West Virginia Breeders' Classic


The West Virginia Breeders Classic is a thoroughbred horse race for West Virginia breds run at a distance of one and one/eighth mile on the dirt. Open to three-year-olds and up, it takes place each year at the Charles Town Races in Charles Town, West Virginia, and currently offers a purse of $500,000. Along with this race are eight other West Virginia Breeders’ races on the same day for West Virginia-bred horses.
In its 29th running as of 2015, the West Virginia Classic and its complement of similar races was created in 1987 by retired Washington Redskins and New York Giants football great Sam Huff. Huff owns thoroughbreds and was born in West Virginia.
In 2014, Russell Road won his third West Virginia Classic, aged 8.

Past winners

Owner Mark Hopkins's A Huevo, trained by Michael Dickinson, was disqualified from first and placed last in the 1999 edition of the race after a post-race test revealed traces of clenbuterol. Wind N'Springs Farms Eastern Delite, trained by Freddie Johnson has also been disqualified from first and placed last from 2002's edition of the race, after the post-race test revealed a positive for caffeine. However, 2nd place finisher Confucius Say was not awarded the purse for some time, due to litigation. The ruling was upheld, allowing two-time winner of this race, both times ridden by Larry C. Reynolds,Confucius Say to surpass the $1 million plateau in earnings.