West Virginia Governor's Stakes
The West Virginia Governor's Stakes is a race for Thoroughbred horses run annually since 1997 at Mountaineer Racetrack in Chester, West Virginia. The $200,000 race is open to horses age three and older and is run at a distance of 1 1/16 miles on dirt. The race has grown in stature over the years[1] and for 2018 the race has been given Grade 3 status.[2]
| Grade III race | |
| Location | Mountaineer Racetrack Chester, West Virginia |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1997 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 11/16 miles (8.5 furlongs) |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old and up |
| Weight | Allowance |
| Purse | $200,000 |
Joan & Ron Winchell, who race as Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, won this race in 2012 with Tapizar and went on to win the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in the fall.[3]
In 2015, the race saw a major upset when longshot Looks To Spare won under jockey Deshawn Parker. A perennial Mountaineer Racetrack champion and its all-time winningest jockey, when Parker rides it is near automatic that the fans will heavily back him. However, Looks To Spare was considered such an unlikely winner that he was allowed to go off at odds of 74-1. He paid $150.60 to win on a $2 ticket. [4]
Although open to horses of either sex age three and older, through 2017 no filly nor any three-year-old has ever won the race in its twenty-one-year history.
Records
Speed record:
- 1 1⁄16 miles - 1:41.15 - Be Like Mike (2003)
Most wins:
- 2 - M B Sea (2005, 2007)
Most wins by a jockey:
- 2 - Rafael Bejarano (2004, 2011)
Most wins by a trainer:
- 2 - Dale Romans (2005, 2007) & Steve Asmussen (2008, 2012)
Most wins by an owner:
- 2 - Michael J. Bruder (2005, 2007) & Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (Winchell family) (2008, 2012)
Winners of the West Virginia Governor's Stakes
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Distance (M) |
Time |
Purse US$ |
Gr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Fear The Cowboy | 5 | Jesus M. Rios | Efren Loza Jr. | Kathleen Amaya & Raffaele Centofanti | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.62 | $200,000 | L |
| 2016 | Hawaakom | 6 | Miguel Mena | Wesley E. Hawley | Stephan Smoot | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.64 | $200,000 | L |
| 2015 | Looks To Spare | 5 | Deshawn Parker | Otabek Umarov | O'zbekiston Racing | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.55 | $200,000 | L |
| 2014 | Carve | 4 | Jesus Castanon | Brad H. Cox | Mike Langford | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.44 | $200,000 | L |
| 2013 | Taptowne | 5 | Calvin Borel | Tim Glyshaw | Clovertowne Farm | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.90 | $200,000 | L |
| 2012 | Tapizar | 4 | Corey Nakatani | Steve Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:42.57 | $200,000 | L |
| 2011 | Modern Cowboy | 4 | Rafael Bejarano | Todd Pletcher | Green Hills Farm Inc. | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:45.40 | $125,000 | L |
| 2010 | Demarcation | 6 | Joel Rosario | Paul J. McGee | American Racing Stables LLC | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.37 | $125,000 | L |
| 2009 | Shadowbdancing | 4 | Randall Meier | Terrel Gore | RNB Racing LLC | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.10 | $125,000 | L |
| 2008 | Zanjero | 4 | Shaun Bridgmohan | Steve Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.65 | $125,000 | L |
| 2007 | M B Sea | 8 | Rex Stokes III | Dale Romans | Michael J. Bruder | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:46.96 | $125,000 | L |
| 2006 | Cherokees Boy | 6 | Travis Dunkelberger | Gary A. Capuano | Z W P Stable | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.72 | $125,000 | L |
| 2005 | M B Sea | 6 | Mark Guidry | Dale Romans | Michael J. Bruder | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:43.82 | $125,000 | L |
| 2004 | Wiggins | 4 | Rafael Bejarano | Anthony J. Granitz | William Pacella/Joseph Rizza/Ronald Schwed | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:43.37 | $100,000 | L |
| 2003 | Be Like Mike | 4 | Jorge Chavez | Niall M. O'Callaghan | G-3 Racing | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:41.15 | $100,000 | L |
| 2002 | Docent | 4 | Jeremy Rose | Timothy F. Ritchey | Arlene Daney | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:42.24 | $85,000 | L |
| 2001 | Winning Connection | 5 | Damon Leeds | Joe Woodard | Billy Hays | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:43.94 | $55,000 | L |
| 2000 | Shock Value | 5 | Rick Wilson | Daniel J. Lopez | D. J. Lopez & Theodore Shapiro | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.64 | $50,000 | L |
| 1999 | True Silver | 4 | Jeffrey Lloyd | Donald P. Saville | Heavenly Acres Farm | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.64 | $35,000 | BT |
| 1998 | Xclusive Imp | 4 | Mary E. Doser | John R. Semer | Elaine M. Gross | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:44.44 | $35,000 | BT |
| 1997 | Regal Rahy | 4 | Michael Rowland | Charles A. Tatonetti | Preferred Picks Racing Stable | 1 1⁄16 M | 1:45.62 | $25,000 | BT |
References
- August 2, 2017 Mountaineer Racetrack article
- Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, December 1, 2017, "TOBA Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes for 2018" Retrieved June 26, 2017
- Breeders'Cup Limited, Dirt Mile official results
- Bloodhorse.com August 21, 2015 article titled "Rare Upset for Jockey Parker at Mountaineer"