8/5/06

FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE
CONTACT: TAMARA CRONIN
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
304-387-8335 (OFFICE) 304-479-8097 (CELL)

CHESTER, WV — REAL DANDY HEADS DANDY DERBY DAY UNDERCARD by Bill Mooney

Real Dandy, the 1 ¼-length winner of the 2005 edition of the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby, is making a return visit to the Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort on the 'Derby card this coming Sunday, August 6. The now 4-year-old colt will go postward in the tenth running of the $125,000 West Virginia Governor's Stakes, which will be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

The 'Governor's Stakes field will include Don't Get Mad, whose race record includes a victory in last year's Grade 2 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park; and It's No Joke, who finished a close third in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap this past March.

After winning the West Virginia Derby, Real Dandy went on to finish second in the $150,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park in Oklahoma City. Following that effort, he was a 2 ¾-length winner of the $100,000 Zia Park Derby in Hobbs, New Mexico.

In May of this year, Real Dandy was an allowance winner at Lone Star Park near Dallas. Two weeks later, on a muddy track, he finished third in the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap.

Real Dandy's career record now includes 25 starts, five victories and ten placings, and earnings of $891,135. He is owned by Bob and Cathy Zollars, and is currently being trained by Scott Blasi, the head assistant to Steve Asmussen.

The West Virginia Derby is the only horse race in the state ever to achieve graded status. But the Governor's Stakes is now being given serious consideration by the North American Graded Stakes Committee as well, and could be accorded a Grade 3 ranking at the end of this year.

Sunday's card at Mountaineer (which will be made up entirely of stakes) will also include the tenth running of The $125,000 West Virginia Senate President's Breeders' Cup Stakes, which will be contested at one mile on the turf for fillies and mares.

Lady Grace, who Mountaineer racing secretary Joe Narcavish views as "one of the greatest claims ever made in the history of this track," will be trying for her second consecutive 'Senate President's victory. In last year's race, she led wire-to-wire and prevailed by 1½ lengths.

Less than two years ago, Lady Grace was competing for $7,500 claiming tag at Mountaineer. But under the handling of owner/trainer Loren G. Cox and jockey Rex Stokes III, Lady Grace has risen to the ranks of multiple stakes winners - she also won the '05 Firecracker Stakes at Mountaineer, and was a three-quarter-length winner of this year's Decoration Day Handicap.

Stella Blue will likely by Lady Grace's primary opponent on Sunday. The French-bred filly was a Group 3 (equivalent to a Grade 3) winner in her home country prior to shipping to the United States. In her most recent effort, Stella Blue was a three-quarter-length winner in allowance company at Woodbine in Toronto.

Among the nominees for the seventh running of the $125,000 Harvey Arneault Breeders' Cup Memorial Stakes is Wild Tale, who, at odds of 18-1, was a 1 ¼-length winner of the race last year. The 'Arneault will be contested at six furlongs on the main track.

Caller One, who has career earnings of over $3.2 million, will start in the ninth running of the $85,000 West Virginia Legislature Chairman's Cup, to be run at 4 ½ furlongs on the main track.

Back in 2002, Caller One was victorious in the world's richest sprint, the $2-million Dubai Golden Shaheen Stakes at Nad al Sheba Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates. His opponents this Sunday will include last year's 'Chairman's Cup winner, Outcashem, who has been victorious in an astonishing 14 out of his last 15 starts, the most recent being an 8 ¾-length score in the $100,000 Charles Town Dash Handicap on July 4.

Huntin Gene, an allowance winner at Churchill Downs in his most recent outing, is a definite starter in the tenth running of the $85,000 West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker's Cup Stakes, a one-mile turf event. Sampson's Son, an allowance winner at Churchill and Louisiana Downs last season, and a second-place finisher in the $100,000 Omaha Stakes at Hoosier Park this past July 14, will be among his opponents.

Miss Macey Sue, twice an allowance winner and second in the $100,000 Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows near Des Moines, Iowa, this year, is shipping in for the fifth running of the $85,000 West Virginia Secretary of State Stakes, at six furlongs on the main track.

Gonzo Bonzo Beans, who finished second in the $100,000 Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park on July 4, heads the field in the second running of the $85,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes, a six-furlong, main track event. Also at six furlongs on the main track on Sunday will be the second running of the $85,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes, which is headed by Appealing Zophie, a 10 ½-length winner of her career debut at Keeneland in April.

Purses distributed at Mountaineer on West Virginia Derby Day will total approximately $1.55 million, an all-time record for any West Virginia track.. Post time for the first race will be 2 p.m. EDT.