Freshened off a grueling Triple Crown series which saw him score the second
biggest upset in Kentucky Derby (G1) history, finish second to the filly Rachel
Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) in the Preakness S. (G1) and third in the Belmont S.
(G1), MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone) returns to action in the $750,000
West
Virginia Derby (G2), which headlines an all-stakes, nine-race program
Saturday afternoon at Mountaineer Park.
This will mark the first time any winner of the three classics has raced over
the one-mile strip in Chester, West Virginia, which opened as Waterford Park in
1951. With its purse infused with revenue from alternative gaming, the 1
1/8-mile contest has gained in stature in recent years and is now often used as
a stepping stone to late summer races like the Travers S. (G1) and Pennsylvania
Derby (G2). Mine That Bird is expected to pursue the former following his West
Virginia Derby.
Sent to Mountaineer late last week by trainer Chip Woolley, Mine That Bird
worked four furlongs in :49 4/5 over the track on Monday. He will be reunited on
Saturday with Mike Smith, who rode the gelding to a runner-up finish in the
Preakness. Mine That Bird breaks from post 2 in the field of six.
The speed will be provided by BIG DRAMA (Montbrook), the Grade 3 winner who
prepped for this by winning the Red Legend S. at Charles Town, and SOUL WARRIOR
(Lion Heart), runner-up in the Iowa Derby last time. Big Drama will probably
have a bit of an edge over that rival, having given futile chase to Rachel
Alexandra in the Preakness before fading to fifth two starts back. Prior to that
race, Big Drama had crossed the wire first in six straight races, scoring in the
Delta Jackpot S. (G3) and sweeping the three-race Florida Stallion S. at two,
but was disqualified from first and placed second for interference in the Swale
S. (G2) in his seasonal debut.
Others who might contend for a share are a pair of Woobine shippers, AWESOME
RHYTHM (Toccet) and MONTY’S BEST (Montbrook). Awesome Rhythm kicked off his
sophomore campaign with three dominating Polytrack wins in the Wando S., Marine
S. and Victoria Park S., but was only fourth in the Toronto Cup in his turf
debut last time. Monty’s Best has passed his first two allowance conditions this
year on Polytrack, but was a good second in his only prior start on dirt in the
Iroquois S. (G3) at Churchill Downs.
The most lucrative of the undercard stakes is the $125,000
West Virginia
Governor’s S. for older horses at 1 1/16 miles, headlined by multiple stakes
winner SHADOWBDANCING (Montbrook), runner-up in the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker
H. (G2) last time. The marquee name in the $110,000
Harvey
Arneault Memorial S., a six-furlong dash, is RAVALO (Mutakddim), who
possesses a 4-3-1-0 mark at Mountaineer and enhanced his status with a gutsy
head score in the May 16 Maryland Sprint H. (G3). TIZFIZ (Tiznow), who posted a
9-1 upset of the San Gorgonio H. (G2) in January, will attempt to end a
three-race losing streak in the $110,000
West Virginia
Senate President’s S. for fillies and mares over a mile and 70 yards on the
turf.
The remaining stakes are each worth $85,000. The
West Virginia
House of Delegates Speaker’s Cup S., also at a mile and 70 yards on grass,
features YATE’S BLACK CAT (Black Minnaloushe), who beat a stakes-quality field
in an allowance/optional claimer at Churchill Downs last time, and BLUES STREET
(Street Cry [Ire]), who has already won or placed in a pair of grass stakes at
the meet for Todd Pletcher. BERNIE BLUES (Bernstein) and TRUST OR BUST (Trust N
Luck) are the likely favorites in the
West Virginia
Legislature Chairman’s Cup S. at 4 1/2 furlongs, while 12 fillies and mares
have been entered for the
West
Virginia Secretary of State S. at six furlongs. Two-year-olds will travel
the same distance in the
Mountaineer
Juvenile S. and
Mountaineer
Juvenile Fillies S.