Incredibolt, trained by Riley Mott, will seek to recover from a poor showing in the Holy Bull Stakes when competing in Saturday's $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs. The race offers qualifying points for the 2026 Kentucky Derby. Mott expressed optimism about the colt's form and suitability for the track.
Incredibolt, a Bolt d’Oro colt owned by Pin Oak Stud, enters the Virginia Derby after winning the Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs but finishing sixth in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes on January 31 at Gulfstream Park. As the 7-2 third choice in the Holy Bull, he trailed the winner Nearly by 25 lengths, staying near the back of the pack on the rail.
Trainer Riley Mott attributed the performance to the track surface. “We’re going to try to redeem ourselves on Saturday,” Mott said. “I think it was mostly just a matter of him disliking the track surface. Whether that had to do with it being deeper on the inside, I’m not sure, but he certainly didn’t get a hold of it at any point.”
The Virginia Derby, a 1 1/8-mile turf race slated as the ninth event on a 10-race card, awards 50-25-15-10-5 points to the top five finishers toward the Kentucky Derby. The program also features the $250,000 Virginia Oaks and other stakes races, with first post at noon EDT.
Incredibolt has two victories from four starts, both at Churchill Downs, including a last-to-first win in the Street Sense that earned 10 Derby points. “I couldn’t have asked for a horse to come out of his last race any better,” Mott said. “He’s put forth four really strong works since the race. He’s acting very sharp. He looks well.”
Drawing post seven at 10-1 morning line odds, Incredibolt will be ridden by Jaime Torres, who has partnered him in all starts. Mott is hopeful about the Colonial Downs surface. “I’m optimistic (Incredibolt) will like Colonial’s surface,” he said. “It’s a tighter surface, so he should be able to get more traction over it.”
The connections previously succeeded at Colonial with World Beater in the Grade 3 Old Dominion Derby last September.
