Indian Lake Among Field Of 12 In New Kent County Virginia Derby

NEW KENT, VA – Gap View Stables and Jagger Inc.’s Indian Lake is among the field of 12 who will go to post in the 18th running of the New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3) presented by Woodford Reserve on Tuesday August 31 at Colonial Downs, featured event of 5 stakes on the card and 11 races in all.

The Derby carries a purse of $250,000 and will be contested at 1 1/8 miles over the track’s signature Secretariat Turf Course. Programmed as the tenth race, it will be the final leg of an All-Stakes, All-Turf Pick-5 wager covering races 6-10 that kicks off with the $150,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes and continues with the $100,000 Woodford Reserve Kitten’s Joy Stakes, the $100,000 Exacta Systems Rosie’s Stakes, and the $150,000 Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks. First post Tuesday is 1:45 PM and the Derby itself is at 6:14 PM.

Among the Derby dozen is Indian Lake, a gate-to-wire winner in the Bald Eagle Derby at Pimlico most recently. The 3-year-old Daredevil gelding has finished in the money in 16 of 17 career starts and has earnings of $222,408, highest of any in the field. The Jamie Ness trainee has a trio of allowance wins this year, a runner-up in the Jersey Derby and a third in the Sussex Stakes.

Madaket Stables LLC’s Wootton Asset, third place finisher in the Bald Eagle Derby, is trained by Graham Motion who won the 2019 Virginia Derby with English Bee. The 3-year-old Wootton Bassett colt also took third in the Kent Stakes (G3) July 3 and finished second by a nose in the Laurel Futurity last October. He has bankrolled $100,245, all of which has come from 9 turf starts.

Gallagher’s Stud’s Search For Truth dominated a Colonial maiden special weight race by 11 1/2 lengths August 10 at the 1 1/8 miles distance. The Michael Dickinson trainee’s only other start came over a soft turf at Delaware where he rallied from fifth at the top of the stretch to finish second.

Savesnine Corp.’s Draft Capital brings a 4-race win streak into Virginia. The Uncle Mo colt’s margin of victory in the 4-pack — all contested at Arlington — has increased with each start. The Doug Matthews trainee started his streak with a maiden claiming triumph June 19 by a nose and most recently prevailed by 4 in an off-the-turf allowance. He has earned $55,694.

Red Oak Stable’s It Can Be Done has bankrolled $177,330 from 10 starts which includes a win in the Nownownow Stakes at Monmouth last October. The Temple City gelding finished a solid second last out in the Tale of the Cat Stakes and lost by a neck March 27 in the Cutler Bay at Gulfstream. The Greg Sacco trainee has competed in 6 stakes thus far.

With only 2 lifetime starts, Augustin Stable’s Experienced was a solid runner-up in the Bald Eagle last out which followed a maiden special weight score over the Delaware turf June 21. Jonathan Thomas conditions the Temple City gelding. Augustin Stable will be seeking a Derby hat trick of sorts after wins in the 1998 inaugural edition with Crowd Pleaser and 3 years later with Potaro.

L and N Racing’s Hidden Enemy only has 1 win from 10 starts but has faced tough competition in some. The Steve Asmussen trainee was fourth in the American Turf (G2) at Churchill May 1, part of the Kentucky Derby undercard, then finished ninth in the $1 million Belmont Derby (G1) July 10. The Irish-bred son of Galileo broke his maiden March 21 at Fair Grounds.

Rounding out the Derby field is McCarty Racing LLC’s Doubleoseven, Bourbon Lane Stable’s Hard Rye Guy, Deuce Greathouse’s Shady McGee, Jerry Marks Stables LLC’s Slicked Back, and Carmen Catizone’s Eye of the Cat.