The West Virginia Governor's Stakes is a Grade III American

thoroughbred horse race Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

for horses aged three years old and older over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt held annually in August at Mountaineer Race Track in

Chester, West Virginia Chester is a city in Hancock County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,214 at the 2020 census. It is located along the Ohio River in the state's northern panhandle and is the northernmost city in West Virginia. Chester is part o ...

. The event currently carries a purse of $200,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event was on 8 September 1995 as the first race on a nine race program on the West Virginia Breeders Classic Stakes Day. The event was run as the West Virginia Governor's Cup Handicap over a five furlong distance. The event was not held in 1996. In 1997 the event was run as the West Virginia Governor's Handicap over a distance of miles and was the main event of the day's racing card. In 2005 the conditions of the event were changed from handicap to stakes allowance and the name of the event was modified to the West Virginia Governor's Stakes. In 2007 the event was won by the eight-year-old M B Sea for the second time. Both of the victories by M B Sea were by seven lengths which stood as the margin record until Shadowbdancing won by eight lengths in 2009. Joan & Ron Winchell, who race as

Winchell Thoroughbreds Verne Hedges Winchell (October 30, 1915 – November 26, 2002) was the founder of Winchell's Donuts and also served as a chairman, president and chief executive officer of the Denny's restaurant chain. Early life Winchell was born on Octobe ...

, won this race in 2012 with Tapizar and went on to win the

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile The Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile is a Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years old and up. As its name implies, it is part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the ''de facto'' year-end championship for North American ...

in the fall. In 2015, the race saw a major upset when longshot Looks To Spare won under jockey Deshawn Parker. A perennial Mountaineer Racetrack champion and its all-time winningest jockey, when Parker rides it is near automatic that the fans will heavily back him. However, Looks To Spare was considered such an unlikely winner that he was allowed to go off at odds of 74–1. He paid $150.60 to win on a $2 ticket. The race has grown in stature over the years and in 2018 the race was upgraded by the

Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) is an American trade organization for Thoroughbred racehorse owners and breeders, which is based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1961, TOBA's stated mission is to "improve the economics, i ...

to Grade 3 status. In 2020 due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States On December 31, 2019, China announced the discovery of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. The first American case was reported on January 20, and United States Department of Health and Human Services, Health and Human Services Secreta ...

, Mountaineer Park canceled the event.

Records

Speed record: * miles - 1:41.15 Be Like Mike (2003) Margins: * 8 lengths - Shadowbdancing (2009) Most wins: * 2 - M B Sea (2005, 2007) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 2 -

Rafael Bejarano Rafael Bejarano (born June 23, 1982) is a Pervuian jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He trained at the Peruvian national riding school before embarking on his professional career in 1999. Having met with success, including winning the ...

(2004, 2011) Most wins by a trainer: * 4 - Brad H. Cox (2014, 2018, 2022, 2024) Most wins by an owner: * 2 - Michael J. Bruder (2005, 2007) * 2 -

(2008, 2012)

Winners

References

{{reflist, 2 Graded stakes races in the United States Grade 3 stakes races in the United States Horse races in the United States Open mile category horse races Recurring sporting events established in 1995 Sports in West Virginia 1995 establishments in West Virginia

History

Records

Winners

See also

References