Royal Patronage The Big Draw For Today’s Virginia Derby

Colonial Downs

The Virginia Derby 2022 is the big midweek US horse race as a decent field head to Colonial Downs for the 19th running of the $300,000 contest today. Trainers Todd Pletcher (2005 & 2007) and Shug McGaughey III ( 2011) are past winners of the race and have runners again, but it’s the H. Graham Motion barn that have landed the last three runnings – they will be hoping to maintain that run with the useful Royal Patronage.

The horse racing betting sites will have Royal Patronage as a popular selection to take the 1m1f race on Tuesday, with the 3 year-old expected to enjoy the ease in grade after running at the highest level in the Saratoga and Belmont Derby Invitationals recently.


When Is The Virginia Derby 2022?

Run over 1m 1f, the Grade 3 Virginia Derby is staged at Colonial Downs racetrack, New Kent County, Virginia

📅Date: Tuesday September 6, 2022 (6:14pm E.T)
🏇Racetrack: Colonial Downs racetrack, New Kent County, Virginia
💰 Purse: $300,000

You can bet on the Grade 3 Virginia Derby with BOVADA and receive a receive a 75% CRYPTO welcome bonus (up to $750) to use on the race.


Royal Patronage Can Give Trainer Graham Motion a Fourth Virginia Derby Success

Royal Patronage The Big Draw For Today's Virginia Derby

Royal Patronage is taken to keep to the solid recent run of the Graham Motion stable in the Virginia Derby on Tuesday – the yard have landed the last three renewals and even though this 3 year-old is yet to win on US soil since coming over from England, he’s been running at the highest level and is, therefore, expected to enjoy the ease in class in this $300,000 contest.

The Wootton Bassett colt was an excellent runner-up in the Dante Stakes at York (England) on May 12 and after flopping (16th) in the English Derby at Epsom Downs racetrack on June 4.

When still looked after by his UK-yard of Mark and Charlie Johnston, the 3 year-old then ran well to be 5th in the Grade 1 Belmont Invitational Derby on July 9 (watch below) – beaten only 1 1/2 lengths.

Royal Patronage was then sent to the Graham Motion camp to remain in training in the US and was seen next running a respectable 6th in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes on Aug 6 – beaten just 3 1/2 lengths behind some nice sorts in Nations Pride (1st), Annapolis (2nd) and Classic Causeway (3rd) (watch below).

The Motion-trained 3 year-old has been give around a month to recoup from that last outing and now eased into a Grade 3 race, you feel he’s the one to beat based on those recent runs at Grade 1 level. Royal Patronage is, therefore, the pick to give the Motion barn with their fourth victory in the Virginia Derby since 2017.


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Trainer Shug McGaughey Looks To Follow-up 2011 Win

Limited Liability is trained by Shug McGaughey lll, who has his history in the Virginia Derby when taking the 2011 running with Air Support. His entry this year – Limited Liability – was another that ran in the already-mentioned Caesers Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (7th) on July 9 and finished only two places behind Royal Patronage (1/2 a length) that day.

Before that effort he ran a fine third in the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes on June 4 (watch below) – so, the form of those recent runs will mean he’s not without his supporters ahead of the Virginia Derby 2022.

Virginia Derby 2022 – Best Of The Rest

Unanimous Consent – This Chad C Brown Almanzor colt also ran in the Pennine Ridge (4th) this season, so is linked in with Limited Liability. Prior to that run had also gone into many notebooks with three successes at Monmouth Park, Tampa Bay and Aqueduct. The Chad Brown stable also won this race in 2016 with Deeply Undervalued.

Grand David – A horse on the up after three straight wins at Gulfstream Park. The last of those was in the Bear’s Den Stakes on July 30. He’s now won three of his 10 starts and hit the first three in 7 of those. Certainly looks the sort to have more to give and could not be heading into the race in better form.

Vance Scholars – Successful in his last two runs – both came at Laurel Park. The moset recent came in the Bald Eagle Derby (watch below) which was another clear step forward and enters the mix if he can continue his upward curve.

Wow Whata Summer – Finished 6th last time in the National Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame at Saratoga and two runs before was a cracking winner of the Grade 2 Penn Mile Stakes at Penn National. If he can find that form again here, he’d he’d not be without a chance.

California Frolic – This Armando de la Cerda-trained colt has an ultra-consistent profile – he’s finished in the first three in his last seven races. Last seen coming second in the Bear’s Den Stakes at Gulfstream Park on July 30, while at the same venue laned the English Channel Stakes on May 7 (watch below).

Capensis – Comes from the Todd Pletcher stable that took the Virginia Derby in 2005 (English Channel) and 2007 (Red Giant). Lightly-raced and could be the improver in this year’s race, with this set to be only be his third career run. A winner on his first start at Belmont Park by an impressive 5 lengths and 6th last time at Saratoga in an age allowance race. He looks the sort that can have more to come from a yard that are another that have a good record in the race.


Virginia Derby 2022 Betting

Unanimous Consent heads the betting at 3-1, which means the bookies with the horse a 25% chance of winning today’s Virginia Derby.

Virginia Derby Horse Latest Odds Win Probability Bookmaker
UNANIMOUS CONSENT 3-1 25% bovada
LIMITED LIABILITY 4-1 20% bovada
ROYAL PATRONAGE 5-1 16.7% bovada
GRAND DAVID 6-1 14.3% bovada
CALIFORNIA FROLIC 8-1 11.1% bovada
CAPENSIS 8-1 11.1% bovada
VANCE SCHOLARS 10-1 9.1% bovada
CATNIP 15-1 6.2% bovada
MARWAD 15-1 6.2% bovada
WOW WHATA SUMMER 20-1 4.8% bovada
CAMP DAVID 20-1 4.8% bovada

All odds correct as of 02:24 on Tue 6 Sept and subject to change


DID YOU KNOW? Trainer H.Graham Motion has won the last three runnings of the Virginia Derby


Recent Virginia Derby Winners

  • 2021 – WOOTTON ASSET
  • 2020 – NO RACE
  • 2019 – ENGLISH BEE
  • 2018 – NO RACE
  • 2017 – JUST HOWARD
  • 2016 – DEELPY UNDERVALUED
  • 2015 – ONE GO ALL GO
  • 2014 – NO RACE

Watch Wootton Asset Winning The 2021 Virginia Derby


Pick Up Some FREE BETS For The 2022 Virginia Derby

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