Firing Squad delivered the breakthrough performance of his career in the Virginia Derby on March 14, 2026, grinding out a determined victory in 1:48.24 for TwinTowersRacing with M. Franco aboard. Sent off at 6-1, the son of Darkest Night had shown hints of this kind of talent in earlier graded company, and this time he put it all together, taking command in the latter stages and refusing to yield when challenged through the final yards. In a race carrying Kentucky Derby points, he turned a solid sophomore profile into a headline result.

The $500.000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs, contested over 1 1/8 miles on a fast track, unfolded as a tightly packed and competitive affair for this group of open 3-year-olds. The final clocking of 1:48.24 reflected a steadily run route with the field still bunched turning for home, and several runners had their say before the outcome was settled late. What made the result especially notable was that the race did not fall to one of the more obvious late-moving candidates from the preview, but instead to a colt who had already hinted at stamina in the Remsen and Withers and now took a major step forward at the right time

The opening stages were honest without becoming excessive, with Mind Over Mane showing the way early and Liams Map right there as the field sorted itself out into the first turn. Lesnar was also prominent in the first flight, while Firing Squad secured a tracking position just behind those leaders. West Coast Girls was not far off them either, but she was held together a little farther back through the first half of the race.

By the second call, Mind Over Mane still held a narrow advantage, though Liams Map had moved into a more pressing role and Firing Squad was beginning to tighten his hold on the race from just behind them. Wolf Lord advanced nicely into striking range at that stage, and West Coast Girls was also inching closer while still keeping something in reserve. Connect The Dots had more to do than in his Tampa win, and Colt Of Personality as well as Lesnar were still in the mix but no longer gaining ground on the principals.

The race changed shape leaving the far turn. Firing Squad moved up with purpose and took over by the third call, while Liams Map stayed on stubbornly and Wolf Lord continued his run. West Coast Girls was also gathering momentum and came with a serious late push after being farther back in the opening half-mile. Behind them, Connect The Dots tried to sustain his rally, while Mind Over Mane, after doing the early work, began to give way. Haggis Smoothie and The Babylonian never made a serious impact on the finish, and Stray Cat was unable to reproduce the kind of late threat he had shown at Sunland.

Inside the final furlong, Firing Squad had the lead but the race was not over. West Coast Girls closed determinedly and made the winner earn every bit of the decision, with Wolf Lord also staying on well enough to secure third. Liams Map held his form for fourth after being involved throughout the key stages, while the rest were left trying to bridge a gap that had opened when the serious running began. It was a grinding, high-quality finish among the top few, and Firing Squad proved the strongest when it counted most.

About the winner. Firing Squad is by Darkest Night out of Small Craft Warning, was bred by TwinTowersRacing (Ky), is owned and trained by TwinTowersRacing, and with this victory lifted his lifetime earnings to $413.400.

Track: Fast
Time: :47¹  1:11³  1:35⁴  1:48¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 6 Paid 61.40
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 6 – 8 Paid 683.80

Scratched: Endless Stir

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, THE TRIPLE CROWN, Ungraded