KY Derby Also-Ran Closes Out Virginia Derby's Turf Era

As the sun sets on another season at Colonial Downs Sept. 7, the New Kent, Va., track will celebrate with one of its biggest weekends of the meet, highlighted by full fields in the $500,000 Virginia Derby (G3T) and $250,000 Virginia Oaks.

Raced on the grass since its 1998 inception, Saturday's Derby will mark the final edition before the race switches to dirt and joins the Road to the Kentucky Derby in March 2025. However, it won't have to wait to see a Kentucky Derby (G1) runner.

COLONIAL DOWNS: Virginia Derby Joins Road to the Kentucky Derby in 2025

Finishing 18th in the Derby off a pair of graded placings, Granpollo Stable's Grand Mo the First received a three-month freshening from trainer Victor Barboza Jr. Switching to grass for his return, the son of Uncle Mo earned a career-best 99 Equibase Speed Figure while winning the Aug. 3 Bear's Den Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Video: Bear's Den S. (BT)

A three-time winner from eight starts for earnings of $259,200, Grand Mo the First placed in graded company on grass as a 2-year-old in Santa Anita Park's Zuma Beach Stakes (G3T).

While Grand Mo the First breaks from post 2 with Paco Lopez, followers of the Derby trail will also recognize the colt to his right in Deterministic, winner of the Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Since switching to turf two starts back, the Liam's Map  colt has picked up two graded placings for St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steven Duncker, and Vicarage Stable, including a third to Carson's Run in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 11. Manny Franco rides and Christophe Clement trains.

The two are joined in the 1 1/8-mile race by stakes winners In a Jam, Desvio, and Fulmineo as part of a 12-horse field.

Entries: New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3T)

Colonial Downs, Saturday, September 7, 2024, Race 10

• Grade III
• 1 1/8m
• Inner turf
• $500,000
• 3 yo
• 6:15 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Herchee (KY)	Edgar Morales	120	Helen Pitts	5/1
2	2Grand Mo the First (KY)	Paco Lopez	120	Victor Barboza, Jr.	4/1
3	3Deterministic (KY)	Manuel Franco	123	Christophe Clement	3/1
4	4Izzy d'Oro (KY)	David Cohen	120	Blake Kelly	30/1
5	5Frontline Warrior (KY)	Vincent Cheminaud	118	Claude R. McGaughey III	30/1
6	6In a Jam (KY)	Mychel J. Sanchez	120	Mark E. Casse	6/1
7	7Desvio (KY)	Ben Curtis	120	Madison F. Meyers	8/1
8	8Massif (KY)	Sheldon Russell	120	Brittany T. Russell	30/1
9	9Echo Lane (FL)	Antonio A. Gallardo	118	Rohan Crichton	15/1
10	10Oscar's World (KY)	Martin Garcia	120	Brian A. Lynch	12/1
11	11Fulmineo (MD)	Victor R. Carrasco	120	Arnaud Delacour	15/1
12	12Zverev (KY)	Jorge Ruiz	120	Cherie DeVaux	10/1

Large Field in Wide-Open Virginia Oaks

One race prior, 13 fillies will also travel 1 1/8 miles in the Virginia Oaks.

The Elkstone Group's Oncourtcommentator is a head away from being undefeated through her first three starts, all at Laurel Park. Trained by Brittany Russell and ridden by her husband, Sheldon Russell, the daughter of Uncle Mo enters her stakes debut off a 6 1/4-length win in a 1 1/8-mile, off-the-turf allowance Aug. 18. She breaks from post 4.

Two stalls to her inside is Aug. 16 maiden winner Aspen Dawn. The daughter of Quality Road  is one of just two fillies in the large field to have started over the Colonial turf, having navigated the oval in both her career starts for owner Tracy Farmer and trainer Mark Casse.

New York-breds Awesome Czech and Brocknardini visit Virginia off their 1-2 finish in the Suzie O'Cain Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 14.

The Virginia Oaks and Derby are races 9 and 10, respectively, with post times of 5:40 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.

Entries: Virginia Oaks

Colonial Downs, Saturday, September 7, 2024, Race 9

• STK
• 1 1/8m
• Inner turf
• $250,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 5:40 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Style Points (KY)	Manuel Franco	118	Christophe Clement	8/1
2	2Aspen Dawn (KY)	Antonio A. Gallardo	118	Mark E. Casse	12/1
3	3Pendulum (KY)	Jorge Ruiz	118	Brendan P. Walsh	10/1
4	4Oncourtcommentator (MD)	Sheldon Russell	118	Brittany T. Russell	6/1
5	5Distorted d'Oro (KY)	Ben Curtis	118	Michael Stidham	15/1
6	6Awesome Czech (NY)	Jevian Toledo	120	Horacio De Paz	10/1
7	7Deep Satin (KY)	Mychel J. Sanchez	118	Cherie DeVaux	5/1
8	8Brocknardini (NY)	Joseph Rocco, Jr.	118	George Weaver	30/1
9	9She's Fire (KY)	Israel O. Rodriguez	118	Kevin Rice	20/1
10	10Smooth Waves (KY)	James Graham	118	Gregory D. Foley	30/1
11	11Kalispera (IRE)	Edgar Morales	118	Brian A. Lynch	4/1
12	12Call Another Play (MD)	Paco Lopez	118	Michael J. Trombetta	8/1
13	13Belle of Rights (KY)	Forest Boyce	118	Claude R. McGaughey III	8/1