NEWLY MINTED MILLIONAIRE WORLD BEATER SHINES BRIGHT IN GRADE 3 $500,000 OLD DOMINION DERBY

(Photo credit: Coady Media)

NEW KENT, Va. (Sept. 6, 2025) – Pin Oak Stud’s World Beater lived up to his lofty name Saturday at Colonial Downs, storming down the center of the Secretariat Turf Course to capture the Grade 3, $500,000 Old Dominion Derby, the centerpiece of Old Dominion Derby Day.

The chestnut colt trained by Riley Mott and ridden by Jamie Torres rated kindly in mid-pack through the early stages of the 1⅛-mile turf test before uncorking a powerful stretch rally. Crossing the wire in 1:53.01 over a course listed as soft following a late afternoon down pour, he held safe by 1¾ length over Mesero, who got the best of Outrunner at the wire.

“He was rolling very good today,” Torres said. “He didn’t care about how wet it was. I’m very, very happy with him. He’s all talent.”

Torres’ win aboard World Beater in the Old Dominion Derby capped off three consecutive stakes victories on the day, including piloting As Catch Can to victory in the Old Dominion Oaks and Doncho in the Da Hoss Stakes.

A field of eight 3-year-olds lined up in the gate and Iron Hand proved quickest, carving out tepid fractions of :25.38 and :51.18. World Beater settled comfortably in mid-pack biding his time as the leaders began to weaken on the far turn. Swung into the clear at the top of the stretch, the colt lengthened his stride impressively, sweeping past his rivals and drawing away in the final furlong to earn the second graded stakes of his career following the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby earlier this year.

“I’m just very thankful that we could bring the horse here in good shape and perform well in front of this crowd,” Mott said. “We’ve got a big group here with my wife’s side coming in from Charlottesville, Virginia. We will watch him for a week or two to see (what’s next). It’s been a long season for him, but we have pretty big aspirations for his four-year-old year next year.”

Bet down to 2-5, World Beater paid $2.80, $2.20, and $2.10. Mesero returned $9.60 and $5.40. Outrunner paid $4.00.

With the victory, World Beater banked $300,000 to boost his lifetime bankroll to $1,126,414 from a career record of 9-4-2-1.

About Colonial Downs
Colonial Downs Racetrack, in New Kent, Virginia, hosts live thoroughbred racing on two nationally renowned surfaces – the Secretariat Turf Course, the widest turf course in North America at 180 feet wide and on a 1 1/4-mile dirt track. The Colonial Downs Group, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums® throughout the commonwealth, which offer innovative historic horseracing (HHR) gaming and full card simulcasting as well as Rosie’s Game Room in Collinsville, and The Rose Gaming Resort® in Dumfries which offers 1,650 HHR gaming terminals, full-card simulcasting, eight bars and restaurants and more than 100 hotel rooms.