photo by: Coady Media

East Avenue, pictured during the Matt Winn Stakes. The 3-year-old Medaglia d’Oro won the race and will be competing at the West Virginia Derby on Aug. 3.

East Avenue, a two-time graded-stakes winner in his seven starts thus far, is one of eight 3-year-olds entered in the $400,000 Grade III West Virginia Derby, which will be held Sunday, Aug. 3, at Mountaineer Casino, Resort & Races. The 2025 West Virginia Derby at 1 1/8 miles will be the 55th in its history.

The program, which includes the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes, will have a first post time of 5 p.m.

East Avenue, trained by Kentucky-based Brendan Walsh for breeder and owner Godolphin, in 2024 easily won his first start and then captured the Grade I Breeders’ Futurity for 2-year-olds at Keeneland by 5 ¼ lengths. In his second start as a 3-year-old, the Medaglia d’Oro colt led from the start in the Grade I Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland only to fall a nose short of victory behind Burnham Square.

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

Terry Stephens’ 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 Grade II Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby and second in the Grade III Ohio Derby 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 Grade III Peter Pan Stakes, a prep for the Grade I Belmont Stakes. The Cloud Computing colt, trained by Richard Dutrow Jr. for Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables, Judy Hicks and Scott Rice, 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 ¼ lengths in the Grade III Indiana Derby. 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 Tapeta surface at Turfway.

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

The 1 1/16-mile West Virginia Governor’s Stakes features the return of last year’s winner, Hit Show, for trainer Brad Cox and Gary and Mary West, who bred and own the 5-year-old Candy Ride horse. After his victory at Mountaineer, Hit Show won the Grade II Lukas Classic at Churchill, the Grade II Fayette Stakes at Keeneland, the Grade III Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds and the Grade I Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Admission tickets for Aug. 3 are required for attendance and are available online at the Mountaineer website, at the Mountaineer gift shop, or at the gate the day of the event. Food trucks will be available beginning at 2 p.m., and there will be live entertainment from 2:30-4 p.m.

For more information, contact Tom LaMarra at 859-492-8365 or at tomlamarra@gmail.com