Colonial Downs racing secretary Dan Bork has released the condition book for its three-day spring meeting which runs from Thursday, March 13 through Saturday, March 15.  The special meet is highlighted by the $500,000 Virginia Derby and $250,000 Virginia Oaks on March 15, which for the first time are points races on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” and “Road to the Kentucky Oaks,” respectively.

The Virginia Derby and Virginia Oaks have been moved to the dirt track and repositioned to March to serve as prep races for the Derby and Oaks. The Virginia Derby will be run at 1-1/8 miles and the Virginia Oaks will be contested at 1-1/16 miles. Each race offers 50 points to its winner while the next four finishers will receive 25, 15, 10 and 5 points on a sliding scale toward the appropriate race.

While the Virginia Derby and Virginia Oaks are expected to attract top 3-year-olds from across the country, there are several lucrative options for Virginia-restricted runners topped by a pair of overnight handicaps – the $150,000 Stellar Wind, a six-furlong dash for older fillies and mares and the $150,000 Boston, a seven-furlong race for older horses – headlining the Friday, March 14 card.

Maiden Special Weight races will go for $75,000 for open runners and $93,750 for Virginia-restricted horses. A first-level allowance race carries an $80,000 purse and the complimentary Virginia-restricted event is worth $100,000.

Nominations for the Virginia Derby, Virginia Oaks and the two overnight handicaps close Wednesday, February 26. Entries for the Virginia Derby and Virginia Oaks will be taken at Colonial Downs on Saturday, March 8.

The condition book and index are available here.

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