CNL: Determined Kingdom seeks millionaire status
7yo is morning line favorite in Meadow Stable
The Biz
August 14, 2026
Determined Kingdom will aim to become racing’s newest millionaire in Saturday’s $100,000 Meadow Stable Handicap for Virginia-bred, Virginia-sired or Virginia-certified runners at Colonial Downs. The Meadow Stable is the first of three consecutive big-money events for region-bred runners.
The 7-year-old Virginia-bred son of Animal Kingdom enters in top form for trainer Michael Trombetta. Determined Kingdom won a Saratoga allowance in June before returning to Colonial July 11 and scoring a two-length victory in the $125,000 Punch Line Stakes. He has won seven of 12 starts on the Colonial turf.
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Determined Kingdom, who also won the Meadow Stable in 2023 and 2024, owns 12 career victories and $966,680 in earnings. Another win Saturday would push him past the $1 million mark. Jorge Ruiz has the mount.
Defending champion Whenigettoheaven will try to prevent that milestone after edging Going Up by a nose in last year’s Meadow Stable, with Determined Kingdom another length back in third. The 7-year-old Maryland-bred gelding also defeated Determined Kingdom by three-quarters of a length in the 2025 Ben’s Cat Stakes at Laurel.
Trained by Nolan Ramsey, Whenigettoheaven has made two starts this year, finishing third in both the King T. Leatherbury Stakes and Ben’s Cat. Paco Lopez will ride from post 2.
The 5½-furlong turf sprint drew 10 Virginia-bred, Virginia-sired or Virginia-certified horses 3 and older and serves as the opener to a trio of regional-bred turf stakes on Saturday’s program.
The second is the $125,000 Find Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for Virginia- or Maryland-bred and/or sired horses 3 and older. Millionaire Gigante and Thundering, who recently placed in a Grade 2 stakes, head the field of nine.
Gigante, the 2025 Virginia-Bred Horse of the Year, returns to Colonial, where he won the 2023 Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes and finished second in last year’s Find. The 6-year-old son of Not This Time has earned $1.5 million and has placed in three consecutive stakes this year, most recently finishing third in the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows July 11.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Gigante will break from post 5 with Johan Rosado aboard.
Thundering enters for trainer Derek Ryan after winning Laurel’s $125,000 JRA Turf Cup by 1½ lengths June 27. The 4-year-old Maryland-bred gelding then stepped into graded company and finished third behind Program Trading in the Grade 2 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 18. Paco Lopez has the mount from post 8.
The third event is the $125,000 All Brandy, which attracted 11 Virginia- or Maryland-bred and/or sired fillies and mares 3 and older for 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Day to Day will return to a course where she is unbeaten in two starts. The 3-year-old Virginia-bred daughter of McKinzie broke her maiden at Colonial last summer and returned June 27 to win the $127,000 Brookmeade Stakes at the All Brandy distance.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Day to Day won the Brookmeade by 2¼ lengths after advancing on the far turn. She also finished third in Woodbine’s $125,000 Star Shoot Stakes this year and was second in Gulfstream Park’s $100,000 Wait a While Stakes at 2. She drew post 8 with Lopez aboard.
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