NEW CUMBERLAND, W.Va. — Hit Show, a multiple graded stakes winner since capturing the then-Grade 3 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes one year ago, is scheduled to return for the 2025 edition of the $200,000 race for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles Sunday at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort.

The Governor’s Stakes joins the $400,000 Grade 3 West Virginia Derby on a nine-race program that begins at 5 p.m. Probable post time for the Governor’s Stakes is 7:40 p.m., with the Derby to follow at 8:15 p.m.

The 2025 Governor’s Stakes was the first of three consecutive graded stakes victories for Hit Show, a 5-year-old Candy Ride horse trained by Brad Cox for Wathnan Racing. Hit Show, who has earned more than $7.1 million, was sold by his breeders, Gary and Mary West, after his Mountaineer victory.

He went on to win the Grade 2 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs in September and the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland in October. In January, he captured the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds and later finished third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap.

His connections then shipped him to the United Arab Emirates for the $12 million Dubai World Cup in April. They hoped for a safe trip and a share of the purse — and ended up with a $6.96 million first-place payday.

Hit Show drew post 8 in a nine-horse field for the Governor’s Stakes and will be ridden by Florent Geroux, who was aboard for last year’s win at Mountaineer and for all four graded stakes scores since.

Heroic Move, who just missed winning the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows in Iowa in his last start, was a half-length behind Hit Show in the 2024 Governor’s Stakes. Trained by Robertino Diodoro for Arnold Bennewith, Rick Weist, Clayton Weist, Lana Weist, Randy Howg, R6 Stables, Gary Kropp and Norman Tremblay, Heroic Move will break from the outside post and be ridden by Harry Hernandez.

Not This Boy, second by a neck in the 2024 Ellis Park Derby in Kentucky, has three wins and three seconds in six career starts. The 4-year-old Not This Time gelding, trained by Doug Cowans for Zimmer Ridge Ranch, drew post 1 and will be ridden by Luis Saez. Not This Boy enters off an easy victory in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race at Churchill Downs.

Admission tickets for Aug. 3 are required and available online at the Mountaineer website, at the gift shop or at the gate the day of the event. Food trucks will open at 2 p.m., with live entertainment from 2:30 to 4 p.m.