2017 West Virginia Derby Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort in New Cumberland, West Virginia will play host to the G3 West Virginia Derby on Saturday, August 5. Three-year olds will take to Mountaineer's dirt track and race 1 1/8 miles searching for the winner's share of the $750,000 purse.

A field of 11 will give it a go in the West Virginia Derby - race 8 on Mountaineer's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:21 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all 11 combatants for this lucrative G3 stakes.

2017 West Virginia Derby Entries at Mountaineer Park

Lookin At Lee 3-1

Steve Asmussen trained colt finished fifth in his debut but has looked OK in 12 starts since including all three legs of the Triple Crown. Last time out was a disappointing seventh in the G1 Belmont Stakes June 10 which followed an OK fourth in the Preakness Stakes May 20, a good second in the G1 Kentucky Derby, a third in the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park April 15, a sixth in the G2 Rebel Stakes on that track March 18, another third in the G3 Southwest Stakes there February 20 and a fourth in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Lookin At Lee has placed in five of nine graded stakes starts and aims for his first win in top company from gate 8. Corey Lanerie has the mount n the tepid morning line favorite.

Patch 7-2

Has five career starts for trainer Todd Pletcher with a win, two seconds and a third-place finish. Last time out was a very respectable third behind Irish War Cry and Tapwrit in the G1 Belmont Stakes June 10 which followed a fourteenth in the Kentucky Derby. Before that was a good second in the G2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds April 1, a maiden score at Gulfstream Park February 18 and a second in his debut at Gulfstream January 15. Patch, outside of one bad effort has been a factor every time out and will be after a first stakes score from post 3 Saturday. Tyler Gaffalione gets the call on the second betting choice.

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B Squared 9-2

Has placed in five of six career starts for trainer Doug O'Neill - two wins, two seconds and a third-place finish. He made his graded stakes debut two starts back and finished a respectable second behind heavily-favored Battle of Midway in the G3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita June 24 and followed that with an OK third last time out in the G3 Los Alamitos Derby July 15. Before that was a disappointing sixth as favorite in the minor Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita May 29, a nice 1 1/4 length win in the minor Silky Sullivan Stakes at Golden Gate April 30, an OK second in the minor Echo Eddie Stakes April 8 and a maiden score at first asking March 4. B Squared has been competitive so far and will try to build on a pair of good efforts from gate 4 with Mario Gutierrez guiding the morning line third choice.

McCormick 6-1

Has placed in five of six career starts for trainer Ian Wilkes - two wins, a second and two third place finishes. He arrives off a good second in the G3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadow July 7 which followed a two-race win streak - an Allowance Optional Claiming June 4 and a MSW May 5 - both at Churchill Downs. Before that were consecutive thirds in MSW races to start his 2017 campaign. McCormick has been trending upward and hopes to carry the momentum toward a first stakes score. Julien Leparoux will be in the irons from the outside post 11.

Colonelsdarktemper 8-1

William Fires trained colt has hit the board in five of seven career starts - two wins, two seconds and a third-place finish. He enters on the heels of consecutive runner-up finishes - the G3 Indiana Derby last time out July 15 and the G3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs June 17. Before that was an Allowance score at Churchill Downs May 29, an eighth in the G3 Pat Day Mile on that track May 6 and a fourth in the minor Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn Park in April. Colonelsdarktemper has been knocking on the door of his first stakes win and hopes to get that from post 7 Saturday. Jon Kenton Court gets the call.

Impressive Edge 8-1

Dale Romans trained colt has two wins and two third-place finishes in his eight career starts. He finished sixth in his first two career starts and finally broke maiden by 4 3/4 lengths January 15. He followed that with a fourth in the G2 Swale Stakes here February 4, an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream March 5, a fourth in the G1 Florida Derby April 1 on that track, an OK third in the G3 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park May 13 and another third last time out in the G3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows last time out July 7. Impressive Edge has been up and down in his career but has looked decent in his last two graded stakes starts. Robby Albarado gets the call from post 5.

Phat Man 10-1

Has three wins and three runner-up finishes in nine career starts for trainer Joe Sharp. He enters on a tidy two-race win streak - the listed Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park last time out July 8 and a Starter Allowance at Belmont Park June 23. Before that were three straight runner-up finishes in Starter Allowance races in the spring. His only graded stakes result was a sixth in the G3 LeComte Stakes at Fair Grounds in January but he has placed in five straight races ahead of this weekend. He hopes to keep a nice run going from gate 2 Saturday with Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard.

Game Over 12-1

Jorge Navarro trained colt has three career starts win two wins. Last time out was a slightly unsuccessful step into stakes company - a fifth in the G3 Ohio Derby at Thistletown June 24 after a Starter Allowance score at Churchill Downs May 14 and a maiden win at first asking at Oaklawn Park March 25. Game Over has been OK so far and hopes for a breakthrough in stakes company from the rail. Deshawn Parker has been tabbed to ride.

Silver Dust 15-1

Has just one win and a third-place finish in seven career starts for trainer Randy Morse. Last time out was a fourth in the G3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadow July 7 after a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs June 4, a seventh in the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park April 15, a fifth in the G2 Rebel Stakes and a fourth in the G3 Southwest Stakes February 20. He broke maiden in the race before that - at Churchill Downs in November. Silver Dust has been less-than spectacular lately but tries to change his fortunes around from post 9 with Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr. in the saddle.

Watch Me Whip 20-1

Has one win and a second-place finish in four career starts for trainer Dale Romans. He arrives on the heels of a fourth-place finish in his graded stakes debut - the G3 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand July 15 which followed a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs June 25, an eighth in the minor LARC Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico May 20 and a win at first asking April 14. Watch Me Whip hasn't been great in stakes company but hopes to change all of that around from gate 6 Saturday.

Heartwood 50-1

James Chapman trained colt has a win and a second-place finish in his five career starts. He makes his stakes debut Saturday off a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs June 23, a maiden score on that track June 4 and a fourth, a second and a sixth respectively in a trio of MSW races to start 2017. Heartwood steps up in less-than-spectacular form from gate 10 with Nik Goodwin in the reins.

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2017 West Virginia Derby Odds & Entries

Race 8 on Mountaineer Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:21 PM.