Buetane leads field of 10 in Virginia Derby; Virginia Oaks draws six

Mar 09, 2026 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

Buetane winning a maiden race at Del Mar (Photo by Horsephotos.com)

Repositioned as a Kentucky Derby (G1) prep last season, the $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs highlights a special three-day weekend meeting at Colonial Downs this week. Saturday's race, run over 1 1/8 miles around one turn, will offer Kentucky Derby qualifying points of 50-25-15-10-5 to the respective top five finishers.

The Bob Baffert-trained Buetane cuts back to one turn after weakening to third in his two-turn debut in last month's Southwest (G3). The son of Tiz the Law had run second in two prior stakes tries, to Ted Noffey in the Hopeful (G1) and to So Happy in the San Vicente (G2).

Others in the field are looking to rebound from poorer showings. Confessional was expected to be a leading player in the Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs but began to fade in the upper stretch and finished a well-beaten seventh. Second to major Derby prospect Nearly in an allowance two back, Confessional will run in the Virginia Derby with blinkers back on.

Incredibolt, who captured the Street Sense (G3) in October, offered little in his comeback in the Jan. 31 Holy Bull (G3). The son of Bolt d'Oro lost ground at every call and trailed home last of six in an obviously sub-par performance.

Stakes newcomers in the Virginia Derby worth considering include High Camp, a last-out graduate at Gulfstream in his second start; Lockstocknpharoah, 2-for-2 over Turfway's synthetic surface; and the speedy Clocker Special, who drew widest in post 10.

The $500,000 Virginia Oaks, over a one-turn 1 1/16 miles, has attracted a field of six, including a trio of previous winners in the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series.

Bottle of Rouge, a Grade 1 winner at two, kicked off her sophomore campaign with an odds-on tally in the Sunland Park Oaks on Feb. 15. Dazzling Dame, winner in four of five starts, lived up to her moniker with an 11 1/2-length romp in the Busanda S. at Aqueduct on Jan. 3.

Also in the lineup is Hit Parade, victorious in the Dec. 20 Untapable S. at Fair Grounds but a flat fifth in last month's Martha Washington S. at Oaklawn.

The Virginia Oaks offers Kentucky Oaks qualifying points of 50-25-15-10-5 to the respective top five finishers.

Post time for the Virginia Oaks is 4:25 p.m. ET, with the Virginia Derby following at 5:10 p.m. Both races can be watched and wagered on at TwinSpires.com.