Stakes slate remains same
Mountaineer Race Track is bringing back last year's stakes schedule in its entirety.
All 28 stakes will be run again in the same order as in 2005.
Nearly one-third of the stakes will be held on Aug. 6, when nine stakes, highlighted by the Grade 3, $750,000 West Virginia Derby, are conducted on a special afternoon card that will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern.
Two of the races on that program, the Harvey Arneault Memorial and the West Virginia Senate President's Cup, have gotten an additional $40,000 apiece in funding from the Breeders' Cup Fund and will be worth $125,000 apiece.
Aside from West Virginia Derby Day, the only stakes worth more than the standard $75,000 is the Mountaineer Mile, a $125,000 race for 3-year-olds and up on Nov. 11.
In contrast to most tracks, which conduct their stakes only on weekends and holidays, Mountaineer will again run seven of its stakes on Tuesdays.
2006 stakes schedule
| DATE | EVENT | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Sat.,May 6 | PANHANDLE HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 5 furlongs | $75,000 |
| Tues. May 16 | HANCOCK COUNTY HANDICAP | F&M 3YO & Up | 5 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat..May 20 | WATERFORD PARK HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Mon.May 29 | MEMORIAL DAY HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Mon. May 29 | DECORATION DAY HANDICAP | F&M 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Tues. May 30 | OHIO VALLEY HANDICAP | F&M 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat. June 10 | SLIPTON FELL HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 1 mile 70 yards | 75,000 |
| Tues. June 20 | GOLDEN SYLVIA HANDICAP | F&M 3YO & Up | 1 mile | 75,000 |
| Mon. July 3 | INDEPENDENCE DAY | 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Mon. July 3 | FIRECRACKER | F&M 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Mon. July 3 | MOUNTAIN STATE | 3YO & Up | 5 1/2 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sun. Aug. 6 | WEST VIRGINIA DERBY (G3) | 3YO | 1 1/8 miles | 750,000 |
| Sun. Aug. 6 | W. VA. GOVERNOR'S | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 125,000 |
| Sun. Aug. 6 | HARVEY ARNEAULT BC | 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 125,000 |
| Sun. Aug. 6 | W. VA. PRESIDENT'S CUP BC | F&M 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 125,000 |
| Sun. Aug. 6 | W. VA. SPEAKER'S CUP | 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 85,000 |
| Sun. Aug. 6 | W. VA. CHAIRMAN'S CUP | 3YO & Up | 4 1/2 furlongs | 85,000 |
| Sun. Aug. 6 | W. VA. SECRETARY OF STATE | F&M 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 85,000 |
| Sun. Aug. 6 | MOUNTAINEER JUVENILE | 2YO | 6 furlongs | 85,000 |
| Sun. Aug. 6 | MOUNTAINEER JUVENILE FILLIES | 2YO F | 6 furlongs | 85,000 |
| Mon. Sept. 4 | LABOR DAY | 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Mon. Sept. 4 | SUMMER FINALE | F&M 3YO & Up | 1 mile (T) | 75,000 |
| Tues. Oct. 3 | FALL | 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 75,000 |
| Tues. Oct. 17 | AUTUMN LEAVES | F&M 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 75,000 |
| Sat. Nov. 11 | MOUNTAINEER MILE HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 1 mile | 125,000 |
| Tues. Nov. 21 | SOPH. SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP | 3YO | 6 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Tue. Dec. 26 | CHRISTMAS | 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat. Dec. 30 | NEW YEAR'S EVE | F&M 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 75,000 |