Virginia Derby

This article is about the annual event inaugurated in 2025 as a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier. For the turf race known from 1998 to 2013 as the Virginia Derby, from 2015 to 2017 as the Commonwealth Derby and from 2019 to 2024 as the New Kent County Virginia Derby, see Old Dominion Derby.

The Virginia Derby is an American ungraded Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds over a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt held annually in March at Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia. The event currently carries a purse of $500,000.

Virginia Derby

Class	Stakes
Location	Colonial Downs New Kent County, Virginia
Inaugurated	1998
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	Colonial Downs
Race information
Distance	1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs)
Surface	Dirt
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds
Weight	123 lbs with allowances
Purse	$500,000 (2025)

History

The inaugural running of the event took place on March 15, 2025 as a Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race and was won American Promise who was trained by the US Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and ridden by jockey Nik Juarez by 7+3⁄4 lengths in a track record time of 1:46.41.^[1]

In 2024, Churchill Downs Inc., owners of Colonial Downs announced that the turf event known as the Virginia Derby that was held late in the summer would be moved to the early spring and would transition to the dirt track. The event would be part of a new four-day spring meet at Colonial Downs.^[2]

Winners

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance	Time	Purse	Grade	Ref
Virginia Derby
2025	American Promise	Nik Juarez	D. Wayne Lukas	BC Stables	1+1⁄8 miles	1:46.41	$529,900		[1]

See also

Road to the Kentucky Derby