Virginia Derby stays a Kentucky Derby qualifier in 2027

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger announced Thursday that the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs Racetrack will remain an official qualifying race for the 2027 Kentucky Derby.

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

The winner of the race will earn 50 qualifying points toward a spot in the 153rd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

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

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

That season included 48 days of live racing and 428 races featuring 3,350 horses.

The track reported $29 million in total purse money and $122 million in total wagering.

Nearly 10,000 spectators attended Virginia Derby Day, 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.

Ocelli’s performance demonstrated that the Virginia Derby can produce horses competitive at the highest level of American racing.

The racing industry also supports Virginia’s agricultural economy through horse breeding, training and related businesses, state officials said.

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

Additional information about the racing schedule and tickets will be available at Colonial Downs.

The full announcement is available on the governor’s website.

The Virginia Derby first became a Kentucky Derby qualifying race in 2023.

Since then, it has become one of the key prep races on the East Coast.

The 50 points awarded to the winner are significant in the context of the Road to the Kentucky Derby points system.

Under that system, the top 20 horses in total points earned in designated prep races earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate.

A win in the Virginia Derby essentially guarantees a horse a spot in the Derby field, barring an unusually large number of point-earners in later races.

The Kentucky Derby itself is a Grade I race run at 1 1/4 miles on dirt.

The 2027 Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 1, 2027.

It will be the 153rd running of America’s most famous horse race.

Colonial Downs is a racetrack located about 30 miles east of Richmond.

The track underwent a major renovation and reopened in 2019 after being closed for several years.

Its revival has been credited with revitalizing thoroughbred racing in Virginia.

The 2026 season’s $122 million in total wagering was a record for the track.