Derby, Oaks Points Up For Grabs For The First Time in Virginia

[Wandering Eyes]

Nearly seven months ago to the day, it was announced by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to the crowd on hand at Colonial Downs for the running of the Arlington Million that for the first time in 2025, the Virginia Derby and Virginia Oaks–heretofore grass races held during the traditional summer meeting in New Kent–would be switched to the spring and to the main track to position themselves as prep races for the main events in May.

That day arrives Saturday, as a field of nine sophomore males heads to the post for the $500,000 Derby, while seven sophomore fillies will load the gate for the $250,000 Oaks about 45 minutes earlier. Both offer Derby and Oaks points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale.

With the ban lifted on his participation beneath the Twin Spires, trainer Bob Baffert was set to be represented by GI Del Mar Futurity hero Gaming (Game Winner) in the Virginia Derby, but when that colt spiked a fever last weekend, the conditioner elected to re-route Getaway Car (Curlin) to the nine-furlong contest. Winner of last year's GIII Best Pal Stakes, the $700,000 KEESEP yearling makes his second start of the season, having proved dead game in taking out the Sunland Derby by a nose on Feb. 16. Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call on Saturday.

Brad Cox entered two for the Derby, but will saddle just one, as Sam F. Davis hero John Hancock (Constitution) awaits next weekend's GII Louisiana Derby. Rapture (Uncle Mo) will fly the flag for the stable, having run away from Oaklawn maidens in impressive fashion en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors when tried over two turns Jan. 25. Flavien Prat has the assignment.

Three horses drop out of graded competition Saturday afternoon. American Promise (Justify), who Beyered 95 in graduating in the Hot Springs mud at the back end of 2024, faded to fifth behind all-the-way winner Magnitude (Not This Time) in the Feb. 15 GII Risen Star Stakes and would be suited by a good gallop. Render Judgment (Blame) adds blinkers off a distant eighth in the same event, while the rail-drawn Calling Card (Complexity) will look to improve off his seventh behind Flood Zone (Frosted) in the GIII Gotham Stakes just two weeks back.

The Oaks lost some of its pre-race luster with the news that GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes runner-up Gowells Delight (Practical Joke) would be scratched by trainer Ken McPeek. That could leave the outposted Fondly (Upstart) as the one to beat off a smart Tampa debut–appropriately enough–on Valentine's Day. Beaten for speed from the inside gate, the Eclipse runner advanced to be in a prominent position, only to be stopped cold and lose a few spots at the quarter pole. But she picked herself off the canvas and flew by them late to score by four in an effort that suggested more ground would not be a problem.

You'll Be Back (Practical Joke) is one of two in the race for trainer Tom Amoss and makes her third straight stakes appearance, having finished a game second in the Dec. 29 Year's End Stakes at Oaklawn and a latest third in the Dixie Belle Stakes Feb. 24. Low Key (Bolt d'Oro), who races for Oaks-winning owner Joel Politi, most recently overcame a tardy dispatch and was up on the line to break her maiden over three-quarters of a mile in the Fair Grounds slop Feb. 23.

McPeek will send out Anonima (Sharp Azteca), a good-looking Fair Grounds allowance winner Jan. 19, but a well-beaten sixth behind Quietside (Malibu Moon) in the GIII Honeybee Stakes Feb. 23.

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