time; Bourbon

Courage, a dominating winner of his first two starts but unplaced in recent

graded attempts; and Belmont allowance winner Penn's Grant, and improving son of

Empire Maker.

The richest of the eight undercard stakes is the $200,000

West Virginia

Governor's Handicap for older horses at 1 1/16 miles. Grade 2 San Fernando

winner Tapizar, unraced since finishing second in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap

March 10 could face the likes of Headache, who took last year's Grade 2

Hawthorne Gold Cup and Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap, and Seruni,

a Mountaineer stakes winner most recently second in the Grade 2 Firecracker

Handicap over the Churchill turf.

Churchill invaders will be favored to dominate the $100,000

Mountaineer

Juvenile and $100,000

Mountaineer

Juvenile Fillies, both at six furlongs. The Juvenile stars Grade 3 Bashford

Manor hero Circle Unbroken and the Al Stall Jr.-trained Maybe So, who captured

his debut in swift time at the Louisville track. Grade 3 Debutante winner

Blueeyesintherein will be heavily favored in the Juvenile Fillies over Churchill

debut winner Scammony and Significant Bling, a two-time stakes winner versus

Ohio-bred company.

Another strong favorite Saturday is Immortal Eyes, who seeks to defend his

title in the $100,000

West Virginia

Legislature Chairman's Cup for older horses over 4 1/2 furlongs. In

contrast, the $100,000

West Virginia

Secretary of State Handicap for fillies and mares at six furlongs, is a

wide-open affair with Grade 3 veteran Tamarind Hall and the talented

Louisiana-bred Speedacious among the notable names. Multiple Grade 3 winner

Ravalo heads a competitive field of older horses in the $100,000

Robert C. Byrd

Memorial Handicap, also at six furlongs. In opposition are stakes winners

Will's Wildcat, Delaunay, and Guam Typhoon, the latter a winner of six straight

races.

Two grass stakes, both at one mile and 70 yards, are also on the program. The

$100,000 West

Virginia Senate President's Cup for fillies and mares features Atemus

Kitten, winner of the Bayou Handicap at Ellis Park Turf this term, and recent

turf stakes winners Frontside and Revelside. The $100,000

West Virginia

House of Delegates Speaker's Cup, for older horses, features the race's 2011

runner-up Strike Impact, last seen taking the Independence Day over the same

course, and El Commodore, who's narrowly missed in a pair of Grade 3s this

season.

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