The hills of West Virginia will come alive with the sound of flying hooves this Saturday when ‘The Stable That God Loves’ sends its stable star and top money-winner, Madefromlucky, in search of his third seasonal victory in the 80th running of the $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park in Chester.
Madefromlucky, the lone Thoroughbred in the 70-horse Stable That God Loves, who finished second to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in the Arkansas Derby on March 14, is the 3-1 morning line favourite in the one and one-eighth mile test for three-year-olds.
The Todd Pletcher trained colt will break from the outside Post 10 with Joe Bravo in the irons. Victory in the Gr. 2 event will boost his seasonal bank account to $435,200 for owners Mac Nichol of Erin, Ont. and Everett Dobson, one of the owners of the Oklahoma Thunder of the NBA.
One per cent of Madefromlucky’s 2015 purse earnings will be donated to the Standardbred Racetrack Chaplaincy of Canada through the Stable That God Loves, a major fundraising initiative for the chaplaincy dedicated to providing for the emotional, physical, spiritual and human needs of the horse racing work force in southwestern Ontario.
“He has been training well at Saratoga, everything is good,” said Nichol, who has enjoyed a multitude of success as a Standardbred owner. “The one and one-eighth mile distance of the Virginia West Derby is right up his alley, that’s his distance.”
Madefromlucky captured the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes at one and one-eighth miles on May 9.
(The Stable That God Loves)