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NEW CUMBERLAND, W.Va. — A quiet victory in the Grade III Matt Winn Stakes in his last start has Society Man’s connections hoping for a positive outcome in the $500,000 Grade III West Virginia Derby for 3-year-olds at Mountaineer Casino, Resort & Races on Sunday.

Society Man, a Good Magic gelding who races for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, West Paces Racing, GMP Stables, Carl Pascarella and Yurie Pascarella, was off the pace in Matt Winn’s 1 1/16-mile race at Churchill Downs but outpaced much of the eight-horse field and won by 2¢ lengths. It was the first graded race for Society Man, who earlier this year finished second in the Grade II Wood Memorial Stakes and 16th in the Grade I Kentucky Derby.

Society Man, a yearling acquired for $85,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale, has been working regularly at Saratoga Race Course for trainer Danny Gargan, who also trains Dornoch, a winner of a pair of Grade I races (Belmont and Haskell) in his last two starts. Gargan is pleased with the way Society Man heads into the 1 1/8-mile West Virginia Derby.

“He’s doing very well and we opted for the (West Virginia Derby) instead of the Jim Dandy Stakes (at Saratoga) because we thought it would be a better option for him.” said Gargan. “We hope we made the right decision. He ran very well last time at Churchill and his Wood Memorial was a good race.”

In the Kentucky Derby, Society Man, at 47-1, was four lengths off the lead in a packed field before fading in the lead.

“He certainly benefited from the Derby effort,” said Gargan. “We would love to win the West Virginia Derby, or at least get on the scoreboard.”

Last time out, Society Man was ridden by Corey Lanerie, who has a chance to compete in Mountaineer. He is the third choice at 9-2 odds from the eighth starting position in a nine-horse field.

Meanwhile, Dragoon Guard, the 9-to-5 morning line favorite for the Derby, was scheduled to travel from Kentucky to West Virginia on Aug. 2 as he seeks his fourth consecutive win.

The Juddmonte Farms-bred colt by Arrogate won his first race, the Grade III Indiana Derby, in his last start on July 6. Trainer Brad Cox said everything has been going well since his start-to-finish score at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The Indiana Derby was contested at 1 1/16 miles.

“The horse has been performing very well since the Indiana Derby, and we thought (the West Virginia Derby) fit the schedule very well for him,” Cox said. “It will be his second race over two corners and we are looking to give him some more experience.”

Dragoon Guard, who lost his first race by a neck as a two-year-old before starting his run this year, has been gradually moving up in distances from seven furlongs. He will add another sixteenth of a mile at Mountaineer.

“We hope he takes a step forward and continues to improve as he has done in each of his outings this year,” Cox said.

Florent Geroux, who has ridden Dragoon Guard in all his races, rides from third position.

The first posting time for Sunday’s Mountaineer program is 5:00 p.m.