Virginia Derby locks in 50 points for 2027 Kentucky Derby.

The Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs Racetrack has officially retained its designation as a qualifying race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby for the 2027 season.

The winner of the 2027 Virginia Derby will earn 50 qualifying points toward a spot in the 153rd Kentucky Derby.

The race is scheduled for Saturday, March 13, 2027, at Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia.

Governor Abigail Spanberger announced the news on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

“Virginia has a proud and growing tradition in horse racing, and the Virginia Derby has earned its place as an essential stop on the Road to the Kentucky Derby,” Spanberger said in a statement.

The Virginia Derby will headline three days of live racing at Colonial Downs from March 11 to 13, 2027.

Tickets for the 2027 Virginia Derby will go on sale at noon on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.

The announcement follows a record-setting 2026 season at Colonial Downs.

The track hosted 48 days of live racing and 428 races featuring 3,350 horses.

Colonial Downs reported $29 million in total purse money and $122 million in total wagering for the 2026 season.

Nearly 10,000 spectators attended Virginia Derby Day in 2026, according to the governor’s office.

The Virginia Derby’s growing national profile was highlighted by Ocelli, a previous qualifier who finished third in the 2026 Kentucky Derby.

The 153rd Kentucky Derby (Grade I) is scheduled for Saturday, May 1, 2027, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

The race is run at 1 1/4 miles on the dirt.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager offers six betting pools for the 2027 Derby.

Pool 1 ran from October 28 to 30, 2026, and closed before the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

U. S. S. Valor closed as the shortest-priced individual horse in Pool 1 at final odds of 6.92-1.

Hughes, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade I) winner, closed at 8.52-1 in Pool 1.

Pool 2 opens on Thursday, November 26, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. ET and runs through November 29 at 6:00 p.m. ET.

Additional pools run January 15–17, 2027; February 12–14, 2027; March 12–14, 2027; and April 1–3, 2027.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager is a pari-mutuel pool run by Churchill Downs.

Each pool has 40 betting interests: 38 named horses, “All Fillies,” and “All Other Colts and Geldings.”

Odds lock when the pool closes, and the bet is settled by the official Derby result on May 1, 2027.

Win bets have a $2 minimum.

Exactas have a $2 minimum, or $1 for boxes and wheels.

The takeout is 17.5% on win bets and 22% on exactas.