After leading through crisp early fractions, champion Funny Cide showed a reflection of his former self as he dug in tenaciously on the rail to finish a bold second to West Virginia in the $151,900 Excelsior Breeders' Cup Handicap (G3) on Saturday at Aqueduct.

Jockey Richard Migliore, avoiding a fuss with Funny Cide, let son of six-year-old Distorted Humor gelding set the tempo through six furlongs. West Virginia, who rated within striking distance from fifth in the early going, raced three wide on the second turn, galloped past Funny Cide, and led by 1½ lengths at top of the stretch.  Digging in for the drive on the rail, Funny Cide attempted to catch West Virginia, as the five-year-old son of Tomorrow's Cat increased his lead to win by 1 ¾ lengths.

The winning time for the 1 1/8-mile race over a fast track was 1:48.28.

Colita, the favorite at odds of 2.85-to-1, was outrun early but made a game run on the outside in the stretch to finish 1¼ lengths back in third.

"(West Virginia) ran better today than any other time I've ridden him," said winning jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. "The pace was quick, which was good for us. Sometimes when he gets to the last horse, he likes to wait. But today he just went by."

Migliore was pleased with Funny Cide's performance.

"He ran a fantastic race," he said. "Blood and guts all the way to the wire. He's a fantastic racehorse. I wasn't looking for the lead, but my horse wanted it and I didn't want to fight with him. It was a very game performance."

West Virginia is trained by Todd Pletcher, who also trains Colita. Owned and bred by Donald and Roberta Zuckerman, West Virginia finished fifth to Brass Hat in the Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream Park on February 4 in his previous start. Last year, he won the Philip H. Iselin Breeders Cup Handicap (G3). Overall, he has won seven of 22 career starts.

Bred in New York, his dam is Wild and Wonderful, by Kennedy Road.