by Mike Curry
Ready Set dug in gamely in the closing strides on Saturday to fend off fast-closing Web Gem by a head in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer Race Track.
Trained by Michael Matz for owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson, the same connections as ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Barbaro, Ready Set entered off a third-place finish in the Barbaro Stakes (G3) on July 13 at Delaware Park.
The Touch Gold colt was reserved in eighth by jockey Julien Leparoux as Illinois Derby (G2) winner Recapturetheglory was pressured through speedy fractions of :22.66 for the opening quarter and :46.11 for a half-mile. Cherokee Artist and My Pal Charlie powered past Recapturetheglory approaching the far turn and dueled into the stretch, but Ready Set closed from the outside to reel in the tiring duo.
Web Gem surged into contention from the far outside and closed with a rush to challenge Ready Set, who was fully extended to prevail in 1:52.03 on a track rated as fast and earn his first stakes victory.
Out of multiple Grade 1-placed graded stakes winner Party Cited, by Alleged, Ready Set improved to four wins in 11 starts and more than quadrupled his career earnings to $596,040.
Web Gem was three lengths clear of third-place finisher Real Appeal, who edged 2.70-to-1 favorite Cherokee Artist by a half-length. Recapturetheglory faded to ninth in the 11-horse field, and Grade 3 winner Z Fortune never threatened while finishing eighth.
Multiple graded stakes winner Zanjero ended a three-race winless stretch with a 4 3/4-length victory in the $125,000 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes. Trained by Steve Asmussen for owner Winchell Thoroughbreds, the four-year-old Cherokee Run colt completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.65 under Shaun Bridgmohan.
Salinja earned his first career stakes win with a three-quarter-length score as the 2-to-1 favorite in the $85,000 West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker’s Cup Stakes. Trained by Graham Motion for owner Priscilla Graham, the Boundary gelding completed one mile and 70 yards in 1:38 on firm turf.
In other races on the West Virginia Derby undercard: Terrain won the $85,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes; Lacewell prevailed in the $85,000 West Virginia Legislature Chairman’s Cup Stakes; Awsugahnow rallied from off the pace to capture the $85,000 West Virginia Secretary of State Stakes; Corlett drew away to a comfortable win as the 7-to-5 favorite in the $85,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes; Shytoe Lafeet nipped Si Si Mon Amie by a nose to take the $110,000 West Virginia Senate President’s Stakes; and Are You Serious prevailed as the 11-to-10 favorite in the $95,000 Harvey Arneault Memorial Stakes.
For Equibase charts, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor