HEEERE’S JOHNNY LOOKS TO FOLLOW FULL BROTHER INTO OLD DOMINION DERBY WINNER’S CIRCLE

NEW KENT, Va. (Sept. 4, 2026) —A year after World Beater captured the Old Dominion Derby, his full brother Heeere’s Johnny will try to keep the family tradition going Monday at Colonial Downs.

Bred by Dr. John Chandler, Heeere’s Johnny is trained by Ray Handal for Magic Carpet Racing, Catherine Coyle and Blue Bison Stable. He enters the 23rd running of the Grade 3, $500,000 Old Dominion Derby with one of the field’s strongest stakes resumes. Already on the grounds at Colonial Downs, the 3-year-old drew post 2 in the full field of 14 and is listed at 8-1 on the morning line. Jaime Rodriguez has the mount for the 1 1/8-mile turf test.

The family connection to last year’s winner was not lost on Handal when choosing the Old Dominion Derby.

“We had that in mind,” Handal said of Heeere’s Johnny being a full brother to World Beater. “I thought it made a lot of sense. He needs firm ground. Colonial’s track is conducive, I think, to closers on that turf.”

The inside draw could also work in Heeere’s Johnny’s favor. A late-running colt, he should have an opportunity to save ground while some of his chief rivals navigate outside posts, including Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes winner Supercharger, who drew post 14.

“He’s going to save ground,” Handal said. “The draw was huge because the other big closer is way out wide, so he’s going to have to give up some ground, I think, at least a little bit into that first turn.”

Heeere’s Johnny has competed in stakes company for most of his career. As a 2-year-old, he finished second in both the Grade 2 Pilgrim and Grade 3 With Anticipation before closing his juvenile campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

“He’s a big, good-looking, classy horse,” Handal said. “He might not be winning those bigger races, but he’s running big races and running big figures, and he’s just right there. He’s just been the bridesmaid.”

After several close calls, Heeere’s Johnny broke through for his first stakes victory in the $150,000 Saranac at Saratoga on July 3.

“I was glad he was able to put it together and win the Saranac, but I think that was just the start of good things to come for him,” Handal said.

The Saranac remains his only start over firm turf since Handal added blinkers, a change the trainer believes has helped Heeere’s Johnny become more focused.

“He’s just been a much better horse in the morning with them, training with them every day,” Handal said. “He’s just more focused in general. I know he’s got kind of spotty form with them on, but I think his only real true race with the blinkers and firm ground was the race he won in the Saranac.”

His only start since the Saranac came against Grade 1 company in the Saratoga Derby on Aug. 8. A passing storm brought heavy rain around race time, although the Mellon Turf Course remained officially rated firm.

“The course had a lot of cut,” Handal said. “It poured rain right before his race. It was a bummer that he hit the soft track last time, but I think he’ll bounce back with a big performance.”

Heeere’s Johnny’s two attempts beyond 1 1/16 miles have not produced his best finishes, but both came over turf with moisture in it. Handal believes the surface, rather than the distance, has been the limiting factor.

“I don’t think it’s a distance thing,” Handal said. “The only reason he’s never had the punch was when there was a lot of give in the ground. I actually think he’s more of a traditional long-distance horse. He’s got a big, bounding stride and he just kind of stays, and his gallop-outs are always very strong.”

Handal is hoping Monday provides firm footing, added distance and a favorable race shape, allowing Heeere’s Johnny to show that stamina and perhaps follow his full brother into the Old Dominion Derby winner’s circle.

The Old Dominion Derby is carded as Race 9 on Monday’s Labor Day program and headlines six turf stakes worth a combined $1.3 million. The supporting events are the $250,000 Old Dominion Oaks over 1 1/8 miles; the $150,000 Colonial Cup at 1½ miles; the $150,000 Da Hoss at 5½ furlongs; and two juvenile events, the $125,000 Kitten’s Joy at 1 1/16 miles and the $125,000 Exacta Systems Rosie’s Stakes at 5½ furlongs.

The Labor Day card will close the Colonial Downs meet. First post for the 11-race program is noon ET.