Unbeaten Soto wins in W.Va. Derby race

CHESTER, W.Va. (AP) -- Unbeaten Soto held off favored Dynever by a neck Saturday to win the $600,000 West Virginia Derby in a race-record time of 1:42.29.
Soto became the first unbeaten horse to win in the race, run over 1 1-8 miles on a muddy track at Mountaineer Race Track.
Ridden by Maryland-based jockey Ramon Dominguez, Soto took the $360,000 winner's purse by breaking the Derby record of 1:47.20 set by Western Pride in 2001.
Soto, a 9-5 betting choice, charged out of the gate in second place behind Cat Singer before taking the lead at the midway point. Dynever, the 6-5 favorite, was fourth at the start before making a move at the 3/4-mile mark. Soto and Dynever, ridden by Edgar Prado, separated from the nine-horse field on the final stretch run. Both horses held narrow leads until Soto edged ahead at the wire.
A shin injury put Soto on the sidelines earlier this year. He returned with a six-furlong allowance win at Philadelphia Park on July 19.