Mr Freeze ices West Virginia Derby

This time they made it simple for Mr Freeze.

In a June 2 allowance-race win at Churchill Downs, Mr Freeze bobbled at the start and had to come from far off the pace to win. In the July 6 Iowa Derby, Mr Freeze got caught between horses through the stretch run when trying to catch eventual winner High North, struggled to find room, and finished second by a half-length.

In the Grade 3, $500,000 West Virginia Derby on Saturday, all Mr Freeze had to do was run.

Mr Freeze broke sharply under Robby Albarado, who let him roll along to the lead from post 8, and after setting splits of 24.02, 47.88, and 1:11.14 and disposing of pace-pressing High North at the top of the stretch, Mr Freeze put the West Virginia Derby on ice.

Leveling off beautifully, Mr Freeze buried his rivals, scoring an eight-length win over Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes winner Draft Pick, who was under an all-out drive to get second by a half-length over High North. Lionite was another neck back in third and was followed by 2-1 favorite Once on Whiskey, Rugbyman, Caloric, King Cause, and Pamir.

Mr Freeze, a $75,000 auction purchase by To Honor and Serve and out of the Tabasco Cat mare, Heavenly Cat, paid $15.20 to win and ran 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in a solid 1:47.95. He rang the bell for his third win in four starts and appeared to break into a higher fare class flying through the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack, and Resort homestretch late Saturday.

“I wanted to be off the pace,” Albarado said, “but since he broke so well at the start, I had to call an audible. He’s a nice horse and he did the right things to win today.”

Dale Romans trains Mr Freeze for owners Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister. Mr Freeze, a brother to stakes winners Dilemma, Heavenly Ransom, and Capitano, clearly ran a career best Saturday and could have more to give, his trainer believes.

“We think he’s a special horse, and I’m pretty sure we haven’t seen the best of him,” Romans said.

Once On Whiskey, who bid late to win the Los Alamitos Derby over Draft Pick, never picked up his feet in Saturday’s race. Rugbyman, who has flashed talent this year, also ran a flat race.

Not Mr Freeze, who raced to the top of The Mountain in West Virginia this weekend.