D. Wayne Lukas and American Promise Headed to Kentucky Derby

The Coach is going back to the Kentucky Derby.

D. Wayne Lukas, 89, had the 3-year-old Justify colt with the fitting name for the times, AMERICAN PROMISE, sleek and sharp for the 1 1/8 mile Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs on March 15

In the first-ever Kentucky Derby (G1) points race at Colonial Downs, BC Stables’ American Promise proved much the best to win the $500,000 Virginia Derby by 7¾ lengths over Render Judgment, earning 50 points and all but securing a spot in the ‘Run for the Roses’ on the first Saturday in May.

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American Promise set a track record when covering the 1 1/8 miles on dirt, around one turn and over a sizzling racing surface, in 1:46.41 under jockey Nik Juarez. Juarez has never ridden in the Derby.

“I didn’t want to use my horse early, but I knew I had to get forward position with how the track has been playing,” Juarez said. “I’m just a guy who is lucky enough to be named to ride Mr. Lukas’ horses. To be heading to the (Kentucky) Derby for him is a dream come true. American Promise is doing so good. He proved himself out there today.”

Favourites with speed won most of the races leading up to the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs which was holding a special 3-day spring meeting to accommodate moving the Derby and Virgina Oaks to the springtime. Colonial usually has mostly grass races and it opens in the summer.

The Virginia Derby attracted a high profile Bob Baffert trainee in the very small getaway Car, a son of Curlin. Winner of the Sunland Derby by a nose in his most recent race, Getaway Car was quick to the front as expected but American Promise was tugging his rider along.

The opening fractions were very fast :23.12 and :45.20 and a wild 1:08.39 but American Promise, with Juarez perched up on him, always looked to be in control.. He won easily with the Blame colt Render Judgement, trained by Ken McPeek along for second.

The Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form was 95.

BC Stables is the nom de plume of Brian Coelho and John Bellinger, from California and Texas, respectively. The friends had Just Steel on the Derby trail in 2024.

American Promise, bred by Candy Meadows LLC in Kentucky, had the typical Lukas form with a couple of hits and a few misses from eight previous starts. He had one previous win and that was a front running score in the mud in a maiden race at Oaklawn. He was fifth in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds in his last race when unable to keep up to a fast early and late pace in that race won by the now-sidelined Magnitude.

Along with the five points he earned running fifth last out in the Risen Star, American Promise now has 55 qualifying points for the 151st Kentucky Derby.

American Promise was a $750,000 yearling purchase from the 2023 Keeneland September sale. His dam Tapella, by Tapit won two of eight races and $149,000. Her first foal was Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes winner Hoosier Philly who won $974,495.