There’s only one Derby qualifying race this weekend, and that is the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs.
A spot in the Run for the Roses is on the line Saturday at the New Kent County track.
Points will be distributed to the top 5 finishers on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis, more than likely assuring the winner a spot in the Derby gate.
Here is a brief look at the field for the Virginia Derby:
1. BUETANE [ML 5-2] Jockey: Flavien Prat. Trainer: Bob Baffert. Has raced three times in Graded Stakes and finished 2nd twice and 3rd once. Seems an easier go in an un-graded Stakes and should work out a good trip from the rail with Prat in the irons.
2. GRITTINESS [ML 12-1] Jockey: Rajiv Maragh. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Rallied to finish a distant 2nd in the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct at this distance. This Maiden appears to be on the slow side here in this group.
3. EPIC DESIRE [ML 15-1] Jockey: Sheldon Russell. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Finished a non-competitive 5th in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Would need to make some big strides forward to be a threat.
4. WORK [ML 20-1] Jockey: Mychel Sanchez. Trainer: Doug O’Neil. Needed five starts to break his Maiden and the winning one came in a turf sprint. Did not show much in two dirt races at Santa Anita.
5. HIGH CAMP [ML 9-2] Jockey: John Velazquez. Trainer: Will Walden. Comes off a couple of fast sprint races at Gulfstream Park. Possesses the speed figures to be a contender, but can he handle 1 1/8 miles? We’ll know by late Saturday afternoon.
6. LOCKSTOCKNPHAROAH [ML 5-1] Jockey: Edgar Morales. Trainer: Thomas Drury Jr. Followed a Maiden win with a powerful Allowance victory, caveat being those wins came on an all-weather surface at Turfway Park. Has a dirt pedigree, so he might successfully adapt.
7. INCREDIBOLT [ML 10-1] Jockey: Jaime Torres. Trainer: Riley Mott. Won the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill impressively to close 2025. Started this year not showing much in the Holy Bull. If that was simply a case of needing a race, he could possibly bounce back with a big effort.
8. CONFESSIONAL [ML 4-1] Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Trainer: Brad Cox. Showed a lot of talent in his first two starts but faded to 7th in his Stakes debut in the Sam F. Davis. Ortiz may be out of the saddle as he is recovering from a recent injury.
9. OCELLI [ML 15-1] Jockey: Joseph D. Ramos. Trainer: Whit Beckman. He’s a Maiden who tried Stakes company in the Sam F. Davis and made a middle move before dropping back to 6th. Speed figures are comparable to most of the entrants. Could possibly round out exotic wagers.
10. CLOCKER SPECIAL [ML 8-1] Jockey: Cristian Torres. Trainer: Rodolphe Brisset. Ran 2nd by a neck in an Oaklawn Park Allowance race in his first start in a little more than six months. Outside post shouldn’t be an issue in this one-turn, 1 1/8-mile Stakes.
The $500,000 dollar Virginia Derby is listed as race 9 on a card of 10 with a scheduled Post Time of 5:10.
Best of luck however you play it.
