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Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chunk Of Gold Sparkles In Gate-To-Wire West Virginia Derby Romp
Chunk Of Gold Sparkles In Gate-To-Wire West Virginia Derby Romp originally appeared on Paulick Report. Chunk of Gold, wearing blinkers for the first time, capitalized on a poor start by heavily favored East Avenue, both starters in the Kentucky Derby (G1) this spring, and led from start to finish in the Sunday's $400,000 West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer Casino, Resort and Races. Trained by Ethan West for owner Terry Stephens, Chunk of Gold won for the second time in his seven-race career after collecting three second-place finishes in graded stakes. He was the second choice at 2-1 in a field of eight in the 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-olds. 'Winning this race means a lot,' said Jareth Loveberry, who has ridden the Preservationist colt in his last five starts. 'I rode at Mountaineer from 2009-2014. I met Ethan (West) here and we've known each other for 12 years. It's also my birthday today, which makes it extra meaningful. 'He's a very honest horse that tries every time. I was planning to be close early in the race, but when East Avenue didn't make the lead, we took his spot.' Chunk of Gold nursed a one-length lead over McAfee and Just a Fair Shake for more than six furlongs, then opened his lead turning for home to win by 4¼ lengths in 1:50.97 on a fast track. McAfee captured second, while Brotha Keny rallied well for third. East Avenue was fifth. The winner paid $6.80. 'It was fantastic,' West said of the colt's performance. 'All the credit goes to Jareth. He rode a great race. We had hoped to be close early, so we added blinkers to get him to be more responsive. But after the start, Jareth basically walked the dog.' 'It's exciting,' said Stephens, who had a large group on hand for the race. "He has run very well in graded stakes and it's nice to see him win one. I'm happy for the horse, the trainer and all the connections. I'm very proud.' Chunk of Gold was bred in Kentucky by late former Kentucky Governor Brereton C. was produced by the Cairo Prince mare Play for Gold. He was ninth, just behind eighth-place finisher East Avenue, in the Kentucky Derby after a trio of seconds in Derby preps: the Leonatus Jan. 18 at Turfway Park, the Risen Star (G2) Feb. 15 at Fair Grounds, and the Louisiana Derby (G2) March 22 at the New Orleans track. He entered Sunday's race off a runner-up finish in the Ohio Derby (G2) at Thistledown. The $246,400 winner's share of the West Virginia Derby purse elevated his career earnings to $695,218. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
East Avenue Favored In West Virginia Derby
East Avenue Favored In West Virginia Derby originally appeared on Paulick Report. East Avenue, a two-time graded-stakes winner in his seven starts thus far, is one of eight 3-year-olds entered in the $400,000 Grade 3 West Virginia Derby, which will be held Sunday, Aug. 3, at Mountaineer Casino, Resort & Races, in Chester, The 2025 West Virginia Derby at 1 ⅛ miles will be the 55th in its program, which includes the $200,000 West Virginia Governor's Stakes, will have a first post time of 5 p.m. East Avenue, trained by Kentucky-based Brendan Walsh for breeder and owner Godolphin, in 2024 easily won his first start and then captured the G1 Breeders' Futurity for 2-year-olds at Keeneland by 5 ¼ lengths. In his second start as a 3-year-old, the Medaglia d'Oro colt led from the start in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland only to fall a nose short of victory behind Burnham an even eighth-place finish in the 19-horse G1 Kentucky Derby, he resurfaced at Churchill Downs and won the G3 Matt Winn Stakes in his most recent start. Luis Saez, who was aboard in the Matt Winn, has the mount from post 2. Terry Stephens' Chunk of Gold, stabled at Turfway Park in Kentucky with trainer Ethan West, has won one of six starts but has placed in graded stakes three times this year. The Preservationist colt was second in the G2 Risen Star Stakes and the G2 Louisiana Derby and second in the G3 Ohio Derby in his most recent outing. He finished just behind East Avenue in the Kentucky Loveberry, who has ridden Chunk of Gold in his last four starts, has the call from post 4.'Training-wise, he has been doing really good,' West said. 'We're not trying to campaign him super-hard. There are a lot of good 3-year-olds, and we're trying to avoid the heavy-hitters on the East Coast. We have no complaints, no concerns right now. I'm confident he's going into the race where he needs to be.' McAfee, third in the Ohio Derby, before that finished a close second in the G3 Peter Pan Stakes, a prep for the G1 Belmont Stakes. The Cloud Computing colt, trained by Richard Dutrow Jr. for Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Judy Hicks, and Scott Rice, will break from post position 5 with Emmanuel Esquivel named to entered is Brotha Keny, who rallied from almost nine lengths behind after the start to finish third, beaten 1 ¼ lengths in the G3 Indiana Derby. Trained by William Morey for Lance Kinross and Steve Kinross, the Mo Town gelding has shown improvement with two wins on dirt after racing in the winter on the synthetic Tapeta surface at Keny will start from post 6 with jockey Joseph Ramos. The 1 1/16-mile West Virginia Governor's Stakes features the return of last year's winner, Hit Show, for trainer Brad Cox and Gary and Mary West, who bred and own the 5-year-old Candy Ride horse. After his victory at Mountaineer, Hit Show won the G2 Lukas Classic at Churchill, the G2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland, the G3 Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds, and the G1 Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
