8/1 (MNR): West Virginia Derby (G2)
 

8TH (5:45) West Virginia Derby (G2)

1 1/8 Miles | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $750,000

1 Soul Warrior Mena M 111 LA
2 Mine That Bird Smith M E 122 L
3 Awesome Rhythm McAleney J S 113 L
1A Sunday Sunrise Lanerie C J 111 LA
4 Big Drama Coa E M 111 L
5 Monty's Best Da Silva E R 113 LA

A-Coupled: Soul Warrior and Sunday Sunrise

Suck.

pretty F'n thin if i may say so myself

-bt-

Happy B-Day man..

big drama will win. especially with 11 pounds.

Sad that the MTB camp is too weak to go to Haskell. Would have been something to see all classic winners go after it. :mad:

How does Big Drama lose in this spot? There is little pace to deal with.

No kidding, that and the anchor on MTB.

also, I would imagine the goal is the Travers so you would think this is almost a prep

That'll be closer to 5. Dont know why they use weight scale that hardly any jocks can make

122 is an anchor? Clip-Clop=Bobby Frankel?

Just by comparison, no Frankel here. Anchor referring to a good portion of that 122 being Mike Smith:D

What do you guys expect? There are three big money races all on the same weekend (WV Derby, Jim Dandy, Haskell). Racing does this to itself. I'll warn you now not to expect all of the top performers from these races to meet in the Travers. A couple will defect to the Penn Derby nine days later and I wouldn't be surprised to see Summer Bird go home for the Super Derby. Cannibalism at it's best.

Making excuses for Mike Smith ridden horses before the race is even run again?

The Travers use to be all that and a bowl of Raisin Bran. Not anymore. The last few runnings have left a lot to be desired and its no longer that special race we look forward to all meet. It just took me a few seconds to remember who even won this event last year.

How can you say that after the great synthetic horse Colonel John won the race last year, blasphemy.

MTH has sweetened the pot to get the marquis horses. They pay out a good chunk just for them showing up. I think Toga is counting on its rep to get the big names and it hasn't worked out really.

thanks bob


as far as what did i expect, wasn't this race pretty much a wide open field of like 10 or so last year? now its MTB------Drama, and others. Why more trainers and owners aren't taking a shot for a nice 6 figure payday is beyond me....... THATS WHAT I MEAN BY THIN

-bt-

It's kinda hard to get top horses when their are no top horses, or at the very least a very shallow puddle of them.

Agreed, but over the last few years the Haskell has gotten the best of the lemon orchards. I did say "marquis horses" and "big names" Never "top horses". There aren't any of those, except for Einstein.

You mean like Bernardini, Street Sense, and Flower Alley?

Was thinking more like Curlin, Hard Spun, Big Brown and Rachel. But those three turned out to be OK too.

Will Mountaineer racino offer show wagering on the WV Derby? The short field is going to attract some bridge jumpers.

With no pace, MTB will have to be close to the lead, and he might not like resorting to his old tactics. Smith may wrap up on him in early stretch if he can't catch Big Drama, figuring why punish him for $150k when there are bigger fish to fry down the road.

Are we sure there's no pace? I don't recognize any of these horses except for Big Drama and Mine That Bird....so you're all familiar with how a horse like...ummm...Sunday Sunrise likes to run?

the pp's are not enough?

Happy Birthday pal! I'm glad I'm going to Saratoga because this field couldn't make me drive the 40 minutes it would have required.

thanks, wish i was there with ya, i got the sox/bmore series to attend... ugh

gl this week tom

-bt-

No titled horses in this race. The word you are grasping for is 'marquee', as in a theater marquee (that thing out front, where they put the names of the play/film and the lead actors).

Sorry, I occasionally channel my great-aunt, the old maid high school English teacher. I can't help it; she takes over.

Monty's Best has a chance to upset here.

Short crappy field in W. Virginia and a short crappy also rans in the Haskell and people say So Cal racing is dying. At least 13 horse fields shows up in So. Cal big races which makes a bigger and better wagering opputunity.

I disagree.

The Haskell came up ok. Munnings could be the best sprinter in the country and has not had a real chance to stretch out yet. Atomic Rain is a solid horse for the course, and Summer Bird won The Belmont.

Cal racing is also ran on plastic, and I'm thinking eventually that could ruin racing. I would rather bet dirt and turf, then any large field synthetic race.

As for the WV Derby, what can you really expect? When does that race ever come up big? The Derby Winner is no slouch either.

http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do?NID=105946

Are you Byron King ?

Kudos to whoever this is, esp with the space between word and question mark. Couldnt be doing it any better myself. Classic stuff.

I will fix it for you.

I forgot what I was going to say. I am listening to tvg and this guy trying to make a case for Cocoa Beach. GRL.
PPs???priceless.
Nice run by Hot Dixie Chick. VERY nice.

Well if you are just a mere spectator of the sport then I would agree with you but most of us are bettors and the haskell and the W. Virginia is a pass for me betting wise. Ya, So Cal doesnt have super stars as much but the G1s are sure great to handicap. Why would tracks care about field size and good betting races. Oh I forget, the purses are subsidized from the profits of the concession stands.

Why would three different tracks on the east coast card three different 3yo graded stakes races on the same day (weekend)???? Thats why you get watered down fields instead of having RA, MTB, Summer Bird, Munnings, Wariors Reward, and Charitable Man in the same race.

The best scores are made on these type of races with an unbeatable favorite. Simply because there is no such animal.

Unbelievable day for Assmussen - huge upset in this race and wins the Dandy moments later.

Kensei is a real horse though

West Va Derby Was Like Watching A Replay Of The Arkansas Derby..............