Foyt wins with 1hp in West Virginia Derby

A.J. Foyt reckons he's won races in about dozen states but he added a new one Saturday. His three-year-old thoroughbred named Colonel Dark Temper captured the 48th annual West Virginia Derby at the Mountaineer Casino & Racetrack in New Cumberland, West Va.

"I wasn't there but Anthony IV (grandson) said he led all the way and beat the horse that ran second in the Kentucky Derby," said Foyt from his Houston ranch. "It was a $750,000 purse and I think we got $466,300 and he paid $16.00 to win so I hope Tim Del Rose (longtime friend and car sponsor) bet on him.

"He qualified for the Breeder's Cup today so that's probably the next race we'll run."

A.J. Foyt Racing's last win in IndyCar came in 2013 at Long Beach with Takuma Sato (pictured above visiting with A.J. at Detroit earlier this year) and what his horse earned in West Virginia was like finishing fourth at Indianapolis or winning 15 other IndyCar races.

"My horse is running better than my IndyCar team right now but Conor (Daly) ran well at Mid-Ohio and had a good test at Gateway, so maybe we can start running better," said the initial four-time Indy winner of his ABC Supply team.

"I only paid $35,000 for the Colonel so I can't holler. He's not as expensive as an Indy car and he's damn sure more profitable."