Colonial Downs has made a significant distinction to this yr’s annual calendar and stakes schedule by transferring by means of the Virginia Derby. Beforehand in a gradual stakes race held in September for the 3-year-old on the grass, the 1 1/8-mile race was switched to grime and rescheduled in March as a brief boutique anchor.
The Virginia Derby is now a qualifying race for the Kentucky Derby introduced by Woodford Reserve, with the primary grime operating and offering the final word excessive level within the profession of legendary coach D. Wayne Lucas when the American promise gained simply three months earlier than Lucas’ demise on the age of 89.
The Colonial September turf occasion can be renamed the Previous Dominion Derby and can be held on Saturday in a beautiful $500,000 pockets. The race was gained by 21 top-class grass runners.st Century scored at age three final fall and is deterministic of the present star who simply gained the summer season 2025 season with two Grade 1 grasses in Saratoga.
1. Native Mind (odds for the morning route of 8-1): Completed the tip of the 8 in August, after previewing the NashBuild Derby at Ellis Park on the 1 1/8 mile KY Downs Preview NashBuild Derby, then completed after a sluggish begin. Previous to that, he was second within the Churchill Downs stakes by half size, and each routed the grass in allowance races on the identical course. Currently rally and return to his Churchill kind, he’s given a small probability of upsetting.
Jockey: Jorge Lewis; coach: Ken McPeak
2. Waiter (8-1): Additionally leaving the preview Nash Builder Derby for KY Downs, he was 3 lengths within the seventh of the Native Runner, however six lengths within the winners. Closed from 11th The 12 runners gained the only real garden victory in Keeneland final spring, requiring a tempo meltdown to shot hitting the board.
Jockey: Mychel Sanchez; coach: Dale Romans
3. Only a honest shake (15-1): After eight careers started, there was a transfer from grime to grass, and he misplaced his place within the fourth consecutive race that entered Saturday’s Check. It is troublesome to assist it.
Jockey: Xavier Perez; coach: Daniel McKenzie
4. Solar Flying (6-1): He bought off to a really tough begin on August ninth within the Colonial Downs turf allowance race and was not threatened when he completed a fifth of the 9 runners. Earlier than that, they got here in third, second and third place on three grass begins, and every on a unique monitor. A ravishing journey permits for minor awards.
Jockey: Kendrick Calmouche; coach: Graham’s motion
5. Iron Hand (5-1): After 4 consecutive wins at Gulfstream Park’s all-weather tracks, he made his grass debut, taking a short lived lead in stretches early after which positioned third within the one-mile stakes on August 2nd at South Florida Observe. Saturday was in a position to set the tempo with minimal stress, however he nonetheless did not run forward of the mile and eighth.
Jockey: Edwin Gonzalez. coach: Jose D’Angelo
6. World Beater (9-5): It is a pure favorite after a 1 3/16 mile win in early August with a grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stake. The Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational took the earlier begin and did a very good job on Saturday as he took a step again down the category ladder. There are two wins and two seconds at this distance, making it extraordinarily troublesome to defeat.
Jockey: Jaime Torres; coach: Riley Mott
7. 13 colonies (10-1): His three begins this yr revealed the potential to stimulate urge for food. 1 second, 1 second, 1 third. The runner-up got here final in Saratoga’s allowance. There he led the best way with early stretches and simulated to complete second, then second within the Colonial Secretariat Stakes. We assess small upset probabilities on what may make post-time odds interesting.
Jockey: Axel Concepcion; coach: Philip Antonacci
8. Temptation (10-1): Makes his garden debut along with his 13th We’ll begin and enter two races on the Colonial grime monitor. A win on 11/8 miles of allowance and a 3rd of the 1-mile stakes. He might have to arrange a closing rally and will not have the ability to get a fast-paced setup that’s not being stored for the grass.
Jockey: Manny Esquibel; coach: Ken McPeak
9. Autrunner (6-1): It seems to be on the disaster of a breakout race after finishing the second rally on two consecutive turf routes within the pursuits at Monmouth Park (Soleil Vorund was third) and within the allowance race at Colonial. One other participant whose probability of being upset was upset if World Beater failed to fireside.
Jockey: Paco Lopez; coach: Jorge Duarte Jr.
choose: World Beater
Stay lengthy shot: 13 Colonies
superfecta: 6-7-9-1
