Hal's Hope To Head West Virginia Derby Field

Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Hal's Hope heads the likely field for Saturday's $300,000 West Virginia Derby. The 1 1/8-mile Mountaineer Park race features the highest purse ever offered on a single race in West Virginia, while the track's nine-race card offers approximately $580,000 in purses, making it the single richest Thoroughbred racing card ever offered in the state.

Those considered likely to challenge Hal's Hope in the Derby are: California Derby winner Bet On Red; Mass Market, winner of the Nashua Stakes (gr. III) as a juvenile; Texas Derby winner Eagle Time; Kentucky Colonel Stakes winner Miami Blase; Minor's Prize, second in the Iowa Derby; and Prince War Cloud. Possible starters include Concerned Minister, Fax A Freddy, Frazee's Folly, Inner Harbour, and Strike Thee.

The West Virginia Derby card begins at 7:00 p.m. (EDT), with the Derby likely to go off at approximately 10:00 p.m. (EDT).