Pletcher enters trio for West Virginia Derby

The Grade 2, $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort, which will be run Saturday, drew a field of 11 when entries were taken Monday.

The likely favorites are Madefromlucky, who is one of three Todd Pletcher entrants; Tale of Verve, who races for Dallas Stewart; Bent on Bourbon, who is trained by Eddie Kenneally; and Tekton, who is conditioned by Tony Dutrow.

Tekton is cross-entered in the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga on Friday, as are the two other Pletcher entrants, Stanford and Tommy Macho. Of the two, Tommy Macho is most likely for the Curlin.

The nine-race card at Mountaineer on Saturday will offer total purses of $1.65 million. The entire card will be streamed live on DRF.com.

Madefromlucky and Tale of Verve finished sixth and seventh in the Belmont Stakes in their most recent starts. Prior to that, Madefromlucky won the Peter Pan and Tale of Verve was second to American Pharoah in the Preakness, which was run in trying conditions over an extremely sloppy track.

Bent on Bourbon has won three races in a row, including the Grade 3 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows in his most recent start.

Tekton missed by a head to Mr. Jordan in the Grade 3 Pegasus at Monmouth Park on June 21 while making his stakes debut.

Other contenders include Stanford and Souper Colossal, who finished first and second in the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth; and Iron Fist, who is coming off a first-level optional-claiming win at Santa Anita for Jerry Hollendorfer.

The other West Virginia Derby entrants are War Story and Thirtysilverpieces, fourth and fifth most recently in the Ohio Derby; and Alliseeisgold, who has won three straight races in Ohio-bred company.

More cross-entries are possible as the week progresses, as the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational - which will include Triple Crown winner American Pharoah – is Sunday, and the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy will be run Saturday. The Jim Dandy will be drawn Wednesday and entries for the Haskell will be taken Thursday.

All four stakes are at 1 1/8 miles.

West Virginia Governor’s tops undercard

The West Virginia Derby undercard is topped by the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up. The 12-horse field includes such well-known runner as Albano, Carve, East Hall, and Page McKenney.

There are also seven $100,000 stakes. The Sen. Robert C. Byrd Memorial, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, has lured Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Work All Week, who won the Eclipse Award for champion male sprinter of 2014.

Work All Week finished second in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint at Gulfstream Park on July 5. He was second in the Grade 3 Aristedes in his seasonal debut at Churchill Downs on May 30.

- Additional reporting by David Grening