The 2026 Kentucky Derby qualifiers continue on Saturday with the 2026 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va. This race, which is contested at 1 1/8 miles, has a 50-25-15-10-5 point structure and a $500,000 purse. Formerly known as the Commonwealth Derby, this event moved from the late summer to the spring in 2025 to become part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. American Promise won in 2025.
The latest 2026 Virginia Derby odds list Buetane as the 5-2 favorite. Confessional (4-1), High Camp (9-2) and Lockstocknphaoroah (5-1) are among the other Virginia Derby 2026 contenders. Post time is at 5:10 p.m. ET. Before making any 2026 Virginia Derby picks, be sure to see the horse racing predictions from SportsLine’s Gene Menez.
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Menez, who called Disco Time’s win in the Lecomte Stakes last year, is one SportsLine’s top horse racing expert and he has a lengthy history of calling winners. He’s had several huge calls recently, including giving out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby in 2014. Menez excels on horse racing’s biggest days. In 2024 he crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders’ Cup Saturday for a $5,303 windfall.
Last year he nailed the winner, trifecta and superfecta in the Florida Derby for a $529.60 score and the winner and trifecta in the Blue Grass Stakes for a $761.96 jackpot. He also hit the late Pick 4 on Kentucky Oaks day for $915.48. In the Kentucky Derby, he hammered the exacta and trifecta for a $1,045 payout. And in November, Menez finished 115th out of 643 entries in the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, the biggest live-money handicapping tournament in the country. Anyone following his horse racing betting advice could have been way up.
For the Virginia Derby 2026, Menez has handicapped the field, made his picks and constructed his best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2026 Virginia Derby predictions
One of Menez’s surprising Virginia Derby picks: He is not high on Buetane even though he’s the 5-2 favorite in the morning-line odds. Buetane has hit the board in all four of his career starts, but hasn’t won since his first race back in August of 2025.
“I’m going to completely fade Buetane, who could not hold on to win the Southwest Stakes at a shorter distance and doesn’t look like a nine-furlong horse,” Menez told SportsLine. “At 5-2, he can beat me.” Menez is not using Buetane on his 2026 Virginia Derby betting card. See which horses to back here, and you can make Virginia Derby bets at TwinSpires here:
How to make 2026 Virginia Derby picks, best bets
However, Menez’s top pick is a horse who is “moving in the right direction.” He also is high on a double-digit longshot who is “in the mix at a big number.” You can see who they are, and get all of Menez’s 2026 Virginia Derby picks, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Virginia Derby 2026, and how should you construct your wagers? Check out the latest 2026 Virginia Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Menez’s picks, all from the expert who nailed a trifecta at the 2025 Kentucky Derby.
