Sunday's West Virginia Derby Day card at Mountaineer co-features the West Virigina Governor's Stakes in Races 7 and 8. First post is a twilight special 5 pm ET with 9 races slated. Horseplayers at Xpressbet, take part in the $500 Mountaineer West Virginia Derby Day Pegasus World Cup Betting Championship Qualifier handicapping tournament today.

Race 1 (5:00PM ET)

#9 Rock n’Opportunity (10/1): Gets class relief as part of the cross-state trek from Charles Town for 26% trainer Ronney Brown and benefits from outside stalking trip.

#5 Victory Song (5/2): Charles Town invader has finished flat in a pair of 4.5f WV-bred MSWs cross state but is good enough to handle this bunch if he breaks well.

#3 All Roads to Denis (8/1): At 0-for-39 is not a win contender but has 16 2nds and 3rds on the resume and ITM 4-of-5 tries at the distance.

Notes: WV-bred MSW is a melting pot field, consisting of two first-time-starters, a pair of Charles Town shippers, and a trio that is 0-for-20+ locally. I’ll give the cross-state shippers a decided edge over the locals, who are led by a horse that tired badly going a furlong longer at 4/5-odds last out.


Race 2 (5:25PM ET)

#7 Back On Track (7/2): Has three blowout wins since moving to California to West Virginia and drew impeccably. Would consider this one a Pick 4 single, assuming #1 Silent Rule scratches.

#6 Canadian Bear (5/1): Razor sharp filly ITM in 9 of her last 9 dating back to March. Doesn’t have the sizzle of the topic pick, but more than good enough to fill out exotics.

#4 Mama Marge (4/1): Blowout local victory on July 13 was great and easy, but the water is much deeper here. Several speed players to her outside.

Notes: Going to assume that Silent Rule scratches out of this spot for the $100K Best of Ohio stakes race he’s entered in on Saturday. If he runs here, he’s as formidable a 1/9 shot as you’ll find.


Race 3 (5:50PM ET)

#4 Leave Drama Behind (7/2): “Speed of the speed” put it all together in the N2X version of this race on July 27 and wheels back fast. Is a daughter of ’09 WV Derby runner-up, Big Drama.

#1 Emily’s Joy (9/2): Daughter of ’16 WV Derby winner Cupid isn’t a fast starter, which is a big challenge in 5-furlong turf dashes. Best on paper, but needs great trip.

#9 Artella (8/1): Midwest invader has won two straight, but both turf races (at route distances) were not good. Was dirt the key to better form? Or simply a cutback in distance?

Notes: Not an overload of speed signed on for this 5-furlong turf dash, and thinking Indiana-invader Emily’s Joy is overbet from the rail. She’s best on paper but can’t afford to break at the back of the bunch. Local speedster Leave Drama Behind might be gone by the time she breaks free.


Race 4 (6:15PM ET)

#10 Beach Colt (12/1): The morning line feels like wishful thinking for this one, who knocked heads with Viking, Rolando, Jack’s Promise and others at Gulfstream over the winter.

#6 Highly Flammable (10/1): Either of his races at Churchill in April/May were probably good enough to win this and may be a bit forgotten after a loss to much tough competition at Ellis.

#1 Catch the Humor (9/2): Can tuck away inside plenty of speed to his outside and should come with a big kick. First time away from CT, so make sure value is fair.

Notes: This race is a who’s who of some of the quickest horses at Mountaineer, but Gulfstream invader Beach Colt may be quickest of them all. If he runs as well here as he did in the Smile Sprint on July 4, they probably never get to him.


Race 5 (6:40PM ET)

#5 Sperry Chalet (5/2): Painful to pick an 0-for-16 ML favorite but shows two really strong local turf races on the resume. Catch her if you can.

#1 Completely Elegant (20/1): Expect this one to get hammered off the 20/1 ML shipping in from Kentucky and with Johnny V in the irons. Plenty to love, despite finishing last in two-of-three races.

#9 Red Drapes (15/1): Ran OK in two turf races at Laurel earlier this year, and the Jay Bernardini barn has been hot as they get locally of late. Wants to stalk the top pick.

Notes: These horses don’t bring much in recent form, and many in here seem allergic to the passing lane, so going with the one that should be up front. Expect Completely Elegant to be a fraction of the 20/1 price off the company she’s kept.


Race 6 (7:05PM ET)

#9 Small Field (7/2): Mountaineer turf specialist is 2-for-3 locally and the stamina influence of damsire With Approval, 2nd in the ’90 BC Turf, doesn’t hurt. Expect him to be favored.

#4 Royal Salute (5/2): Plenty of turf quality in the pedigree, including Kitten’s Joy, Dansili, and Oscar Performance in the immediate family. Is 2-for-2 locally for the Bernardini barn.

#2 Blind Eye (6/1): Resume shows decent efforts at Monmouth, Laurel and Moutaineer on the lawn, but not sure the 1 3/4-mile distance suits as well as others.

Note: 1 3/4 miles on the lawn is not a common distance on any circuit, so finding horses with penchant to marathon here is not easy. Going four turns, I expect the cream to rise to the top and this one appears to be between the two favorites.


Race 7 (7:30PM ET) - $200K WV Governor’s Stakes

#2 Bracket Buster (5/2): They’ve been picky finding the right spot for this one off the pine, but I think this 1 1/16 mile trip at Mountaineer should suit perfectly. Won the OK Derby in ’25 is tactical enough to handle these.

#6 Hall of Fame (5/1): Worth a long look as this one gets back on Lasix for the first time in over a year. Recent form is questionable at best, but Asmussen and Team have made the walk to the MNR winner’s circle many times.

#1 Neoequos (3/1): It has been a long time since this one won on the dirt, but he did win routing on turf at GP in January and his last three starts were all solid for Saffie. He should run well.

Note: A few of these wouldn’t be a surprise, but thinking Bracket Buster and Hall of Fame are the ‘right’ two for the multi-race sequences. Priority is Bracket Buster, but Hall of Fame more than a capable runner on his best days.


Race 8 (7:55PM ET) - $400K Grade 3 West Virginia Derby

#4 J J Grey (2/1): Has quietly amassed a resume with four consecutive dirt wins dating back to March, all by at least 1 3/4-lengths. Can lead or stalk, which makes him a tactical handful for his rivals.

#5 Zihnal (6/1): Ran evenly in the G3 Indiana Derby, but continues to improve for Jonathan Thomas and all three of his dirt races return big speed figs. Johnny Velazquez is named to ride.

#6 Maximum Effort (9/2): Closed from the clouds to finish 3rd behind J J Grey in the Iowa Derby. Can’t pick a maiden up top, but he should fill in somewhere underneath.

Notes: J J Grey is sharp, in-form and has the right tactical speed that is traditionally formidable in this race. Wayne’s Law is a complete wildcard to his outside, but adds blinkers and could set things up for a host of closers if he pushes the tempo quicker than ‘Grey wants to go.


Race 9 (8:20PM ET)

#9 Binging (5/1): Makes the cross-nation trek from Santa Anita to Mountaineer and the races he was running in SoCal over the winter would likely handle this bunch.

#1 Mischievous Juan (10/1): White hot Juan Vazquez barn sends out this one. While just 1-for-11 locally, he should appreciate a return to a fast track and will be moving on late.

#2 Crosstown Shootout (5/2): Veteran 10yo won a tougher race two back at Horseshoe Indy. Has finished 1st or 2nd in 30-of-65 races and even has two local scores back in 2021.

Notes: Nightcap / getout race is a solid puzzle. I’ll land on the quality of the California shipper, but others in this group have been running well in Florida and Indiana. Binging is just 3-for-20 lifetime, but is 2-for-11 on the dirt and that February 28 race at Santa Anita would win this.


Early Pick 4 Ticket

Race 2: 7 (add 1 if doesn’t scratch)
Race 3: 1, 4, 9
Race 4: 1, 6, 8, 10
Race 5: 1, 5
Ticket: $24 for $1


Pick 5 Ticket

Race 5: 1, 5
Race 6: 4, 9
Race 7: 2, 6
Race 8: 3, 4, 5
Race 9: 1, 2, 3, 8, 9
Ticket: $60 for 50-cents