Donald and Roberta Mary Zuckerman’s WEST VIRGINIA (Tomorrows Cat) came home a
one-length winner in Sunday’s $190,000
Philip H. Iselin Breeders’ Cup H. (G3).
Settled into third in the early going by jockey Jose Velez, Jr., the
four-year-old colt tracked through fractions of :23 1/5 and :46 behind pacesetter Presidentialaffair (Not for Love). West Virginia launched a bid as he approached
the quarter pole and gained the lead a furlong out under left-handed urging from Velez, causing the Todd Pletcher
trainee to veer in front of eventual second-place finisher Zoffinger
(Unbridled), bringing about a jockey’s objection from Eddie King. The objection
was overruled and West Virginia, who finished the 1 1/8-mile event in 1:50 4/5
over the fast Monmouth track, was left on top of the board.
Sent off at 16-1, West Virginia returned $34.20, $12.80 and $8 while leading
satisfactory exotics of $1,016.60 (exacta), $4,229.20 (trifecta) and
$13,124.20 (7-5-10-4 superfecta) ($1). Zoffinger paid $40.60 and $8.60 at 65-1
and 6-5 favorite Purge (Pulpit) gave back $3.20 for the show. Presidentialaffair, Cherokee’s
Boy (Citidancer), Billy Allen (Ire) (Night Shift), Go Now (Go for Gin) and Cuba
(Not for Love) rounded out the order of finish. One Nice Cat (Storm Cat) and
Cointreau (Hennessy) were scratched.
West Virginia was bred in New York by his owners and is out of the winning
mare Wild and Wonderful (Kennedy Road). He is a half-brother to both Charleston, an unraced two-year-old filly by High Yeild, and an unnamed yearling colt by
Johannesburg. With this victory, West Virginia increased his record to 16-6-3-1
with earnings of $590,870. Previous scores on his resume include the Albany S.,
Times Square S. and Great White Way S.