East Avenue leads field of 8 for West Virginia Derby

East Avenue, a two-time graded-stakes winner in his seven starts thus far, is one of eight 3-year-olds entered in the Grade 3, $400,000 West Virginia Derby, which will be held Sunday at Mountaineer.

East Avenue, trained by Kentucky-based Brendan Walsh for breeder and owner Godolphin, easily won his first start in 2024 and then captured the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) for 2-year-olds at Keeneland by 5 1/4 lengths. In his second start as a 3-year-old, the Medaglia d’Oro colt led from the start in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland only to fall a nose short of victory behind Burnham Square.

After an even eighth-place finish in the 19-horse Kentucky Derby, he resurfaced at Churchill Downs and won the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) in his most recent start. Luis Saez, who was aboard in the Matt Winn, has the mount from post 2.

Chunk of Gold, stabled at Turfway Park in Kentucky with trainer Ethan West, has won one of six starts but has placed in graded stakes three times this year. The Preservationist colt was second in the Risen Star (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2) and second in the Ohio Derby (G3) in his most recent outing. He finished just behind East Avenue in the Kentucky Derby.

Jareth Loveberry, who has ridden Chunk of Gold in last four starts, has the call from post 4.

“Training-wise he has been doing really good,” West said. “We’re not trying to campaign him super-hard. There are a lot of good 3-year-olds, and we’re trying to avoid the heavy hitters on the East Coast. We have no complaints, no concerns right now. I’m confident he’s going into the race where he needs to be.”

McAfee, third in the Ohio Derby, before that finished a close second in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3), a prep for the Belmont Stakes. The Cloud Computing colt, trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., will break from post position 5 with Emmanuel Esquivel named to ride.

Also entered is Brotha Keny, who rallied from almost nine lengths behind after the start to finish third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths, in the Indiana Derby (G3). Trained by William Morey for Lance Kinross and Steve Kinross, the Mo Town gelding has shown improvement with two wins on dirt after racing in the winter on the synthetic surface at Turfway.

Brotha Keny will start from post 6 with jockey Joseph Ramos.