Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort
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Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort is a thoroughbred racetrack and casino resort located in Chester, West Virginia owned by MTR Gaming Group.
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[edit] History and Information
The name Mountaineer Race Track is new but the track existed long before it was named Mountaineer. The track was known as Waterford Park prior to 1990. The track was authorized to have slot machines and installed them in 1994.
With the revenue that a racino of 3,200 slots and a hotel resort provides, the Mountaineer Gaming Group (Nasdaq: MNTG), the owners of Mountaineer are able to offer very good purses. The reputation of the track changed from being one of an old, run-down facility which raced only claimers to a track which was decent and respectable.
Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort's image is further enhanced by nationwide coverage of the track's West Virginia Derby, a Grade III race that has significantly grown in stature and purse in the past decade. The 2008 edition will take place on August 2, 2008 and will be run for a purse of $750,000. This first Saturday in August traditionally has been the day the Derby takes place, and is the only day of the calendar that the track offers afternoon racing. Otherwise, the races are run at night, at 7pm (Eastern Time).
Mountaineer announced the opening of its casino table games for December 20, 2007. The resort will furnish it's gamblers with 50 casino table games. Among these are blackjack, three card poker, and roulette.
[edit] Physical Attributes
The track has a main dirt track with a one mile oval. The turf course is seven furlongs long and inside the dirt. The track is curved slightly in the front stretch. The track also has a large casino and resort on site.
[edit] Racing
With the construction of the casino and resort and Mountaineer the quality of racing has increased very much. The track has been able to offer purses much higher than those in neighboring states and thus have attracted larger field and the products of such a higher parimutuel handle and better attendance. Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort had been considered as a possible host for the 2009 Breeders' Cup, but it was awarded to Santa Anita [1]. The track runs many stakes and overnight handicaps. Here, in order, are the stakes that ran at Mountaineer in 2005:
- Panhandle Handicap
- Hancock County Handicap
- Waterford Park Handicap
- I.C. Light Memorial Day Handicap
- Decoration Day Handicap
- Ohio Valley Handicap
- Slipton Fell Handicap
- Golden Sylvia Handicap
- Coca-Cola Independence Day Stakes
- Firecracker Stakes
- Mountain State Stakes
- West Virginia Derby (Grade III)
- West Virginia Governor's Stakes
- Harvey Arneault Memorial Breeders' Cup Stakes
- West Virginia Senate President's Breeders' Cup
- West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker's Cup
- West Virginia Legislature Chairman's Cup
- West Virginia Secretary of State
- Mountaineer Juvenile Stakes
- Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies Stakes
- Labor Day Stakes
- Summer Finale Stakes
- Fall Stakes
- Autumn Leaves Stakes
- Mountaineer Mile Handicap
- Sophomore Sprint Championship Stakes
- Christmas Stakes
- New Year's Eve Stakes
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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The Northern Panhandle of West Virginia |
|---|---|
| Counties | |
| Communities |
Beech Bottom | Benwood | Bethlehem | Bethany | Cameron | Chester | Clearview | Follansbee | Glen Dale | McMechen | Moundsville | New Cumberland | Triadelphia | Valley Grove | Weirton | Wellsburg | West Liberty | Wheeling | Windsor Heights |
| Attractions |
Bethany College | Chester Teapot | Grave Creek Mound | Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort | Oglebay Park | Tomlinson Run State Park | West Liberty State College | West Virginia Northern Community College | Wheeling Island | Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack | Wheeling Jesuit University | Wheeling Suspension Bridge | The Highlands Shopping, Dining & Entertainment Complex |
