West Virginia Derby attracts 28 nominations
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NEW CUMBERLAND -- The one-two finishers in the Grade III Indiana Derby are among the 28 3-year-olds nominated to the $400,000 Grade III West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Casino, Resort and Races. The Derby and the $200,000 West Virginia Governor's Stakes highlight the Aug. 9 program that will begin at 5 p.m.
Trainer Brad Cox, who won the 2023 West Virginia Derby with Dragoon Guard, has three nominees this year including Leading Change, who is undefeated in two starts. The 3-year-old Gun Runner colt owned by Wathnan Racing easily broke his maiden in his first start at Churchill Downs and then proved a game winner of the 1 1/16-mile Indiana Derby in his first start around two turns.
A neck behind in second was Our Moneyman, a 3-year-old colt by Mr. Money, winner of the 2019 West Virginia Derby for Allied Racing Stable. Just three days after that performance, Our Moneyman, a winner of two Louisiana-bred stakes, was a late entry to the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age sale by Allied Racing and sold for $2 million to Saudi Arabia-based KAS Stables.
Our Moneyman remains in the care of trainer Bret Calhoun, who also trained Mr. Money.
Also nominated are J J Grey, The Hell We Did and Maximum Effort, the top three finishers in the $250,000 Iowa Derby; and the maiden Ocelli and Trendsetter, who finished second and third, respectively, in the $500,000 Grade III Ohio Derby. Maximum Effort is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who has a record six victories in the West Virginia Derby.
The West Virginia Governor's Stakes attracted 43 nominations including two West Virginia Derby winners: Dragoon Guard and Chunk of Gold, who captured the
Mountaineer fixture last year. Chunk of Gold, trained by Ethan West for Terry Stephens, finished second in a high-level allowance event at Churchill Downs in late June in his first start of 2026.
Also nominated is $9.5 million earner Hit Show, a Cox trainee who would be seeking his third consecutive victory in the Governor's Stakes should he compete.
Admission tickets for Aug. 9 are required for attendance and are available online at the Mountaineer website, at the Mountaineer gift shop, or at the gate the day of the event. Doors open at 2 p.m., and there will be live entertainment from 2:30-4 p.m.