Arlington Million day a Colonial Downs homecoming
Colonial Downs experience preferred
Nick Hahn
July 29, 2026
It’s Virginia’s Festival of Racing this Saturday at Colonial Downs… or is it homecoming?
Depending on how one measures, the August 1 card at Colonial Downs may be the best in the history of the racetrack. The eight stakes, finishing with the historic Arlington Park graded triplet, drew plenty of quality contenders.
While entries measure up to or exceed last year’s traditional Arlington Million, Beverly D., and Secretariat Stakes, it’s the remaining stakes that have attracted a large number of returnees, making it feel like homecoming day.
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The seventh race, the $150,000 Van Clief going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf, attracts three horses that have won stakes at Colonial Downs.
Last year’s Van Clief winner, Witty, trained by Elizabeth Merryman, returns to face Isivunguvungu, the winner of the 2024 Da Hoss, and Governor Sam, who won the 2024 Rosie’s Stakes. All three are coming into the stakes with wins in their most recent start. The 14-horse field also includes current meet winners Louie the Sun King and The Minkster.
“We’re so lucky to have that option [of Colonial Downs],” Isivunguvungu’s trainer Graham Motion said. “The grass is in such good shape. It handles the rain so well, and what I like about it is a very fair course. Not only can they they move the rail so it’s a safe course, but it’s also a very fair course.”
Witty’s most recent victory, in the state-restricted Ben’s Cat at Laurel Park, put the Lizzie Merryman homebred (and trainee) over $1 million in career earnings.
“He’s a cool dude,” Merryman allowed afterwards.
The race prior, the $100,000 Reigh Count, named for the Virginia-bred 1928 Kentucky Derby winner from Court Manor in Rockingham County, brings together no fewer than five runners that have prior Colonial Downs wins.
Middleburg-based Centennial Farms sends out Illuminare, who won the state-restricted $150,000 Boston Handicap in March. Robbie Bailes will saddle Slam Notion, two-for-three over the strip with a win in last year’s Star de Naskra. Zero Blitz and Suremeanttobe have wins at the current Colonial meet.
And Brad Cox has entered Verifire, The four-year-old Authentic colt was one of two $1 million purchases Cox debuted in March 2025 at Colonial. That day, on the undercard of the first Virginia Derby card on dirt, Verifire won by over six lengths in 1:08.14 for six furlongs. He’s gone on to win four of six starts overall.
Bailes could have a good day Saturday. He’ll also saddle Slewperstitus, who broke her maiden by almost nine lengths in her first career start in 2025, in the $100,000 Tyson Gilpin. The Great Notion filly was beaten a nose in the Miss Disco stakes earlier in the meet.
A couple of runners who posted local wins earlier in the meet spice up an intriguing renewal of the Petramalo Mile.
Pont Aven won the Star De Naskra by a nose July 11, while Mister Monday Nite scored in an allowance one day earlier. Both are 15-1 on the morning line.
The Petramalo Mile also includes Kentucky Derby pacesetter Six Speed, winner of the UAE 2000 Guineas in January, and Bob Baffert’s Sabino Canyon, winner of the Los Alamitos Derby in June.
Other Colonial winners on the card are Jimmy’s Dailys, Attache, Kirin, Magic Wallet, No Temperance and Kiss the Ring.
“I enjoy Colonial,” said trainer Shug McGaughey, who sends out two, including defending champ Fort Washington, in the featured Grade 1 Arlington Million. “I’ve never been there. We have had some luck there, and I think it gives us a bit of an outlet from here.”
McGaughey also sends out Integration in that contest. He’s a three-time winner over the track who hopes to become the first Virginia Derby winner to win the Million since Gio Ponti won the Virginia Derby in 2008 and the Arlington Million, then still run at Arlington Park, in 2009.
Virginia stakeholders hoped the Festival of Racing would bring a different level of horses to Colonial Downs. Now it’s bringing them back.
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