Triple Crown veteran Red Route One wins West Virginia Derby

Triple Crown veteran Red Route One rallied under Cristian Torres for his first graded stakes win in the Grade 3, $500,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park Sunday night. 

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Red Route One bided his time as 3-1 second-choice One in Vermillion and West Coast Cowboy dueled through fractions of 23.30, 47.45 and 1:11.50 for the 1 1/8-mile trip. Red Route One launched his bid on the final turn and blew by the pacesetters in the stretch to win going away. The final time on a “good” track was 1:49.49. 

Red Route One, whose only previous stakes win came in the Bath House Row at Oaklawn Park April 22 at Oaklawn Park, returned $9.80 as the third-choice in the wagering. West Coast Cowboy outlasted One in Vermillion for second and they were followed across the wire by 8-5 favorite Raising Cain in fourth. 

After winning the Bath House Row, Red Route One tried the Preakness and finished fourth. In the Belmont three weeks later, he was eased and finished eighth.

By Gun Runner out of the Tapit mare Red House, Red Route One is a homebred for Winchell Thoroughbreds.