CHESTER, W.Va. — Not This Boy, who boasts three wins and three seconds in six starts, including a near-miss in the 2024 Ellis Park Derby, will return to stakes company for the first time in nearly a year in the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort on Aug. 3.

The Governor’s Stakes serves as the co-feature to the $400,000 Grade III West Virginia Derby during a special Sunday evening card that begins at 5 p.m.

Trainer Doug Cowans, who has horses based at Turfway Park and the Thoroughbred Training Center in Kentucky, said Not This Boy required time off after the Ellis Park Derby, including a winter break. The gelding returned during Kentucky Derby week in a one-turn-mile allowance at Churchill Downs.

In that race, Not This Boy stalked a quick early pace, challenged into the stretch, and finished second by 2 1/4 lengths. Cowans aimed to stretch him out and got the chance in mid-June in a similar allowance at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill, where Not This Boy stayed in contention throughout and pulled away to win by 6 3/4 lengths.

The 4-year-old Not This Time gelding, bred and owned by Zimmer Ridge Ranch, is expected to draw interest in the 1 1/16-mile Governor’s Stakes.

“His second race off the layoff wasn’t an easy race,” Cowans said. “He was shuffled between two horses for a while and then shook loose and pulled away. He ran a big race. And that doesn’t always happen in racing–to do exactly what we wanted to see.”

Not This Boy is out of Jeana Baby, a Minnesota-bred mare by Super Saver. He is the lone runner for Zimmer Ridge Ranch, a Northern Kentucky farm owned by former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. Zimmer bought the initial acreage in 2013 while serving as defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals and has since expanded the farm to over 150 acres.

When Zimmer bred Jeana Baby to Not This Time, the stallion stood for a $12,500 fee. This year, the fee climbed to $175,000. Not This Time stands at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky.

Cowans said the decision to run in the Governor’s Stakes came down to timing and distance. He considered an allowance at Saratoga going two turns and the $200,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones Memorial at Ellis Park on Aug. 10, but neither race fit the schedule. That left Mountaineer as the most logical target.

“The progression kind of fell to Mountaineer,” Cowans said. “We believe he’s in a pretty good spot. He can use his tactical speed for position (from post 1) and he has a good jockey in Luis Saez.”

Saez will also ride East Avenue in the West Virginia Derby.

“We hadn’t committed to a jockey because there are four stakes at Ellis Park this Sunday, but this worked out well,” Cowans said.