The West Virginia Derby is an American Grade III stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred race horses run over a distance of miles on the dirt at Mountaineer Race Track in Chester, West Virginia in August. The purse for the event is US$400,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was 21 April 1923, the ninth race day at the newly opened Huntingdon's Tri-State Park. Estimates put the crowd size at 10,000. Huntington's hotel rooms were so solidly booked that 50 people applied at the city jail for lodging. Tender Seth defeated six other entrants as the 6-4 favorite in a time of 1:54 3/5. In 1925 Tri-State Park renamed its premier event to the Huntington Derby over a shorter distance of miles. On 17 April 1926 the event was renewed as The West Virginia State Derby and was won by Nine Sixty who defeated the inaugural Florida Derby winner Torcher by lengths. Tri-State management were planning a rematch of between Nine Sixty and Torcher four days after this running but a catastrophe ensued with a fire engulfing the Tri-State grandstand on the morning of 20 April. The race meet was canceled and Tri-State Park was never rebuilt.

After a 32-year absence the event was renewed on 23 August 1958 at Wheeling Downs. The event was held three times at Wheeling Downs before being moved to Waterford Park in 1963. The first four winners of the event were all ridden by jockey Floyd Green and trained by local trainer Patsy Santo. Including two fillies, the 1963 winner Etimota who won by twelve lengths and Kerensa in 1966 who were sisters (Rico Monte (ARG) — Too Fussy out of Blue Sword). Both were bred and owned by Frances W. Luro, wife of legendary trainer Horatio Luro at their Old Mill Farm in Carterville, Georgia. Both in reality were trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame trainer Frank H. Merrill Jr., but ran in the name of local trainer Patsy Santo.

The event has been run in split divisions twice - in 1972 and 1981.

The event was discontinued twice for lengthy periods in the 1980s and 1990s.

With influx of racino funds Mountaineer Park management was able to provide higher stakes and with that stability to the event in the 2000s.

In 2002 the event was classified as Grade III and upgraded to Grade II in 2009. However the event was downgraded back to Grade III in 2017.

In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Mountaineer Park canceled the event.

Records Speed record: miles: 1:46:29 - Soto (2003) (Stakes and track record)

Margins: 12 lengths – Etimota (1963)

Most wins by a jockey: 4 - Floyd Green (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966)

Most wins by a trainer: 6 – Steven M. Asmussen (2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2023)

Most wins by an owner: 3 – Winchell Thoroughbreds (2007, 2014, 2023)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefAt ‡Mountaineer Race Track – West Virginia Derby2026ZihnalJohn R. VelazquezJonathan ThomasAugustin Stables miles1:52.47$400,000III2025Chunk of Gold Jareth Loveberry Ethan West Terry L. Stephens miles1:50.97$400,000III2024Dragoon Guard Florent GerouxBrad H. CoxJuddmonte Farms miles1:49.96$500,000III2023Red Route One Cristian TorresSteven M. AsmussenWinchell Thoroughbreds miles1:49.49$500,000III2022SkippylongstockingEdwin GonzalezSaffie A. Joseph Jr.Daniel Alonso miles1:48.11$500,000III2021Mr. WirelessRamon VazquezW. Bret CalhounJIL Stable miles1:52.49$500,000III2020Race not held2019Mr. MoneyGabriel SaezW. Bret CalhounAllied Racing Stable miles1:50.28$500,000III2018Mr FreezeRobby AlbaradoDale L. RomansJim Bakke & Gerald Isbister miles1:47.95$500,000III2017ColonelsdarktemperJon CourtWilliam H. FiresAnthony J. Foyt Jr. miles1:50.68$750,000III2016CupidRafael BejaranoBob BaffertDerrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor miles1:50.54$750,000II2015MadefromluckyJoe BravoTodd A. PletcherCheyenne Stables & Mac Nichol miles1:51.40$750,000II2014TapitureRosie NapravnikSteven M. AsmussenWinchell Thoroughbreds miles1:50.66$750,000II2013DepartingRobby AlbaradoAlbert Stall Jr.Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider miles1:51.47$750,000II2012 Macho Macho Corey NakataniSteven M. AsmussenJerry Durant miles1:49.98$750,000II2011Prayer for ReliefRafael BejaranoBob Baffert Gerry Aschinger miles1:50.68$750,000II2010Concord PointMartin GarciaBob BaffertKaleem Shah miles1:51.12$750,000II2009§ Soul WarriorDale V. BecknerSteven M. AsmussenZayat Stables miles1:51.46$750,000II2008Ready SetJulien R. LeparouxMichael R. Matz Lael Stables miles1:52.03$750,000III2007ZanjeroShaun BridgmohanSteven M. AsmussenWinchell Thoroughbreds miles1:53.04$750,000III2006Bright OneMark GuidryDale L. RomansCarolyn S. Bruder & Delmar Daubs miles1:50.08$750,000III2005Real DandyMark GuidrySteven M. AsmussenCathy & Bob Zollars miles1:50.29$750,000III2004Sir ShackletonRafael BejaranoNicholas P. ZitoTracy Farmer miles1:49.16$600,000III2003SotoMichael W. DickinsonGalopp miles1:46.29$600,000III2002Wiseman's FerryJorge F. ChavezNiall M. O'Callaghan Swifty Farm, Morton Fink & Lee Sacks miles1:49.63$600,000III2001Western PrideDana G. WhitneyRichard EstvankoTheresa McArthur miles1:47.20$500,000 Listed 2000Mass MarketRick WilsonNew Farm, Centennial Farm & William S. Farish III miles1:49.94$300,000 Listed 1999Stellar BrushJoe StokesRichard W. SmallRobert E. Meyerhoff miles1:49.02$250,000 Listed 1998Da DevilJon CourtForrest KaelinDavid Hall, B. Case, C. Glasscock & B. Bleiden miles1:48.84$200,000 Listed 1991–1997Race not held1990Challenge My DutyInocencio Becer AyarzaNorman R. PointerWilliam M. Rickman miles1:49.60$100,000 1989Doc's LeaderWilliam I. Fox Jr.Monte ClarkMary Anne Loccissano miles1:50.00$100,000 1988Old StoriesRuben HernandezHoward M. TesherRussell L. Reineman miles1:52.20$100,000 1982–1987Race not held1981Park's PolicyJeffrey Scott LloydClyde D. RiceParke L. Lietzel miles1:49.60$35,000 Johnny DanceFrank Lovato Jr.John P. CampoBuckland Farm1:47.80$35,0001980Summer AdvocateWilliam L. FloydMichael B. BallDonald Ball miles1:50.80$50,000 1979ArchitectStanley SpencerHarvey L. VanierCarl Lauer miles1:51.00$50,000 1978Beau ShamPat DayThomas E. LunneenChet & Gerry Herringer miles1:48.60$50,000 1977§ Best PersonVincent Bracciale Jr.Michael D. TinkerW. Cal Partee miles1:48.60$50,000 1976WardlawJorge Enrique TejeiraDavid R. VanceDan Lasater miles1:47.60$50,000 1975At The FrontAngel SantiagoJohn P. CampoBuckland Farm miles1:48.60$50,000 1974Park GuardBenny FelicianoJonathan E. SheppardAugustin Stable miles1:47.40$50,000 1973Blue Chip DanMickey SolomoneGeorge GetzPhil Teinowitz miles1:49.20$32,200 1972Family TableMickey SolomoneGeorge GetzPhil Teinowitz miles1:50.60$20,000 Bold NoblemanJames KelleyAndrew G. SmithersMrs. C. H. Sturrock Stable1:49.40$20,5001971Trico O'ErinThomas De PaloMillard H. HarrellMrs. Joy Glassberg miles1:52.20$28,900 1970† Two JoyJoseph Imparato Jake DodsonAudley Farms miles1:53.00$28,050 1969Roman PartnerMickey SolomoneKenneth W. BrightJames Livesay & Lou Kelley miles1:51.80$27,375 1968ChargertownRaymond NakamaA. O. CleffMrs. Walter R. Kelly miles1:54.40$15,670 1967Miracle HillRobert GallimoreDewey SmithT. Alie & James E. Grissom miles1:53.20$8,460 1966ƒ KerensaFloyd GreenPatsy SantoMrs. Horatio Luro miles1:50.40$8,420 1965PantuityFloyd GreenPatsy SantoAndrew G. Smithers miles1:53.00$8,310 1964Peter Le GrandFloyd GreenPatsy Santo Mrs. Edward B. Seedhouse miles1:53.00$5,045 1963ƒ EtimotaFloyd GreenPatsy Santo Mrs. Horatio Luro miles1:52.00$5,940 1962Race not heldAt Wheeling Downs1961Dip and WhirlBernie WaltThurmond GammonThurmond Gammon miles1:54.60$4,020 1960Race not held 1959Redbird WishWayne ChambersMarion H. Van BergMarion H. Van Berg miles1:52.80$14,620 1958Sea HymnJose ContraesEd BarerraCircle K Farms miles1:55.20$15,000 1927–1957 Race not heldAt Huntington Tri-State Park – West Virginia State Derby1926Nine SixtyLouis PinchonJ. L. BrannonMrs. J. L. Brannon miles1:49.40$1,500 Huntington Derby1925BelpreFrancis HornO. E. PonsC. G. Talbutt miles1:48.40$1,500 West Virginia Derby1924ƒ NorahWilly MartinCharles H. SmithCharles H. Smith miles1:54.60$1,500 1923Tender SethWilly FronkH. CavanaughE. C. Knebelkamp miles1:54.60$2,265

Notes:

ƒ Filly or Mare

§ Ran as an entry

‡ When the event was run between 1963 and 1981 the track was known as Waterford Park

† In the 1971 running, Captain Nash was first past the post but was disqualified for interference in the straight and Two Joy was declared the winner

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

References