Commonwealth Derby

The Virginia Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race returning to Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia. The race was previously known as the Commonwealth Derby when it was held at Laurel Park race track in Laurel, Maryland. A Grade II event, it is raced on turf at a distance of 9 Furlongs (​1 ¹⁄₈ miles) and is open to three-year-old horses.

Virginia Derby

Grade II race
Location	Colonial Downs New Kent County, Virginia
Inaugurated	1998
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Race information
Distance	​1 ^1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs)
Surface	Turf
Track	Left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds
Purse	$200,000 (2016)[1]

From 1998 to 2013, the race was run at a distance of ​1 ¹⁄₄ miles. No race was held in 2014. Since 2015, the distance has been ​1 ¹⁄₈ miles. The Virginia Racing Commission announced the race will not be run in 2018 in anticipation of the 2019 reopening of Colonial Downs.

Records

Fastest time:

• ​1 ¹⁄₄ miles - 1:59.62 - Red Giant (2007)
• ​1 ¹⁄₈ miles - 1:46.63 - Deeply Undervalued (2016)

Most wins by an owner:

• 3 - Peter Vegso (2002, 2003, 2006)

Most wins by a jockey:

• 3 - Edgar S. Prado (2002, 2003, 2004)

Most wins by a Trainer:

• 3 - William I. Mott (2002, 2003, 2006)

Winners of the Commonwealth Derby since 1998

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Distance (Miles)	Time	Grade
2018	Race not held
2017	Just Howard	Feargal Lynch	H. Graham Motion	Skeedattle Associates	​1 ^1⁄8	1:45.81	II
2016	Deeply Undervalued	Manuel Franco	Chad C. Brown	Klaravich Stables & William Lawrence	​1 ^1⁄8	1:46.63	II
2015	One Go All Go	Ronald Hisby	Pavel Metajka	Feel The Thunder Stable	​1 ^1⁄8	1:48.10	II
2014	Race not held
2013	War Dancer	Alan Garcia	Kenneth G. McPeek	Magdalena Racing	​1 ^1⁄4	2:03.57	II
2012	Silver Max	Robby Albarado	Dale L. Romans	Bacon/Wells	​1 ^1⁄4	2:04.05	II
2011	Air Support	Alex Solis	Shug McGaughey	Stuart S. Janney III	​1 ^1⁄4	2:00.80	II
2010	Paddy O'Prado	Kent J. Desormeaux	Dale L. Romans	Winchell Thoroughbreds	​1 ^1⁄4	2:02.58	II
2009	Battle of Hastings	Tyler Baze	Jeff Mullins	Michael House	​1 ^1⁄4	2:03.29	II
2008	Gio Ponti	Garrett Gomez	Christophe Clement	Castleton Lyons	​1 ^1⁄4	2:02.22	II
2007	Red Giant	Horacio Karamanos	Todd A. Pletcher	Peachtree Stable	​1 ^1⁄4	1:59.62	II
2006	Go Between	Garrett K. Gomez	William I. Mott	Peter Vegso	​1 ^1⁄4	1:59.74	II
2005	English Channel	John R. Velazquez	Todd A. Pletcher	James T. Scatuorchio	​1 ^1⁄4	2:02.57	III
2004	Kitten's Joy	Edgar S. Prado	Dale L. Romans	Ken & Sarah Ramsey	​1 ^1⁄4	2:01.22	III
2003	Silver Tree	Edgar S. Prado	William I. Mott	Peter Vegso	​1 ^1⁄4	2:01.11
2002	Orchard Park	Edgar S. Prado	William I. Mott	Peter Vegso	​1 ^1⁄4	2:03.10
2001	Potaro	Brent Bartram	Jonathan Sheppard	Augustin Stable	​1 ^1⁄4	2:02.18
2000	Lightning Paces	Greg Hutton	John J. Robb	Tulip Hill Farm	​1 ^1⁄4	2:02.18
1999	Phi Beta Doc	Ramon Dominguez	Robert W. Leonard	Dennis Foster & R. Leonard	​1 ^1⁄4	1:59.97
1998	Crowd Pleaser	Jean-Luc Samyn	Jonathan Sheppard	Augustin Stable	​1 ^1⁄4	2:00.28

References

1. "Commonwealth Derby Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 24 September 2016.