W.Va. Derby Begins Saturday - WTRF 7 News Sports Weather - Wheeling Steubenville

The West Virginia Derby begins Saturday, Aug. 4.

The first race is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. and the eighth race that day will be the derby race. A total of $750,000 is at stake for the 5:45 p.m. race.

Thursday, jockeys were practicing for the big event. The big horse, known as Hansen, is not scheduled to arrive until Friday.

Derby Spokesman Bill Mooney says it is a huge deal Hansen will be running.

"It's huge," he said. "This is the first time in West Virginia racing history that a North American Juvenile Champion has run at any track in the state."

Organized race meets in West Virginia dates back to the 1780's when Charles Washington, brother to President George Washington, conducted them in the streets of what eventually became known as Charlestown.