Lookin At Lee, Patch return in West Virginia Derby

The Kentucky Derby trail might end the first Saturday in May, but a lesser derby trail winds all the way to autumn, making stops at the $500,000 Ohio Derby, the $250,000 Iowa Derby, and the $500,000 Indiana Derby. On Saturday, it’s Mountaineer Resort and Casino’s turn to line the path with gold, offering up $750,000 in the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby.

Eleven 3-year-olds were entered in the 1 1/8-mile race, including a pair, the two favorites, whose most recent start came in the Belmont Stakes. Patch ran the best race of his career in finishing third there, while Lookin At Lee ran his worst, checking in 28 lengths behind the victorious Tapwrit. Lookin At Lee still has been installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite, with Patch listed at 7-2.

There are plenty of other directions in which bettors might turn. At least a mildly plausible case might be made for 10 entrants, and even rank outsider Heartwood could impact the race as a stretch-out sprinter with speed.

The West Virginia Derby is the last of seven stakes on Mountaineer’s 10-race card and has a scheduled post time of 5:21 p.m. Eastern. It’s immediately preceded by the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes, the supporting feature that drew Iron Fist and Matt King Coal as likely favorites. The local forecast calls for dry conditions and cool weather.

KEY CONTENDERS

Lookin At Lee, by Lookin At Lucky
Last 3 Beyers: 71-94-98

◗ The Kentucky Derby runner-up is a dedicated closer who has faced 91 horses in his last eight starts and raced behind 83 of them at the first call.

“We know that with a deep closer like him, a lot of things need to go right,” said trainer Steve Asmussen. “The race has to suit you. The Belmont, it was a moderate pace, and they were bunched up. More than the pace, you need the race to sort out a little and get a little room if you’re a pure grinder like he is.”

◗ The only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this year was back on the work tab July 2, just three weeks after his Belmont dud.

“He’s an awesome horse mentally, just so tough and durable,” Asmussen said.

◗ Reunited with jockey Corey Lanerie, who rode him to his second-place Derby and fourth-place Preakness finishes.

◗ Asmussen has won the West Virginia Derby five times.

Patch, by Union Rags
Last 3 Beyers: 94-74-89

◗ Patch has the same number of eyes as wins – one. But he was second to Haskell winner Girvin in the Louisiana Derby and a solid third in the Belmont.

“His second to Girvin looks better and better,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “For a lightly raced horse, we asked a lot of him to run from post 20 in the Kentucky Derby. He didn’t embarrass himself. He’s shown he fits with the best of the crop.”

◗ Like Lookin At Lee, he was back on the work tab just three weeks after the Belmont.

“He’s a horse that’s always carried his condition well,” said Pletcher. “He’s not an overzealous work horse, kind of saves himself for the afternoon, and that has allowed him to thrive.”

B Squared, by Square Eddie
Last 3 Beyers: 96-87-79

◗ Owner Paul Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill already sniped the Ohio Derby and the Indiana Derby with the Travers-bound Irap. This improving colt bid for the lead in upper stretch of the Los Alamitos Derby, got there, but was swamped late by the Travers-bound West Coast while turning in a career-best effort.

◗ Distance is a serious question. His two wins came at one mile and seven furlongs, and in every longer start, he’s lost ground from the stretch call to the finish.

McCormick, by Hard Spun
Last 3 Beyers: 89-89-72

◗ Fought for the lead and set the table for the Asmussen-trained Hence to win the Iowa Derby, a race in which he was a game second, and is likely to be part of the pace from post 11.

“He was in post 3 last time and was forced to do all the dirty work,” said trainer Ian Wilkes. “I’ve been very happy with the way he came out of that race, the way he responded. The horse is taking me where we want to go. I haven’t tried to force him anywhere.”