Thoroughbred Daily News 8/3/25
After respectable showings in the Louisiana, Kentucky, and Ohio Derbys, Chunk of Gold (Preservationist) finally has one to his tally with a sterling effort in the GIII West Virginia Derby.
The grey has been eyeballing some of the best of his generation in his last four starts. He shipped to Louisiana in mid-February to contest their Triple Crown preps, and ran second in both the GII Risen Star Stakes and the GII Louisiana Derby, Feb. 15 and Mar. 22, respectively. Having garnered enough points for the big dance, he went to post on the first Saturday in May and ran ninth in what was trainer Ethan West’s first ever starter in the GI Kentucky Derby. Chunk of Gold returned June 21 in the GIII Ohio Derby last out and picked off rivals in the lane to get up for second behind MGSW & GISP Mo Plex (Complexity).
Sporting blinkers for the first time in this start, and sent off carrying 2-1 odds, the new equipment appears to have worked as intended as the second choice rocketed out of the gate to establish control up front. Rolling through :24.17, :48.23, and 1:11.97 splits on a largely uncontested lead, he gave them the slip entering the lane and put 4 1/4 lengths on McAfee (Cloud Computing) as that one gamely chased him to the wire. Brotha Keny (Mo Town) was late on the scene to claim third. The 4-5 favorite ‘TDN Rising Star‘ East Avenue (Medaglia d’Oro) was a flat fifth.
“Chunk ran great and we couldn’t be prouder of him,” said West afterwards. “He shows up and lays it down every time. Jareth put a picture-perfect ride on him like usual.”
Pedigree Notes:
Chunk of Gold is a full-brother to another black-type earner in Band of Gold, the winner of the Listed Martha Washington Stakes. Play for Gold has a perfect strike rate with her three offspring to make the races. She has a yearling colt by Upstart to her credit as well as a 2025 filly by Mage. She went to Into Mischief for 2026.
Play for Gold is a half-sister to MGSW My Boy Jack (Creative Cause), and they hail from the female line of GSW & GISP Gold N Delicious (Gold Alert). It was a bittersweet result for the farm behind the late sire Preservationist, who was reported to have died in July from complications with colic while in Korea.
Sunday, Mountaineer
WEST VIRGINIA DERBY-GIII, $400,000, Mountaineer Casino & Resort, 8-3, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.97, ft.
1–CHUNK OF GOLD, 118, c, 3, by Preservationist
1st Dam: Play for Gold, by Cairo Prince
2nd Dam: Gold N Shaft, by Mineshaft
3rd Dam: Gold n Delicious, by Gold Alert
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($2,500 Ylg ’23 FTKOCT). O-Terry L. Stephens; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Ethan W. West; J-Jareth Loveberry. $246,400. Lifetime Record: 7-2-4-0, $695,218. *Full to Band of Gold, SW, $260,910. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–McAfee, 118, c, 3, Cloud Computing–Sataves, by Uncle Mo. ($40,000 Ylg ’23 KEESEP). O-Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables LLC, Judy B. Hicks and Scott C. Rice; B-Judy Hicks (KY); T-Richard E. Dutrow, Jr.. $80,000.
3–Brotha Keny, 118, g, 3, Mo Town–Raramuri Princess, by Northern Afleet. ($25,000 Ylg ’23 KEESEP). O-Lance and Steve Kinross; B-Terrazas Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-William E. Morey. $40,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 1 1/4, NO. Odds: 2.40, 3.10, 11.80.
Also Ran: Just a Fair Shake, East Avenue, Extradition, Gone Boy, Brereton’s Baytown.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs.
