07/22/09

WEST VIRGINIA’S CONNECTIONS TO TRIPLE CROWN LORE

By Bill Mooney

Who is the greatest racehorse of all time? Many racing fans say it’s Man o’War, who back in 1920 won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes and was victorious in 20 of his 21 career efforts. Man o’War was trained by H. Guy Bedwell, who interestingly had a connection with Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort, during the early days when it was called Waterford Park.

On June 14, 1951, midway through the track’s opening season, a 7-year-old gelding named Supper Date was a 5 ½-length winner in $4,500 claiming company at Waterford. Supper Date was owned and trained by Bedwell. This occurred eight days before Bedwell turned 77, and it was his final career victory. He passed away on December 31 of that year.

The participation of Mine That Bird in this year’s Grade 2, $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer is historic, for no other Kentucky Derby winner has ever raced in the Mountaineer State. Actually, if there is an instance of any winner of any Triple Crown race having run in West Virginia, it has eluded research efforts.

But there are other examples where people connected with Triple Crown heritage have left imprints on West Virginia racing, and on the state’s most important race. The very first West Virginia Derby was run in 1923 at Tri-State Fair Grounds on the outskirts of Barboursville (nine miles east of Huntington).The winner was a gelding named Tender Seth, who was bred by Benjamin A. Jones.

In ensuing years, Jones would become the head trainer for Calumet Farm – the horses under his care would include Whirlaway and Citation, who recorded Triple Crown sweeps in 1941 and 1948, respectively. But in the 1920’s, Jones was better known as a breeder, ranking among the top ten in thoroughbred racehorses produced in North America on pretty much an annual basis.

And then there’s Bill Hartack, who won the Kentucky Derby five times. Among jockeys, only Eddie Arcaro can match that total. But while Arcaro had 21 mounts over the years in the Kentucky Derby, Hartack had only 12. His career win ratio of 41.7% in that race remains an extraordinary achievement.

The first race Hartack ever won anywhere occurred on October 14, 1952, and it was at Waterford. Hartack was a 19-year-old apprentice. The 5-year-old gelding’s name was Nickleby, and horse and rider scored by 1½ lengths in $2,000 claiming company.

Eighteen years later, well after he achieved stardom, Hartack had his first and only West Virginia Derby mount. The colt’s name was Tatol, and although he went to the post as the 11-10 favorite, Hartack piloted him to an eighth-place finish.

Hartack is one of 13 Hall of Fame jockeys to have ridden in the West Virginia Derby. The group further includes Jerry Bailey, Don Brumfield, Steve Cauthen, Angel Cordero Jr., Pat Day, Earlie Fires, Chris McCarron, Edgar Prado, Jose Santos, Bill Shoemaker, Mike Smith and Gary Stevens.

Altogether, that group has won the Kentucky Derby 25 times, the Preakness 22 times and the Belmont Stakes 21 times. But Day’s the only member to have won the West Virginia Derby, achieving the feat with a colt named Beau Sham in 1978.

Trainer Steve Asmussen has twice won the Preakness, with Curlin in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra this year. Asmussen has also twice won the West Virginia Derby, with Real Dandy in 2005 and Zanjero in 2007.

Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito, who has five Triple Crown victories on his resume, has sent a horse to the West Virginia Derby four of the last five years. Zito won the race with Sir Shackleton in 2004 and finished second (missing victory by just a head) with the 24-1 shot Web Gem in 2008. Last year’s West Virginia Derby was won by Ready Set, trained by Michael Matz, who also conditioned the ill-fated winner of the 2006 Kentucky Derby, Barbaro.

Prior to Mine That Bird, the best Kentucky Derby finisher to run in the West Virginia Derby was Hudson County, who was second (to Cannonade) in the 100th edition of the race at Churchill Downs in 1974. Hudson County went on to finish sixth in the West Virginia Derby.

Hudson County was a nice horse, but not in Mine That Bird’s league. Not many horses are.