West Virginia

Society Man, Dragoon Guard Top West Virginia Derby

Published

2 years ago

July 30, 2024

Society Man, Dragoon Guard Top West Virginia Derby

Trainer Danny Gargan, enjoying a career-best year with two grade 1 wins from Dornoch and stable earnings of more than $3.2 million, can pad that tally when Society Man races Aug. 4 in the $500,000 West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort.

The Matt Winn Stakes (G3) winner and Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) runner-up battles Indiana Derby (G3) victor Dragoon Guard , Iowa Derby winner Henro , and six other 3-year-olds in the 1 1/8-mile dirt race.

Besides being trained by Gargan, Society Man shares other similarities with Dornoch. Both are sons of Good Magic , though Dornoch is a colt and Society Man a gelding. West Paces Racing is a co-owner in both horses.

Society Man races for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, West Paces Racing, GMP Stables, and Carl and Yurie Pascarella. West Paces Racing is also an owner in Dornoch, along with R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing, and Pine Racing Stables.

Gargan nominated Society Man to the July 27 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course but passed on the race, which reigning 2-year-old male champion Fierceness won over Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Sierra Leone . He told New York Racing Association publicity that he thinks Society Man “fits better in the West Virginia Derby.”

“I like how the timing sets up. If he could win the West Virginia Derby, we could see him back at Parx,” he said of the Sept. 21 Pennsylvania Derby (G1). “I have him on that route.

“Look, he is a gelding, and he is going to be around for a long time. We are just trying to map out the best route for him to keep him doing well.”

Society Man is 2-1-1 in seven starts with earnings of $437,230. Corey Lanerie, aboard in the Matt Winn, travels to Mountaineer for the return mount Sunday.

Juddmonte’s Dragoon Guard, a winner of three straight after a debut second last September at Churchill Downs, appears a formidable foe following front-running 2 1/2-length victory in the July 6 Indiana Derby (G3) at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Florent Geroux comes in for the ride on the Brad Cox-trained Dragoon Guard, a homebred son of Arrogate. Along with Society Man, Dragoon Guard is co-high weight in the field at 120 lbs.

JD Thoroughbreds and Joey Keith Davis’ Henro upset Dragoon Guard’s Cox-trained stablemate Just a Touch in capturing the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows the same day as the Indiana Derby. Routing for the first time, Henro, a Collected gelding, sat closer than usual to the early pace and came on late to score after tracking the leaders.

Rafael Bejarano returns in the irons for trainer Chris Hartman aboard the diminutive chestnut, who is 3-1-0 in seven starts.

All nine entrants in the West Virginia Derby race with the diuretic Lasix, which is not permitted in graded stakes races across the United States but can be used in West Virginia, which is not operating under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. The state won a preliminary injunction two years ago in one of the numerous lawsuits that are contesting HISA’s constitutionality.

Sunday’s card is a twilight racing program with first post at 5 p.m. ET. The West Virginia Derby is scheduled for 8:15 p.m.

Entries: West Virginia Derby (G3)

Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort, Sunday, August 04, 2024, Race 8

Grade III
1 1/8m
Dirt
$500,000
3 yo
8:15 PM (local)

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West Virginia

Body found in burning vehicle in West Virginia prompts homicide investigation

Published

9 hours ago

June 15, 2026

Press Room

Body found in burning vehicle in West Virginia prompts homicide investigation

June 15, 2026 / 7:05 PM EDT
/ CBS Pittsburgh

A body found in a burning vehicle in West Virginia has prompted a homicide investigation.

In a press conference on Monday, Sean Snuffer, the chief deputy of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, said first responders were called to a rural section of Cabin Creek Road on Sunday around 9:50 a.m. for reports of a “suspicious vehicle.” A 911 caller said the vehicle’s doors were open and items were scattered around the vehicle, Snuffer said.

About 13 minutes later, a 911 caller said the vehicle was on fire, officials said. After crews arrived and extinguished the vehicle fire, a body was found. The remains were taken to the medical examiner’s office, and an autopsy on Monday determined the death was a homicide, Snuffer said. Officials are not releasing the manner of death at this time.

The victim’s identity has not been released as of Monday night, though Snuffer said the body appears to be an adult male. Snuffer said the investigation is “active and ongoing.” It was not immediately known if there were any suspects.

“We can’t answer a whole lot of questions,” he added. “I know people are going to want to know exactly what happened, but we can’t release that information.”

The fire marshal is investigating the cause of the vehicle blaze. Anyone with information on the case can contact detectives with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office at 304-357-0556 or leave a tip on the sheriff’s website.

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West Virginia

Man facing multiple charges after two-day investigation

Published

19 hours ago

June 15, 2026

Press Room

Man facing multiple charges after two-day investigation

KENOVA, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man is facing multiple felony charges after a two-day investigation, according to West Virginia State Police.

On Friday, troopers say they responded to a brandishing complaint in Kenova.

During the investigation, troopers located the suspect, Skylar M. Larcart, 27, of Kenova, and found a firearm.

Troopers say they were then granted permission to search Larcart’s residence and vehicle. Their search resulted in the finding of a rifle, approximately 25 grams of marijuana and digital scales.

On Saturday, troopers say they also obtained a search warrant at Larcart’s residence.

During this search, investigators found multiple firearms, controlled substances and U.S. currency.

As a result of the investigation, Larcart was charged with 17 counts of persons prohibited from possessing firearms and three counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Troopers say over the course of the two-day investigation, Larcart accumulated a total of 21 felony charges and three misdemeanor charges.

Larcart is currently being held in the Western Regional Jail on a $20,000 bond.

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West Virginia

West Virginia Falls Short Against North Carolina

Published

1 day ago

June 14, 2026

Press Room

West Virginia Falls Short Against North Carolina

The West Virginia Mountaineers (46-16) fell to the North Carolina Tarheels (53-12-1) Sunday night 5-2 in the second game of the College World Series.

With a little luck, North Carolina scratched a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Jake Schaffner hit a leadoff single back up the middle before junior Owen Hall rolled a single through the left side. Then, on the first pitch delivered junior Macon Winslow was awarded first base after it was ruled the ball hit his foot. Despite no evidence on replay, he remained at first.

West Virginia starting pitcher Maxx Yehl walked in the first run and junior Erik Paulsen brought in a run with a slow high chopper towards first for a 2-0 lead.

The Mountaineers pulled within a run in the third after senior Ben Lumsden singled to right field and advanced to second on a ground ball from junior Tyrus Hall. Then, junior Armani Guzman drove an RBI single to centerfield.

West Virginia evened the game in the fourth when senior Sean Smith received a leadoff walk and senior Matt Graveline singled to right centerfield, placing runners at the corners before sophomore Matt Ineich hit into a double play, but brought in the tying run.

In the seventh, the Tarheels took advantage of the West Virginia miscues to take the lead. An error from Hall at third put the leadoff hitter aboard. Then, with one out, a bobble ball from senior second baseman Brodie Kresser on a potential inning ending double play, put two aboard before junior Gavin Gallaher drove a two-RBI triple to right centerfield. Hull followed with a chopper over the mound for an RBI single before Yehl could get out of the frame as UNC held a 5-2 advantage.

Yehl took the mound in the eight and after giving up the eighth hit of the night, WVU head coach Steve Sabins turned to senior Reese Bassinger. The redshirt junior finished the night with seven strikeouts and was credited with two earned runs.

After North Carolina sophomore starting pitcher Ryan Lynch was removed in the fifth, sophomore Walker McDuffie tossed 4.2 scoreless innings before Ineich was issued a one-out walk and Kresser followed with a single to bring the tying run to the plate. UNC head coach Scott Forbes handed the ball to freshman right-hander Caden Glauber

Glauber closed the door with a pair of strikeouts as the Tarheels held on for the 5-2 decision.

West Virginia will face Troy on Tuesday in an elimination game. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. EST and the action will be televised on ESPN.

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