West Virginia Governor's Stakes

The West Virginia Governor's Stakes is a Grade III American thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and older over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt held annually in August at Mountaineer Race Track in Chester, West Virginia. The event currently carries a purse of $150,000.

West Virginia Governor's Stakes
Grade III race
LocationMountaineer Racetrack
Chester, West Virginia, United States
Inaugurated1995 (as West Virginia Governor's Cup Handicap)
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
WebsiteMountaineer Park
Race information
Distance1+1⁄16 miles (8.5 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree-years-old and older
WeightBase weights with allowances:
4-year-olds and up: 124 lbs.
3-year-olds: 122 lbs.
Purse$200,000

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 8 September 1995 as the first race on a nine race program on the West Virginia Breeders Classic Stakes Day.[1] The event was run as the West Virginia Governor's Cup Handicap over a five furlong distance.[2]

The event was not held in 1996.[3] In 1997 the event was run as the West Virginia Governor's Handicap over a distance of 1+1⁄16 miles and was the main event of the day's racing card.[4]

In 2005 the conditions of the event were changed from handicap to stakes allowance and the name of the event was modified to the West Virginia Governor's Stakes.[5]

In 2007 the event was won by the eight-year-old M B Sea for the second time.[3] Both of the victories by M B Sea were by seven lengths which stood as the margin record until Shadowbdancing won by eight lengths in 2009.[6]

Joan & Ron Winchell, who race as Winchell Thoroughbreds, won this race in 2012 with Tapizar and went on to win the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in the fall.[7]

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.[8]

The race has grown in stature over the years and in 2018 the race was upgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Grade 3 status.[9]

In 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Mountaineer Park canceled the event.[10]

Records

Speed record:

  • 1+1⁄16 miles - 1:41.15 Be Like Mike (2003)

Margins:

  • 8 lengths - Shadowbdancing (2009)

Most wins:

  • 2 - M B Sea (2005, 2007)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
West Virginia Governor's Stakes
2023 Duke of Love 4 Luis Contreras Josie Carroll MyRacehorse 1+1⁄16 miles 1:42.39 $200,000 III [11]
2022 Fulsome 4 Paco Lopez Brad H. Cox Juddmonte 1+1⁄16 miles 1:43.48 $200,000 III [12]
2021 Sprawl 4 Joseph Talamo Thomas Drury Jr. Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.95 $200,000 III [13]
2020 Race not held
2019 Silver Dust 5 Jack Gilligan W. Bret Calhoun Tom R. Durant 1+1⁄16 miles 1:43.85 $200,000 III [14]
2018 Leofric 5 Florent Geroux Brad H. Cox Steve Landers Racing 1+1⁄16 miles 1:42.72 $200,000 III [15]
2017 Fear the Cowboy 5 Jesus M. Rios Efren Loza Jr. Kathleen Amaya & Raffaele Centofanti 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.62 $200,000 Listed [16]
2016 Hawaakom 6 Miguel Mena Stephan H. Smoot Stephan H. Smoot & Wesley E. Hawley 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.64 $200,000 Listed [17]
2015 Looks to Spare 5 Deshawn L. Parker Otabek Umarov O'zbekiston Racing 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.55 $200,000 Listed [18]
2014 Carve 4 Jesus Lopez Castanon Brad H. Cox Mike Langford 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.44 $200,000 Listed [19]
2013 Taptowne 5 Calvin H. Borel Tim Glyshaw Clovertowne Farm 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.90 $200,000 Listed [20]
2012 Tapizar 4 Corey Nakatani Steven M. Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds 1+1⁄16 miles 1:42.57 $200,000 Listed [21]
2011 Modern Cowboy 4 Rafael Bejarano Todd A. Pletcher Green Hills Farm 1+1⁄16 miles 1:45.40 $125,000 Listed [22]
2010 Demarcation 6 Joel Rosario Paul J. McGee American Racing Stables 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.37 $125,000 Listed [23]
2009 Shadowbdancing 4 Randall A. Meier Terrel Gore RNB Racing 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.10 $125,000 Listed [6]
2008 Zanjero 4 Shaun Bridgmohan Steven M. Asmussen Winchell Thoroughbreds 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.65 $125,000 Listed [24]
2007 M B Sea 8 Rex A. Stokes III Dale L. Romans Michael J. Bruder 1+1⁄16 miles 1:46.96 $125,000 Listed [25]
2006 Cherokee's Boy 6 Travis L. Dunkelberger Gary Capuano Z W P Stable 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.72 $125,000 Listed [26]
2005 M B Sea 6 Mark Guidry Dale L. Romans Michael J. Bruder 1+1⁄16 miles 1:43.82 $125,000 Listed [27]
West Virginia Governor's Handicap
2004 Wiggins 4 Rafael Bejarano Anthony J. Granitz William Pacella, Joseph Rizza & Ronald Schwed 1+1⁄16 miles 1:43.37 $100,000 Listed [28]
2003 Be Like Mike 4 Jorge F. Chavez Niall M. O'Callaghan G-3 Racing 1+1⁄16 miles 1:41.15 $102,825 Listed [29]
2002 Docent 4 Jeremy Rose Timothy F. Ritchey Arlene Daney 1+1⁄16 miles 1:42.24 $88,500 Listed [30]
2001 Winning Connection 5 Damon Leeds Joe Woodard Billy Hays 1+1⁄16 miles 1:43.94 $57,750 Listed [31]
2000 Shock Value 5 Rick Wilson Daniel J. Lopez Daniel J. Lopez & Theodore Shapiro 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.64 $52,650 Listed [32]
1999 True Silver 4 Jeffrey Scott Lloyd Donald P. Saville Heavenly Acres Farm 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.64 $37,450 Listed [33]
1998 Xclusive Imp 4 Mary Elizabeth Doser John R. Semer Elaine M. Gross 1+1⁄16 miles 1:44.44 $37,275 [34]
1997 Regal Rahy 4 Michael F. Rowland Charles A. Tatonetti Preferred Picks Racing Stable 1+1⁄16 miles 1:45.62 $27,000 [35]
1996 Race not held
West Virginia Governor's Cup Handicap
1995 I'm No Square 6 John A. Perez Jr. Louis P. Gallo Louis P. Gallo 5 furlongs 0:58.65 $11,725 [2]

See also

List of American and Canadian Graded races

References
  1. "MOUNTAINEER CASINO RACETRACK & RESORT - September 8, 1995 - Race day". Equibase. 8 September 1995. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  2. "1995 West Virginia Governor's Cup Handicap - (race 1)". Equibase. 8 September 1995. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  3. "WEST VIRGINIA GOVERNORS STAKES - MOUNTAINEER PARK, WV". Thoroughbred Pedigree Online. 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  4. "MOUNTAINEER CASINO RACETRACK & RESORT - October 20, 1997 - Race day". Equibase. 20 October 1997. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  5. "West Virginia Governor's Stakes (Gr. 3)". www.equibase.com. 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  6. "2009 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 1 August 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  7. "SANTA ANITA PARK - November 3, 2012 - Race 6 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Grade 1" (PDF). Equibase. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  8. LaMarra, Tom (21 August 2015). "Rare Upset for Jockey Parker at Mountaineer". Bloodhorse.com.
  9. Schweigardt, Andrew (1 December 2017). "TOBA Announces U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes for 2018". Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  10. BloodHorse Staff (14 July 2020). "Mountaineer Park Cancels Aug. 1 West Virginia Derby". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  11. "2023 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 6 August 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  12. "2022 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  13. "2021 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  14. "2019 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 3 August 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  15. "2018 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Grade 3 - (race 7)". Equibase. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  16. "2017 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  17. "2016 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  18. "2015 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 1 August 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  19. "2014 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 2 August 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  20. "2013 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  21. "2012 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  22. "2011 West Virginia Governor's Handicap Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 6 August 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  23. "2010 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  24. "2008 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 2 August 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  25. "2007 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 4 August 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  26. "2006 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 6 August 2006. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  27. "2005 West Virginia Governor's Stakes Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 14 August 2005. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  28. "2004 West Virginia Governor's Handicap Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 7 August 2004. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  29. "2003 West Virginia Governor's Handicap Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 9 August 2003. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  30. "2002 West Virginia Governor's Handicap Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 10 August 2002. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  31. "2001 West Virginia Governor's Handicap Listed - (race 7)". Equibase. 11 August 2001. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  32. "2000 West Virginia Governor's Handicap Listed - (race 6)". Equibase. 12 August 2000. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  33. "1999 West Virginia Governor's Handicap Listed - (race 8)". Equibase. 14 August 1999. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  34. "1998 West Virginia Governor's Handicap Black Type - (race 8)". Equibase. 15 August 1998. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  35. "1997 West Virginia Governor's Handicap Black Type - (race 9)". Equibase. 20 October 1997. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
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