WORLD RECORD HOLDER DONCHO HEADLINES OLD DOMINION DERBY DAY UNDERCARD STAKES
Posted on September 2nd, 2025
NEW KENT, Va. (Aug. 31, 2025) — JAL Racing’s Doncho, who recently set a world record for 5½ furlongs on turf, headlines the $150,000 Da Hoss Stakes on Old Dominion Derby Day, Sept. 6 at Colonial Downs.
The Da Hoss is one of six turf stakes scheduled for Derby Day, which offers $1.3 million in purses and is headlined by the Grade 3, $500,000 Old Dominion Derby and the $250,000 Old Dominion Oaks (Listed). Other stakes include the $150,000 Colonial Cup, $125,000 Exacta Systems Rosie’s Stakes, and the $125,000 Kitten’s Joy.
A field of nine older males is entered in the 5½-furlong Da Hoss, where Doncho figures to make the pace. Trained by Michelle Lovell, the 4-year-old exits an Ellis Park allowance win in which he went wire to wire in :59.75, breaking the previous world record of :59.80 set by Cogburn in 2024. With the 2024 Gold Fever Stakes also on his résumé, Doncho was installed at 9-2 on the morning line.
Morning-line favoritism goes to Elizabeth Merryman and Marc Detampel’s Witty, a 2-1 choice with 11 wins and $897,782 in earnings. Last out, Witty rallied from the back of the pack to win the Van Clief on Festival of Racing Day.
In the $150,000 Colonial Cup at 1½ miles, Augustin Stables and trainer Jonathan Thomas send out a pair of contenders, led by last year’s winner Truly Quality, the 3-2 morning-line favorite. Stablemate Twirling Point, the 2024 Jersey Derby champion, will make his Colonial Downs debut in his second start as a 4-year-old. Blinkers come off for the Colonial Cup.
The $125,000 Exacta Systems Rosie’s Stakes, at 5½ furlongs, drew 10 2-year-olds led by Resolute Racing’s Rogue Legend (GB). The 5-2 favorite, Rogue Legend owns two wins in Ireland and a third in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot. Previously trained by Paddy Twomey, the colt will make his first start for Wesley Ward. Kendrick Carmouche, who has mounts in all six Old Dominion Derby Day stakes, has the riding assignment.
In the $125,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes at 1-1/16 miles, NBS Stable’s homebred Jutland is the 2-1 favorite among seven 2-year-old males. Trained by Kelsey Danner, he exits a seventh-place finish in the Soar Free at Woodbine, arguably the toughest prep in the field.
The Kitten’s Joy is Race 5 and opens the 50-cent All-Stakes Old Dominion 6, followed by the Colonial Cup (Race 6), Rosie’s (Race 7), the Old Dominion Oaks (Race 9), and the Old Dominion Derby, which closes the 10-race program.
First post Saturday is 12 p.m. ET. General admission is $5 for Old Dominion Derby Day. Tickets are available at colonialdowns.com.
Racing fans who can’t make it to Colonial can wager at any of the Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums throughout the state, The Rose Gaming Resort in Dumfries or VA-Horseplay locations in Chesapeake and Henrico. Bettors also can wager on racing from Colonial Downs via www.TwinSpires.com, the official advance-deposit wagering service for Churchill Downs Incorporated and its family of racetracks. TwinSpires.com boasts an improved wagering experience and mobile app combining the latest technology with the ability to wager on virtually every quarter, harness and thoroughbred horse race from venues around the globe. TwinSpires.com also offers access to unmatched insight and analysis from horse racing experts, handicappers, insiders, educators and Bloodstock Research Information Services (Brisnet).
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.
