World Beater entered the Grade 3, $500,000 Old Dominion Derby at Colonial Downs on Saturday with a decisive class edge, having just won the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational in August. Several rivals brought somewhat of a challenge, but they were no match for the heavy favorite, who cantered home to win his third stakes race since May. “I’m just very thankful that we could bring the horse here in good shape and perform well in front of this crowd,” trainer Riley Mott said. World Beater’s 1 3/4-length win capped off a stellar day for jockey Jaime Torres, who won the final three stakes races on a loaded Colonial card. He was not on the favorite in either the $250,000 Old Dominion Oaks or the $150,000 Da Hoss, but few had any doubts about his final mount of the day, even after a weather delay softened the turf course. “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.” :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports In the span of four months, World Beater has gone from a four-race maiden to one of the best 3-year-old turf horses in the country. After his Grade 1 triumph over Juwelier and Test Score last month, Mott was drawn to Colonial by a $500,000 purse, family connections in the area, and reasonable competition. He was the only runner in the field of nine with graded stakes experience on the turf. Confident from the very beginning, Torres settled into fourth with World Beater in the early going, several lengths behind 9-1 outsider Iron Hand, who brought his front-running style from Gulfstream Park and completed a leisurely opening quarter-mile in 25.38 seconds. The pace only slowed from there and the field compressed near the front as the early leader completed the half-mile in 51.18. World Beater remained in fourth on the backstretch, just 3 1/2 lengths behind and poised to make a massive outside move. Several runners were in striking position when Iron Hand began to fade, but no one could match World Beater’s turn of foot, giving Torres a massive window of opportunity around the far turn. He didn’t wait long to send the 2-5 favorite and was already a length in front by the time the field hit the stretch. Outrunner chased just behind the early pace around both turns and ran on valiantly in the stretch, while Mesero closed from sixth with a determined bid. Both outsiders kept things competitive in the stretch, but neither one made up an inch of ground on World Beater, who completed the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:53.01 and paid $2.80 to win. “It’s been a long season for him and we have pretty big aspirations for his 4-year-old year next year,” Mott said. Mesero, a 15-1 longshot trained by Dale Romans, overcame the slow early pace to finish second by a nose. Outrunner, the 6-1 second choice trained by Jorge Duarte Jr., lost the photo but finished 2 1/4 lengths clear for third. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.