A field of 12 will go to post in the 18th running of the Grade 3 New Kent County Virginia Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on Tuesday, Aug. 31, at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., featured event of five stakes on the card and 11 races in all.
The Derby carries a purse of $250,000 and will be contested at 1 1/8 miles over the track's signature Secretariat Turf Course. Programmed as the 10th race, it will be the final leg of an All-Stakes, All-Turf Pick-5 wager covering races 6-10 that kicks off with the $150,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes and continues with the $100,000 Woodford Reserve Kitten's Joy Stakes, the $100,000 Exacta Systems Rosie's Stakes and the $150,000 Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks. First post Tuesday is 1:45 PM and the Derby itself is at 6:14 PM.
Among the Derby dozen is Gap View Stables and Jagger Inc.'s Indian Lake, a gate-to-wire winner in the Bald Eagle Derby at Pimlico most recently. The 3-year-old Daredevil gelding has finished in-the-money in 16 of 17 career starts and has earnings of $222,408, highest of any in the field. The Jamie Ness trainee has a trio of allowance wins this year, a runner-up in the Jersey Derby and a third in the Sussex Stakes.
Madaket Stables LLC's Wootton Asset, third-place finisher in the Bald Eagle Derby, is trained by Graham Motion, who won the 2019 Virginia Derby with English Bee. The 3-year-old Wootton Bassett colt also took third in the Grade 3 Kent Stakes July 3 and finished second by a nose in the Laurel Futurity last October. He has bankrolled $100,245, all of which has come from nine turf starts.
Gallaghers Stud's Search For Truth dominated a Colonial maiden special weight race by 11 1/2 lengths Aug. 10 at the 1 1/8-mile distance. The Michael Dickinson trainee's only other start came over a soft turf at Delaware where he rallied from fifth at the top of the stretch to finish second.
Savesnine Corp.'s Draft Capital brings a four-race win streak into Virginia. The Uncle Mo colt's margin of victory in the four-pack – all contested at Arlington – has increased with each start. The Doug Matthews trainee started his streak with a maiden claiming triumph June 19 by a nose and most recently prevailed by four in an off-the-turf allowance. He has earned $55,694.
Red Oak Stable's It Can Be Done has bankrolled $177,330 from ten starts which includes a win in the Nownownow Stakes at Monmouth last October. The Temple City gelding finished a solid second last out in the Tale of the Cat Stakes and lost by a neck March 27 in the Cutler Bay at Gulfstream. The Greg Sacco trainee has competed in six stakes thus far.
With only two lifetime starts, Augustin Stable's Experienced was a solid runner-up in the Bald Eagle last out which followed a maiden special weight score over the Delaware turf June 21. Jonathan Thomas conditions the Temple City gelding. Augustin Stable will be seeking a Derby hat trick of sorts after wins in the 1998 inaugural edition with Crowd Pleaser and three years later with Potaro.
L and N Racing's Hidden Enemy only has one win from ten starts, but has faced tough competition in some. The Steve Asmussen trainee was fourth in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill May 1, part of the Kentucky Derby under card, then finished ninth in the $1 million, Grade I Belmont Derby July 10. The Irish-bred son of Galileo broke his maiden March 21 at Fair Grounds.
Rounding out the Derby field is McCarty Racing LLC's Doubleoseven, Bourbon Lane Stable's Hard Rye Guy, Deuce Greathouse's Shady McGee, Jerry Marks Stables LLC's Slicked Back and Carmen Catizone's Eye of the Cat.
Six of seven weeks in the 2021 Colonial Downs summer meet have been completed. The final race week includes a 10-race card Monday, Aug. 30, the Derby program on Tuesday and an 11-race Virginia Breeder's card Wednesday, Sept. 1, which features five $100,000 stakes for Virginia-bred/sired horses.
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