Virginia Derby has no stars but is wide open

The Virginia Derby, before Colonial Downs shut its doors for five years in 2015, produced some notably strong winners, future stars like English Channel, Kitten’s Joy, Gio Ponti, and Silver Max. Tuesday’s renewal drew a wildly competitive field of 12, but if a future star is entered, he’s hard to find.

Who will go favored? Who knows? The dozen entrants have hit peak Beyer Speed Figures between 73 and 84, and most have run figures in the low 80s. There’s ample pace, though not an excess, and none of these colts and geldings has displayed an electric finishing burst.

The Virginia Derby, a Grade 3 worth $250,000, goes as the 11th of 12 races on a five-stakes card, first post 1:45 p.m. Eastern. The feature is scheduled for 6:14, the local forecast calling for a hot day with a chance of afternoon storms.

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Two months ago, it would’ve seemed impossible that Chicago invader Draft Capital might win a race like this. Trained by Doug Matthews, who’s having his best summer in years, Draft Capital was a fourth-start maiden winner June 19, getting up by a nose in a $12,500 maiden-claimer at Arlington. That began a four-race winning streak that Draft Capital carries into Tuesday.

The Uncle Mo colt has massively improved since June. Draft Capital’s last two wins came in races open to first-level allowance horses or $75,000 claimers, with the colt’s connections running him for a tag, and after a three-length turf win July 22, Draft Capital won Aug. 12 by four lengths on Polytrack. Especially impressive in the recent start was the way Draft Capital, slow to accelerate in his early wins, carried his rider into contention by the head of the homestretch. He tries a distance as long as 1 1/8 miles for the first time and should relish it.

“He just needed racing to learn,” Matthews said. “He was one of those slow learners, just real immature.”

Draft Capital breaks from post 11 under Sheldon Russell, who will need to find a way to save ground into the first turn.

Drawn on the rail is Search for Truth, who jumps from a maiden win into graded stakes competition and might be up to the task. Search for Truth rallied strongly to finish second over soft Delaware Park turf in his career debut, then went to the lead, set a solid pace, and was ridden out to an 11 1/2-length score in a Colonial maiden on Aug. 10.

Search for Truth has plenty of pace but probably can rate off the lead if required.

“I was a bit surprised he ran as green as he did first time,” trainer Michael Dickinson said. “I think he’ll be versatile.”

Indian Lake, Experienced, and Wootton Asset finished first, second, and third, respectively, in the 1 1/2-mile Bald Eagle Derby last month at Pimlico. Indian Lake and Wootton Assett are exposed horses, but Experienced was making just his second start and has plenty of room to improve. Hard Rye Guy remains eligible to a first-level allowance race 10 starts into his career but did finish well into a false pace when facing older horses at Ellis Park last out. The Brad Cox-trained Slicked Back recently beat older rivals in a first-level Indiana Grand allowance.

The others entered are Eye of the Cat, It Can Be Done, Doubleoseven, Shady McGee, and Hidden Asset; none of them can comfortably be ruled out, either.