Soul Warrior Beats Mine That Bird and Big Drama to win West Virginia Derby
Soul Warrior (Lion Heart), never out of allowance company, covered the dirt mile in 1m51.46s to trounce both Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird (Birdstone) and favourite Big Drama (Montbrook) in the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby, 1m1f, for three-year olds.
Substitute jockey Dale Beckner said "This is my greatest win in 20 years of riding. To beat horses of this calibre--wow!"
In contrast, it is trainer Steve Asmussen's third WV Derby win in five years.
Big Drama had a massive lead on all the horses, but was worn down by a surprisingly effective grinder who has come in second twice and first once in three of his only four career starts.
Since he did not race at two, he did remarkably well with so little experience against two horses who have won at and have had so many more high-level races than he.
MTB's jockey Mike Smith admitted his loss was due to "just total rider error".
Trainer Chip Woolley refused to blame the jockey and said that "my horse did the same thing at the Belmont Stakes. When he got daylight to run, he tries to run."
"What worked so well for us at the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness was getting him behind horses, which prevents him from moving too soon. Until we do that again, we're going to have problems."
MTB will likely be meeting Rachel Alexandra (Megdaglia D'Oro) at the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on August 20.
So could Big Drama who was beaten into fifth by her in the Preakness.
Will Soul Warrior be there as well? A grinder could be a nasty shock for her.
Substitute jockey Dale Beckner said "This is my greatest win in 20 years of riding. To beat horses of this calibre--wow!"
In contrast, it is trainer Steve Asmussen's third WV Derby win in five years.
Big Drama had a massive lead on all the horses, but was worn down by a surprisingly effective grinder who has come in second twice and first once in three of his only four career starts.
Since he did not race at two, he did remarkably well with so little experience against two horses who have won at and have had so many more high-level races than he.
MTB's jockey Mike Smith admitted his loss was due to "just total rider error".
Trainer Chip Woolley refused to blame the jockey and said that "my horse did the same thing at the Belmont Stakes. When he got daylight to run, he tries to run."
"What worked so well for us at the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness was getting him behind horses, which prevents him from moving too soon. Until we do that again, we're going to have problems."
MTB will likely be meeting Rachel Alexandra (Megdaglia D'Oro) at the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on August 20.
So could Big Drama who was beaten into fifth by her in the Preakness.
Will Soul Warrior be there as well? A grinder could be a nasty shock for her.
Posted by susan trevelyan-syke at 8/2/2009 8:29 PM 
Categories: West Virginia Derby 2009
Tags: West Virginia Derby 2009
Categories: West Virginia Derby 2009
Tags: West Virginia Derby 2009
I am a really big fan of Big Drama. Even though he ran out of gas and got caught at the end of the race by Soul Warrior, it still says alot that he was able to hold off Mine That Bird for 2nd. This race is a mile and an eighth, and if it had been a mile race, he would have won by the length of the state.lol. I think Big Drama's connections should consider running him in the Breeder's Cup dirt mile. He's got as much or more talent as any of the listed contenders. imo.
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