Nominations for the $500,000 Virginia Derby, the first-ever Kentucky Derby qualifying race at Colonial Downs, close on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The centerpiece of a special three-day meet beginning Thursday, March 13, the 1 1/8-miles Virginia Derby will be held on Saturday, March 15 seven weeks prior to the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve. The local derby will reward its top five finishers with 50-25-15-10-5 points, respectively, towards the “Run for the Roses,” allowing connections time to run back in the final round of prep races if needed.

Since saddling Mandaloun, the 2021 Derby winner, no trainer has been able to navigate the Road to the Kentucky Derby better than Brad Cox, who leads the sport with 11 3-year-olds making a “Run for the Roses” over the last four years.

“Timing wise, everybody is different in their theories about how to get to the (Kentucky) Derby,” Cox said. “You could look at the (G3) Lexington (at Keeneland April 12) or maybe come back in three weeks in the (G1) Blue Grass (at Keeneland April 5). It would depend on the horse, how they win, how they come out of it.”

The new three-day spring meet also will include the 1 1/16-miles $250,000 Virginia Oaks. The winning horse will receive 50 points to the Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks. The second- through fifth-place finishers will earn 25-15-10-5 points on a sliding scale.

Having won the “Run for the Lilies” in 2018 with Monomoy Girl and 2020 with Shedaresthedevil, Cox currently has eight fillies with qualifying points towards the 151st Kentucky Oaks.

“We’re not sure what we are doing in the derby or the oaks,” Cox added. “Rapture is a horse we have mentioned we may take (to the Virginia Derby). It’s a mile and an eighth and the further the better for him. With the big purses, we’re going to try to have some runners for the big week at Colonial.”

The stakes action begins on Friday, March 14 with two Virginia-restricted events for older horses. Nominations for both the seven-furlong $150,000 Boston Handicap and the six-furlong $150,000 Stellar Wind Handicap for fillies and mares also close on Wednesday, Feb. 26. All Virginia-restricted races are open to Virginia-bred, -sired, and -certified horses.

The expanded 2025 racing season will continue with 41 days of live racing each Wednesday through Saturday from July 9 through September 13.

Entries for the Virginia Derby and Virginia Oaks will be drawn one week out on March 8.

BRAD COX TRAINEES WITH 10 OR MORE KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS