Through seven months, 2025 was shaping up into a year of what could have been for Chunk of Gold. Five races—four graded stakes, four seconds (three by 2 1/4 lengths or less), plus a ninth in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
But all that woulda-coulda-shoulda talk now looks like it referred to a colt who was still figuring things out and not the one who put it all together Aug. 3 to win the $400,000 West Virginia Derby (G3) in impressive gate-to-wire fashion.
Wearing blinkers for the first time, Chunk of Gold broke from the starting gate well and wasted no time moving to the front of the field of eight charging 1 1/8 miles.
Chunk of Gold, with Jareth Loveberry in the irons, was happy to set a tepid pace. He carved out fractions of :24.17, :48.23, 1:11.97, and 1:37.32. Chunk of Gold stopped the clock in 1:50.97.
"It was fantastic," trainer Ethan West said. "All the credit goes to Jareth. He rode a great race. We had hoped to be close early, so we added blinkers to get him to be more responsive. But after the start, Jareth basically walked the dog."
Reaching the three-eighths pole, Chunk of Gold began to distance himself from the field, pushing the lead to 1 1/2 lengths. Just a Fair Shake, with 27-1 odds next to his name when leaving the gate, tried to corral the leader from the outside.
East Avenue, a Godolphin homebred who finished one spot ahead of Chunk of Gold on the first Saturday in May, entered the Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort showcase a 4-5 favorite. But the winner of last year's Breeders' Futurity (G1) stumbled out of the gate, giving himself a considerable challenge just to get on the board, never mind winning the race.
East Avenue tried to get involved approaching the stretch but his five-length deficit was more than he could overcome.
Loveberry, by contrast, didn't need to urge Chunk of Gold much.
"He's a very honest horse that tries every time," the jockey said. "I was planning to be close early in the race, but when East Avenue didn't make the lead, we took his spot."
Getting to the top of the stretch, the 3-year-old who seemed to always come up short grew stronger by the stride
He paid $6.80 for the win. McAfee, Brotha Keny, and Just a Fair Shake finished second through fourth. East Avenue was fifth.
Bred by Brereton C. Jones in Kentucky, Chunk of Gold is by Preservationist, who died July 19 in South Korea. He is owned by Terry Stephens.
"It's exciting," Stephens said. "He has run very well in graded stakes and it's nice to see him win one. I'm happy for the horse, the trainer and all the connections. I'm very proud."
Chunk of Gold was a $2,500 purchase by Chris Melton at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale out of the Airdrie Stud consignment.
The grey or roan colt now holds a 1-4-0 record from six starts this year with a bankroll of $670,800. His only other career win came when he broke his maiden at first asking at Turfway Park last December.
