West Virginia Derby 2015 at Mountaineer Racetrack

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - Mountaineer Racetrack in New Cumberland, West Virginia will play host to the 46th running of the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby on Saturday, August 1. Horses three years old and upward will be featured when they take to Mountaineer's dirt track and go 1 1/8 miles for a generous purse of $750,000.

A large but quality field of 11 three year olds will give it a go in the West Virginia Derby - race 8 on Mountaineer's Saturday card. Post time is 5:10 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 11 entries for this lucrative Grade 2 stakes - a few of which could be entered in the other big races for three years olds around the country this weekend.

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2015 West Virginia Derby Race Favorite Entries

Madefromlucky 3-1 - Todd Pletcher trained colt has nine career starts with three wins, two seconds and a third place finish. He has been in there with some tough competition so far with OK results. Last time out was a disappointing sixth in the Belmont Stakes which followed an easy win in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes track May 9, a fourth behind American Pharoah in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park April 11, a good second behind American Pharoah in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes on that same track March 14 and two straight wins at Gulfstream to start his year - a maiden score and an Allowance Optional Claiming in February. Madefromlucky has been competitive but has failed to hit the board in two of his last three starts overall. A yet-to-be-named jockey will try to cure the inconsistencies Saturday when they leave from gate 10 as the tepid morning line favorite and 122 pound highweight.

Tale of Verve 4-1 - Dale Stewart trained colt has eight career starts with a win, two seconds, and two third place finishes but was last seen running a slightly disappointing seventh in the Belmont Stakes June 6. He raced in stakes company for the first time May 16 and posted a career best effort - a second at 28-1 odds in the Preakness Stakes right behind American Pharoah. He finally broke maiden in his sixth career start April 23 as well. Tale of Verve has been up and down and will be looking for his first stakes score Saturday from post 5 with Robby Albarado in the irons of the morning line second pick.

West Virginia Derby 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Bent On Bourbon 5-1 - Eddie Keneally trained colt has five career starts with three wins and a second place finish - three straight wins ahead of this weekend. Last time out was a stellar win in his stakes debut - the Grade 3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows June 27 which followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score May 29 and an maiden victory May 2 - both results at Churchill Downs. Bent On Bourbon hopes for his second straight graded stakes score and his fourth straight overall Saturday with Corey Lanerie in the saddle from gate 8.

Stanford 6-1 - Todd Pletcher trained colt has three wins and two second place finishes in seven career starts and enters off his only stakes win so far - the minor Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park July 11. Before that were consecutive runner-up finishes including the minor Winstar Farm Easy Goer Stakes at Belmont Park in June and the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in a photo finish in March. Stanford will be after his first graded stakes score Saturday and enters in pretty good form. He will depart from the rail with a yet-to-be-determined jockey.

Tommy Macho 6-1 - will race for the fifth time for trainer Todd Pletcher having recorded two wins and two third place finishes so far. Last time out was a respectable third in his stakes debut - the Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park July 4 which followed consecutive wins - the best of which was an Allowance also at Belmont Park in June. Tommy Macho has been very competitive so far and hopes to keep that trend going from gate 2 with Edgar Prado aboard.

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Tekton 8-1 - has two wins and a second place finish in six career starts for trainer Anthony Dutrow -one of those wins coming two starts back by an impressive 10 3/4 lengths in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Pimlico May 21. His other win was a maiden score in his second career start in December at Laurel Park and the second place finish came last time out in his graded stakes debut - in a photo finish in the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park June 21. Tekton has placed in his last two starts overall after failing to hit the board in his previous two and hopes to continue the upward trend from gate 4 with Alex Cintron in the saddle.

Iron Fist 10-1 - finished fourth in his debut for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer but has placed in all five career starts since - two wins, two seconds and a third place finish. He enters on the heels of consecutive wins - an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out at Santa Anita June 28 and a maiden score on that same track in May which followed a second in a MSW and an OK third in his only stakes action to date - the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity last September. Iron Fist has been in every race the last year and is expected to be competitive again Saturday from post 7 with Mike Smith in the reins.

War Story 12-1 - Tom Amoss trained colt placed in his five career starts - two wins, two seconds and a third place finish but has failed to his the board in his last two. Last time out was a fourth after a poor start in the minor Ohio Derby at Thistletown June 20 after a sixteenth place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Before the Derby was a third in the Grade 3 Louisiana Derby March 28 and runner-up finishes in the Grade 2 Risen Star and Grade 3 LeComte Stakes this year - all results at Fair Grounds. War Story had been competitive as they come but has struggled most recently. Scott Spieth has been tabbed with changing his fortunes around when they depart from gate 6 Saturday.

Souper Colossal 12-1 - multiple stakes winning Edward Plesa trained colt has four wins and two seconds in seven career starts - the only off-the-board finish was a seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Before that race was a nice wire-to-wire win in the minor Sapling Stakes which followed a win in the minor Tyro Stakes and a maiden score in June - all three results at Monmouth Park. He posted an easy 1 1/2 length win in the minor Texas Glitter Stakes at Gulfstream February 7and has two runner-up finishes in his only other two starts this year - to Stanford last time out in the minor Long Branch Stakes July 11 and the minor Select Stakes in June - both results at Monmouth. Paco Lopez gets the call looking for Souper Colossal's first graded stakes win from the outside post 11 Saturday.

Alliseeisgold 30-1 - has four win and two third place finishes in six career starts for trainer Louis Ruberto. He enters having won three straight races - last time out was in wire-to-wire fashion in his stakes debut - the minor Daniel Stearns Cleveland Gold Cup at Thistletown July 4 after consecutive Allowance scores on that same track. Alliseeisgold steps into graded stakes company for the first time Saturday on quite a roll with Mario Pino guiding him from post 3.

Thirtysilverpieces 50-1 - has 10 career starts with four wins and two third place finishes for trainer Kenneth Marshall. He looks for his first stakes win Saturday off a fifth in the minor Ohio Derby June 20, a third in the minor PDJF Stakes at Indiana Grand in May and wins in two of his previous three races (both Claiming races). He makes his huge step up in competition in just so-so form and will have Luis Gonzalez aboard from post 9.


2015 West Virginia Derby Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Mountaineer Racetrack's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:10 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Stanford F. Geroux T. Pletcher
6-1
2 Tommy Macho E. Prado T. Pletcher
6-1
3 Alliseeisgold M. Pino L. Ruberto, Jr.
30-1
4 Tekton A. Cintron A. Dutrow
8-1
5 Tale of Verve R. Albarado D. Stewart
4-1
6 War Story S. Spieth J. Radosevich
12-1
7 Iron Fist M. Smith J. Hollendorfer
10-1
8 Bent On Bourbon C. Lanerie E. Kenneally
5-1
9 Thirtysilverpieces L. Gonzalez K. Marshall
50-1
10 Madefromlucky J. Bravo T. Pletcher
3-1
11 Souper Colossal P. Lopez E. Plesa, Jr.
12-1