Cox Looks to Virginia Derby, Oaks With Confessional, Hit Parade

Brad Cox

Hit Parade

Confessional

Irad Ortiz Jr

NEW KENT, VA. (March 12, 2026) — Brad Cox, who annually develops some of the sport’s top 3-year-olds, sends out Confessional in the $500,000 Virginia Derby and Hit Parade in the $250,000 Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs on Saturday, as both continue their push for a spot in the 152nd Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.

The 1 1/8-mile Virginia Derby, slated as Race 9 and the centerpiece of the 10-race card, is immediately preceded by the 1 1/16-mile Virginia Oaks. Both races award Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks qualifying points of 50-25-15-10-5, respectively, to the top five finishers. First post Saturday is 12 p.m. ET.

Owned by Steve Landers Racing, Confessional will make his third start since breaking his maiden at Keeneland in October. The colt most recently finished seventh to Renegade in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, his lone Derby prep race to date.

“He didn’t run as well as we expected,” Cox said. “He broke from the inside, and I thought he was getting a good trip, but found a little trouble going into the stretch when I felt like it was really time to go forward. He’s always trained well, and he’s continuing to train well, so we’re giving him another swing.”

While racing in tight quarters through the far turn in the Sam F. Davis, Confessional tried to cut the corner and make a run but found himself bottled up by two foes. It was his first start without blinkers, which will be reapplied for the Virginia Derby.

“I’m putting blinkers back on to hopefully give him a little more confidence and go forward,” Cox said. “Maybe if he does get in some tight spots, he’ll be thinking about going forward instead of looking at other horses.”

With three Kentucky Oaks titles to his name, Cox will try to get Hit Parade to the starting gate for a shot at a fourth. The Gary and Mary West homebred has earned 12 qualifying points with a win in the Untapable Stakes at Fair Grounds and a fifth-place finish last out in the Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park, where she was beaten by more than six lengths.

“I liked the trip she got (in Martha Washington),” Cox said. “I liked the position she was in when they straightened up, but then she just didn’t really offer much running down the lane or finish up as well as I thought. That was a little bit of a head scratcher. She’ll be facing a good group (on Saturday). We’ll see if she stacks up.”

Both Confessional and Hit Parade will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., a five-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey.