Virginia Derby: Deterministic, Grand Mo the First lead probables

The fields for the six turf stakes slated for Virginia Derby day at Colonial Downs next Saturday have started to take shape. The closing-day program is seeded with $1.3 million in stakes purses.

Written for 1 1/8 miles over the Secretariat turf course, probables for the Grade 3 $500,000 Virginia Derby include Gotham (G3) winner Deterministic, who since moving to the turf has finished second in the Manila (G3) and third in the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G2) for trainer Christophe Clement; Grand Mo the First, who triumphed in the Bear’s Den for trainer Victor Barbosa Jr. in his first try back on turf after the Kentucky Derby; and In a Jam, the third-place finisher from the Secretariat (G2), who took the Not Surprising in June for trainer Mark Casse.

Also on the list is Zverev, an impressive allowance winner at Churchill Downs for trainer Cherie DeVaux, who finished three lengths back last out in the Hall of Fame (G2) at Saratoga; Desvio, winner of the Kent trained by Madison Meyers; Herchee, who is 2-for-2 for trainer Helen Pitts; the Shug McGaughey trainee Frontline Warrior; Prevent, trained by Juan Alvarado; and Izzy D’oro for trainer Blake Kelly.

Top among the listed, $250,000 Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks probables are Florida Oaks (G2) runner-up Style Points, third last out in the Christina for Christophe Clement; the 2023 Selima winner Brocknardini, who exits a second-place finish in the Suzie O’Cain for trainer George Weaver; the impressive last-out maiden winner at Saratoga, JDeep Satin for Cherie DeVaux; and Pendulum for Brendan Walsh.

Never out of the top two spots in four starts for McGaughey, Belle of Rights is likely to run in the Virginia Oaks, as is Distorted d'Oro for Mike Stidham; from Kevin Rice’s barn Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile Stakes victress She’s Fire; and last-out maiden winner Aspen Dawn, trained by Mark Casse.

Possible for the Virginia Oaks from Mike Trombetta’s barn is Call Another Play, who exits a second-place finish in the Searching and boasts a stakes win in the Weber City Miss.

Posts will be drawn for the entire Virginia Derby day program on Saturday.

Colonial Downs added an extra day of live racing on Wednesday, Sept. 4, serving as a makeup day for the card lost on Friday, July 12. First post for the 11-race program is scheduled for 1:25 p.m. EDT.

Coverage of the Virginia Derby at Horse Racing Nation is made possible in part through a sponsorship by Colonial Downs.