American Promise sets track record in Virginia Derby; Fondly lands Virginia Oaks

Mar 15, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

American Promise wins the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs. (Photo by Coady Media / Credit to Lauren Johnson)

Saturday’s $527,500 Virginia Derby, the first-ever Road to the Kentucky Derby scoring race contested in the historic commonwealth, delivered an aptly named winner in American Promise.

Trained by the legendary D. Wayne Lukas, the son of Triple Crown champion Justify rolled in track-record time at Colonial Downs.

Earlier, Fondly captured the $250,000 Virginia Oaks, the companion race for fillies and a qualifier for the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

The 1 1/8-mile Virginia Derby and 1 1/16-mile Virginia Oaks were both held around one turn, given the expansive configuration of Colonial. Each was worth 50 points to the winner on their respective Derby and Oaks leaderboards.

Virginia Derby

B C Stables’ American Promise was coming off a remote fifth in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds, where he never got involved after failing to show his usual early speed. American Promise accordingly went off as a 7.40-1 chance in the Virginia Derby.

Bettors instead piled on Bob Baffert’s Getaway Car, dispatching him as the 4-5 favorite in light of his recent score in the Sunland Park Derby. Getaway Car took his name literally by blasting from the gate here and trying to duplicate his front-running heroics, but he couldn’t handle the pressure from American Promise.

Ridden for the first time by Nik Juarez, American Promise ambled up to prompt Getaway Car through an opening quarter in :23.12. The big chestnut, a much more physically imposing colt than Getaway Car, turned up the heat through the half in a torrid :45.20. Thereafter the favorite soon ran out of gas.

American Promise struck the front rounding the far turn, clocking six furlongs in a blistering 1:08.39, and he rumbled down the lane by an ever-widening margin. Crossing the wire 7 3/4 lengths clear, American Promise sped 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.41 to lower the track record by nearly a full second.

The former mark of 1:47.36 was set by McCain on Aug. 18, 2021, during Colonial’s normal summer season. At this novel, three-day meet in March, the track has yielded a few pretty fast times.

American Promise rewarded his loyalists with a $16.80 payout while picking up 50 points toward the Kentucky Derby (G1). Along with his five from the Risen Star, he has a total of 55.

American Promise dominates in the Virginia Derby at @colonialdowns to pick up 50 points towards the @kentuckyderby! 🌹@nikjuarez had the mount for D. Wayne Lukas!

🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/pXV5QHYm14

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 15, 2025

Render Judgment, who chased in third early, churned on to take second by three-quarters of a length. His 25 points for the runner-up spot give him 29 in all.

Virginia-bred Omaha Omaha represented his homeland by collaring Getaway Car for third (15 points), enhancing his overall tally to 26. Getaway Car wound up fourth (10 points) in a tight finish for the minors, and he has accumulated 46 points. Studlydoright took fifth (five points for a total of 11) from the 1.90-1 Rapture, who didn’t factor in sixth. Authentic Gallop brought up the rear.

John Hancock, who would have been a main player, did indeed opt for next Saturday’s Louisiana Derby (G2) as expected. Also scratched were Calling Card, bound for next Saturday’s Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park, and Georgia Magic.

American Promise’s first stakes victory improved his record to 9-2-1-1, $444,874. He needed six starts to break his maiden, a mission accomplished at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 29. Back over the same track and trip for the Southwest (G3), he was demoted from sixth to seventh for interference. He didn’t get traction in the Risen Star, but put it all together in Virginia.

A $750,000 yearling purchase at Keeneland September, American Promise was bred in Kentucky by Candy Meadows. He is a half-brother to Grade 2 veteran Hoosier Philly, once prominent on the 2023 Kentucky Oaks trail. Their mother, Tapella, is by Tapit and out of unbeaten Princess Arabella, who crushed the 2012 Sunland Park Oaks.

Virginia Oaks

Fondly wins the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs. (Photo by Coady Media / Credit to Lauren Johnson)

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, a co-owner of early Derby favorite Journalism, is back on the Oaks trail with Fondly. Over the years, Eclipse has been involved with a number of top-class fillies, including champion Nest, and Fondly is showing potential after extending her record to 2-for-2 on Saturday.

A four-length winner of her Valentine’s Day debut at Tampa Bay Downs, the Graham Motion trainee was bet down to 6-5 favoritism on this step up in class and distance. The morning line favorite, Gowells Delight, was scratched in favor of next Saturday’s Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Another absentee, Girl Math, is likewise entered in the Fair Grounds’ marquee event on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Fondly broke alertly from the outside post and led through the opening quarter in :23.49. As the field advanced down the backstretch, Anonima hustled to take over by the half in :46.58. She reached six furlongs in 1:10.59 with Fondly still poised on her flank.

Turning for home, Anonima continued to show the way with gusto, while Fondly was coming under a ride. Yet Fondly responded to jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.’s urging in the stretch, and she gradually wore down Anonima.

But the race wasn’t over. Early On rallied boldly late, but Fondly held on by a half-length. The daughter of Upstart negotiated 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.51 and opened her Oaks account with 50 points.

Fondly stretches out and remains perfect in the Virginia Oaks! Onto the Kentucky Oaks! 🌷@grahammotion trains and @iradortiz was aboard!

🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/pcacBTugQL

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) March 15, 2025

Early On scored 25 points in her stakes debut. Anonima checked in another half-length astern in third (15 points). Icona Mama ran fairly evenly in fourth, adding 10 points to increase her total to 14. You’ll Be Back received five points in fifth, and Low Key trailed.

Fondly is a half-sister to Antiquarian, a competitor on the 2024 Triple Crown trail. Antiquarian captured last year’s Peter Pan (G3) en route to finishing fifth in the Belmont (G1). Both Fondly and Antiquarian are out of the Istan mare Lifetime Memory.

Bred by the late Gov. Brereton Jones in the Bluegrass State, Fondly sold for $50,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling. The bay has bankrolled $169,200.