Colonial Downs hosts Kentucky Derby, Oaks qualifiers for first time

Mar 10, 2025 Brisnet.com Staff

The field is set for the first-ever Kentucky Derby qualifying race at Colonial Downs as the $500,000 Virginia Derby attracted a field of 10 three-year-olds, led by the Sunland Park Derby winner Getaway Car.

The centerpiece of a special three-day meet beginning Thursday, the 1 1/8-mile Virginia Derby will be held on Saturday together with the 1 1/16-miles $250,000 Virginia Oaks. The winning horse in each race will receive 50 points toward the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Kentucky Oaks (G1), respectively. The second- through fifth-place finishers will earn 25-15-10-5 points on a sliding scale.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Getaway Car has already racked up 36 Derby qualifying points. Making his sophomore debut last out in the Sunland Park Derby, the front-running Getaway Car was headed by Caldera at the top of the stretch but battled back to win by a bob at the wire. The Curlin colt's first stakes success came at second asking with a win in the Best Pal (G3) at Del Mar last summer. Tabbed as the 9-5 favorite in the morning line, Getaway Car drew post 6 and attracted the services of Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trainer Brad Cox will ship two colts to Colonial. Of the pair, the undefeated John Hancock was installed as the 3-1 second choice in the line. The son of Constitution proved himself in his first Derby prep, wiring the field last out in the Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs. Mike Smith has the call aboard the colt.

Stablemate Rapture will be reunited with Flavien Prat, who was on board the son of Uncle Mo for his maiden-breaking 6 1/2-length score at Oaklawn Park.

Coming off a year where he saddled both the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks winner, trainer Kenny McPeek entered Render Judgment in the Virginia Derby. Earning 4 qualifying points as a juvenile with a third in the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds and a fifth in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs, Render Judgment was not able to add to his total in his lone start as a sophomore, where he ran eighth in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds.

Bred in Virginia, Omaha Omaha will ship in from Laurel for his first start in his home state. Trained by Michael Gorham, he has racked up 11 Derby points by running third in the Withers S. and second in the Jerome S., both at Aqueduct.

Other contenders include American Promise, who grabbed five points for D. Wayne Lukas last out in the Risen Star, and Authentic Gallop, who exits a blinkers-off allowance victory at Oaklawn Park for trainer Tom Amoss.

Exiting a second-place finish in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) at Fair Grounds, Gowells Delight was made the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the Virginia Oaks.

Debuting at two turns in December at Fair Grounds, Gowells Delight beat seven rivals by 5 1/2 lengths. Trainer Kenny McPeek threw the daughter of Practical Joke into deep waters for her encore, where she ran a troubled fourth in the Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn Park. After showing a new dimension when setting the pace in last month's Rachel Alexandra, Gowells Delight proved no match for the undefeated Good Cheer, but with her runner-up finish, 6 1/2 lengths behind the winner, she boosted her Oaks qualifying points to 16.5.

Drawing to the immediate outside of her stablemate, two-time winner Anonima ships in off her first stakes try, when she ran sixth to Quietside in the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn.

Though she's only started once, Fondly won her debut in style on Valentine's Day at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Graham Motion. Demonstrating her push-button potential when overcoming two spots of trouble, the Upstart filly won going away and earned an 84 Brisnet Speed figure. Fondly was tabbed as the 7-2 second choice in the line and will break from the far outside post under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

Sent off as the favorite last out in the Cincinnati Trophy at Turfway Park, Girl Math only managed to run fifth across the Tapeta surface where she broke her maiden Jan. 2 in the start prior. With three second-place finishes on main track at Churchill Downs on her resume, the Rodolphe Brisset trainee will return to the dirt for the Virginia Oaks.

Looking the part in her first try going two turns, Early On exits a 5 1/4-length maiden score at Gulfstream Park for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.