J J Grey eyes West Virginia Derby title
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NEW CUMBERLAND, W.Va. -- J J Grey, winner of the Iowa Derby in front-running fashion, and Trendsetter, who captured the Grade III Lexington Stakes at Keeneland in April, are among the eight 3-year-olds entered for the $400,000 Grade III West Virginia Derby on Sunday at Mountaineer Casino, Resort & Races at 1 1/8 miles.
The nine-race program, which will begin at 5 p.m., includes the $200,000 West Virginia Governor's Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles. That event attracted a field of nine.
Trained by Kenny McPeek for Shamrock Stables, MJM Racing and Magdalena Racing, J J Grey will come to Mountaineer on a three-race win streak. The Street Boss colt won an allowance test at Oaklawn Park in May and the Prairie Mile in June before his impressive score in the 1 1/16-mile Iowa Derby July 11 at Prairie Meadows.
Emmanuel Esquivel, who has been aboard J J Grey for three of the colt's five victories in 10 starts, is again named to ride.
"He has natural speed, but he's also a fighter," McPeek said of J J Grey. "He has been a real pleasure and keeps getting better and better. He needed a little maintenance breeze (July 25 at Churchill Downs), but everything is on cue."
Trendsetter, a Modernist gelding trained by Ben Colebrook for owner Davant Latham, began his career as a sprinter but has proven himself in graded stakes company in races at 1 1/16 miles and 1 1/8 miles. After his 32-1 upset in the Lexington, Trendsetter finished third in the Grade III Peter Pan Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack and on June 20 was a closing third in the Grade III Ohio Derby at Thistledown.
Kazushi Kimura, who has been riding in California, has ridden Trendsetter in his last four starts and is named to ride him at Mountaineer.
Zihnal, fourth in the Grade III Indiana Derby after a poor start, was entered in the July 29 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga Race Course but the card was canceled and the race was redrawn and moved to August 1. Trainer Jonathan Thomas opted not to re-enter and instead entered the Quality Road gelding owned by Augustin Stable in the West Virginia Derby.
Jockey John Velazquez, who on July 31 won his 800th graded stakes, has the mount on Zihnal. Velazquez rode McAfee to a second-place finish in last year's West Virginia Derby.
Trainer Steve Asmussen, who holds the West Virginia Derby record with six victories, has entered the maiden Maximum Effort, who rallied for third in the Iowa Derby and the Texas Derby. Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, the Maxfield colt will be ridden by Ramon Vazquez for the first time.
Admission tickets for August 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.
$400,000 Grade III West Virginia Derby
1. Nehalem (jockey Kevin Gonzalez, trainer Terry Vaughn), 2. Baytown Dreamer (Deshawn Parker, Paul McEntee), 3. Trendsetter (Kazushi Kimura, Ben Colebrook), 4. J J Grey (Emmanuel Esquivel, Ken McPeek), 5. Zihnal (John Velazquez, Jonathan Thomas), 6. Maximum Effort (Ramon Vazquez, Steve Asmussen), 7. Wayneás Law (Diego Herrera, Amador Sanchez), 8. Bull by the Horns (Micah Husbands, Saffie Joseph Jr.).