Saturday’s $527,500 Virginia Derby, the first-ever Road to the Kentucky Derby scoring race contested in the historic commonwealth, delivered an aptly named winner in American Promise.

In the first-ever Kentucky Derby 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.

The Kentucky Derby is just six weeks from Saturday, and there's still much to be decided about the 20-horse field. But American Promise all but claimed a spot with a victory in Saturday's Virginia Derby.