Following his impactful, come-from-behind win in the Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes in October, Pin Oak Stud’s Incredibolt became a notable subject of discussion, establishing him as a key contender among the upcoming 3-year-olds vying for a spot on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Subsequently, a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Holy Bull Stakes marked the start of his 3-year-old season, casting doubt on his aspirations for participating in the Kentucky Derby.
As the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve drew closer, the chances for him to reassert his position among the top contenders diminished rapidly. Therefore, the $506,000 Virginia Derby Presented by New Kent County, held on March 14 at Colonial Downs, was pivotal in determining his course for the year.
Accelerating significantly in the concluding furlong, Incredibolt propelled himself to the lead and secured victory in the Virginia Derby, along with the accompanying 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. With a current total of 60 points, Incredibolt now holds the second position on the Derby points standings and is virtually guaranteed a place in the starting lineup for thoroughbred racing’s premier event.
“He has truly matured and possesses significantly more self-assurance now,” jockey Jaime Torres remarked. “That was evident today. I sensed I had ample power from the half-mile mark, and I believed the front-runners were beginning to slacken slightly. I simply bided my time for the opportune moment. This truly feels like a dream realized.”
As the fourth favorite out of 10 competitors, Incredibolt positioned himself in the middle of a closely packed group for a substantial portion of the event. All ten horses were within a span of fewer than five lengths at the halfway point of the 1 1/8-mile contest.
Lockstocknpharoah immediately took the front position, appearing ready to withstand any competitors until the latter stages. As the other horses positioned themselves behind him and jostled for position, much like a shuffled deck, the offspring of American Pharoah aimed to maintain his flawless start to his career, making it three wins in a row.
Concurrently, Buetane, the significant 3-2 favorite trained by Bob Baffert, became boxed in and couldn’t mount a formidable challenge. This circumstance created an advantage for Incredibolt.
Torres chose not to rush, allowing the race to unfold naturally for himself and the Bolt d’Oro offspring. Positioned directly behind Lockstocknpharoah, with Work hugging the inside rail to his left and a congested group of opponents vying for outside positions, maneuvering space was scarce.
However, as the contenders exited the turn and entered the final straightaway, Work started to lose momentum, revealing a gap near the rail. Torres capitalized on this chance, and Incredibolt surged ahead, eventually surpassing Lockstocknpharoah, who concluded the race in fifth place.
Incredibolt ensured his victory, outdistancing the competition by four lengths with a time of 1:47.76. The payout for his win was $14.40. Grittiness secured second place, Confessional finished third, and Buetane came in fourth. Besides Incredibolt’s 50 points for his triumph, qualification points were awarded in increments of 25-15-10-5 to those finishing from second to fifth place.
Trainer Riley Mott commented, “It was truly remarkable. He maintained a perfect position, tucked behind a swift pace and encircled by other horses for the majority of the event. He guided Jaime into an opening on the rail as they rounded the final turn, then accelerated powerfully and pulled away definitively at the finish. Both in his training sessions and during races, he consistently maintains a strong gallop post-finish. He’s genetically predisposed for this, and he has demonstrated his capability to complete longer distances effectively, so we are confident and optimistic about reaching the first Saturday in May. I extend my congratulations to the horse and our team, and especially to the Pin Oak organization and the Bernhard family. We are keenly aware of the absence of a highly valued individual today, Mr. Jim Bernhard, but I believe he is observing us from above.”
Mr. Bernhard passed away in November 2025 at the age of 71 after a short illness.
Bottle of Rouge Dominates Virginia Oaks
Bottle of Rouge, under the training of Bob Baffert and owned by his spouse, Jill, overwhelmingly defeated her rivals in the $250,000 Virginia Oaks Presented by New Kent County on March 14 at Colonial Downs.
Guided by jockey Flavien Prat, the Grade 1-winning filly, sired by Vino Rosso, took a position in third, trailing the speed established by Dazzling Dame, with quarter-mile timings recorded at :22.61, :45.64, and 1:09.74. She maintained her position slightly behind the leaders along the backstretch and through the far bend. As they navigated the final turn for the homestretch, she moved away from the rail and began closing in on the front-runner, seizing control after completing a mile in 1:34.64. She progressively extended her advantage over her competitors in the stretch, ultimately securing a victory by 4 1/4 expanding lengths in a conclusive time of 1:41.41.
Jimmy Barnes, Bob Baffert’s enduring assistant, stated, “I was uncertain about the race’s initial dynamics given the significant early pace, but we successfully got her settled. She maintained her stride effectively, and Flavien demonstrated patience, locating a gap to advance through. She handled the remainder herself. A key concern was how she would adapt to the increasing challenge – extending her distance and competing against more accomplished fillies – but she managed it admirably.”
Dazzling Dame secured the second position, while Baffle finished third, trailing the victor by 8 1/4 lengths. Bottle of Rouge was the favored contender at race time, yielding $3.60 for a $2 bet. The Virginia Oaks contributes to the Road to the Kentucky Oaks points series, distributing qualifying points of 37.5, 18.75, 11.25, 7.5, and 3.75 among the five competitors, with these amounts adjusted due to the scratch of Somemunny to Love, resulting in only five starters. With an additional 20 points from her prior victory in the Sunland Park Oaks, Bottle of Rouge currently holds 57.5 points, placing her third on the standings.—Lizzy Madden
