West Virginia Derby: Dragoon Guard takes on 8 rivals

Dragoon Guard, winner of the Grade 3 Indiana Derby in his most recent start, will seek to win his fourth consecutive race when he faces eight other 3-year-olds in the West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer on Aug. 4.

As was the case last year, the Derby program will be held on a Sunday with first post time set for 5 p.m. EDT. The shift from a Saturday afternoon to a Sunday twilight program in 2023 resulted in a year-over-year increase in the amount wagered on the traditional nine-race card that this year again includes the West Virginia Governor’s Stakes (G3).

The 1 1/8-mile Derby is slated as the eighth race on the program with an estimated post time of 8:15 p.m.

Dragoon Guard, bred and owned by Juddmonte Farms, is 3-for-3 in 2024, having won a maiden special weight event and entry-level allowance test before his Derby score at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The gray Arrogate colt raced once as a 2-year-old at Churchill Downs and finished second, beaten by a neck.

Trainer Brad Cox, a two-time Eclipse Award winner, earlier said he has spaced out the races for Dragoon Guard to allow him to develop. The colt passed his first two-turn test in the Indiana Derby, and Cox said based on his physical appearance and breeding he should do well going longer.

Dragoon Guard drew post position 3 in the West Virginia Derby and will partner with Florent Geroux, who has ridden the colt in all four of his races.

Society Man won the Matt Winn Stakes (G3) at Churchill in his last start June 9 for trainer Danny Gargan and has been training at Saratoga. The colt by Bee Jersey finished second in the Wood Memorial (G2) in April before a 16th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.

Society Man, a gelding by Good Magic, drew post position 8 and will be ridden by Corey Lanerie, who was aboard for the Matt Winn victory.

Dimatic, briefly on the Triple Crown trail earlier this year, could provide trainer Steve Asmussen with his seventh West Virginia Derby victory. He holds the record at six. The Gun Runner colt, who prefers to come from off the pace, finished second in the Texas Derby in late May and followed up with a fourth-place finish in the Iowa Derby on July 6.

Dimatic drew just inside Dragoon Guard in post position 2. Cristian Torres, who was aboard in the Iowa Derby, is named to ride.

The West Virginia Governor’s Stakes at 1 1/16 miles attracted a field of eight including Hit Show, a 4-year-old Candy Ride colt who was a Grade 3 winner as a 3-year-old. He is trained by Cox, who has won the event three times dating to 2014.