Racing News | Colonial Downs Racetrack

Colonial Downs 2021 Race Dates Approved at Virginia Racing Commission Meeting

Dates for the 2021 thoroughbred racing season at Colonial Downs were approved yesterday by the Virginia Racing Commission at its quarterly meeting, which was held virtually. The seven-week campaign will run from July 19 – September 1 with racing scheduled every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Now in its third season under ownership of the […]

Mid-Atlantic Sees Significant Drop In Racing Fatalities Following Reforms

by Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association | 11.11.2020 | 4:57pm COVID-19 forced Thoroughbred racing into what was for most a two-month hiatus, but the stakeholders in the Mid Atlantic turned the down time into an opportunity to focus on its Strategic Plan to Reduce Equine Fatalities. Regulators, racetracks, horsemen’s and breeders’ groups representing all seven states in the region – […]

Colonial Downs’ Leading All Time Owner David Ross Seeks First Breeders’ Cup Win with Extravagant Kid

Extravagant Kid wins the 2019 Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs. Photo by Coady Photography. (NEW KENT, VA — 11/2/2020) —- When Extravagant Kid breaks out of the starting gate in the $1 Million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland this Saturday, it will be the second “Cup” start ever for David Ross, who is […]

Colonial Downs’ Jill Byrne To Host Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards on Breeders’ Cup Week

(NEW KENT, VA — 11/1/2020) —- Colonial Downs’ VP of Racing Operations Jill Byrne will host the prestigious Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards (TIEA), held virtually this year, on Thursday November 5 at 12 Noon. Now in its fifth year in the U.S., the ceremony recognizes and rewards outstanding talent, diligence and commitment of the farm […]

Breeders’ Cup Race Schedule Set for November 6, 7 at Keeneland

Fans can wager the Breeders’ Cup races at any Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in Richmond, New Kent, Vinton and Hampton, at any VA-Horseplay OTB in Henrico (Breaker’s Sports Grille), Chesapeake (Buckets Bar & Grill) and Collinsville (The Windmill OTB Sports Grill), and online via TVG.com, Xpressbet.com, Twinspires.com and NYRABets.com. The Breeders’ Cup on Wednesday revealed the official order […]

Colonial Downs Cancels Remainder of 2020 Meet

Colonial Downs Group places the health and safety of our team, partners and visitors as our top priority. We established thorough protocols prior to the 2020 racing season to address any issues that may arise from the coronavirus pandemic. As a result of recent test results at the track in New Kent County, and in […]

Apprentice Jock LaBarre Caps Off Final Pick-4 Legs with Upset Wins at Colonial Downs

Rebecca Grace LaBarre congratulates Bay Bridge with a kiss after Monday’s fifth race. Photo supplied by Colonial Downs. Rebecca Grace LaBarre at Colonial Downs. Photo supplied by Colonial Downs. Rebecca Grace LaBarre may be an apprentice jockey and may be competing at Colonial Downs for the first time ever, but she has […]

Colonial’s Wednesday Race Card Taken Off the Turf; Post Time Moved Up To 5:00 PM

Races tonight (Wednesday) at Colonial Downs will be taken off the turf and held over the dirt track, and post time has been moved up to 5:00 PM from its originally scheduled 5:30 PM start time. Seven of the nine races were scheduled to be run over Colonial’s Secretariat Turf Course — the second, and […]

Colonial Downs Race Card Cancelled on Tuesday August 4; Rescheduled for Sunday August 9

Due to heavy rain from last night’s (Monday) tropical storm, the race program scheduled for Tuesday, August 4 at Colonial Downs has been cancelled. The card will be made up on Sunday, August 9 at 5:30 PM. Horsemen will need to re-enter horses for that Sunday card on Wednesday, August 5. The race office will […]

Jockey Trevor McCarthy Has Five Wins Sunday at Colonial Downs

Jockey Trevor McCarthy reached the winners circle five times Sunday evening at Colonial Downs and in doing so, powered past Forest Boyce to take over top spot in the track’s rider standings. The 26-year-old native of Wilmington, Delaware won the jockey title at Colonial last year as the New Kent track returned to action after […]

WHAT THE BEEP AND LARGENT SHARE WEDNESDAY SPOTLIGHT AT COLONIAL DOWNS

What the Beep pulled off an upset with a one-length victory over heavy favorite Tan and Tight in the $60,000 Camptown Stakes for Virginia-bred or -sired fillies and mares. The homebred daughter of Great Notion was ridden by Forest Boyce for trainer Karen Godsey who bred and broke the 5-year-old mare on her Eagle Point […]

GUILLAUME WINS FIRST START WITH WIN $40,000 HANSEL STAKES

Guillaume rallied on the outside and overtook Merchant of Hope in the final strides of the $40,000 Hansel Stakes for Virginia Certified 2-year-olds on the Tuesday night opening night card at Colonial Downs. The son of Hard Spun is owned by DARRS Inc., trained by Mike Stidham and was ridden by Trevor McCarthy, the same […]

Post Time for Tuesday’s Opening Night Program Pushed Back One Hour to 6:30 PM

Colonial Downs’ rescheduled opening night, nine-race program will still go on as planned Tuesday, July 28, but post time has been pushed back one hour. The first race will begin at 6:30 PM instead of 5:30 PM. Wagering on the ‘spectator-free” program is available at all four Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums, at VA-Horseplay Off Track Betting […]

MONDAY CARD AT COLONIAL DOWNS POSTPONED DUE TO EXTREME HEAT

Colonial Downs postponed Monday’s (July 27) opening card prompted by dangerous heat conditions with heat index forecasts over 100 degrees. The change is to safeguard the health of people working, horses shipping and racing during these conditions. Monday’s races will be re-carded for Sunday, August 2nd and horsemen will need to re-enter on Tuesday, July […]

VIRGINIA BRED OR RESTRICTED RUNNERS FEATURED ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY CARDS

River Deep, winner of the 2019 Edward P. Evans Stakes, will try to defend his title Wednesday at Colonial Downs against six other Virginia-bred/sired horses including Todd Pletcher trainee Largent and 2019 Jamestown Stakes winner Embolden. The $60,000 one-mile turf stakes has been carded as the eighth race. Morgan Ford Farms’ River Deep won last […]

Colonial Downs to Usher In 2020 Season Monday, July 27 with Nine Races and an All-Turf Pick-5 Wager

Three of Monday’s Pick-5 legs feature a 13 or 14 horse field (NEW KENT, VA — 7/23/2020) —- Colonial Downs will usher in its second season of Thoroughbred racing under the ownership of the Colonial Downs Group on Monday July 27 with nine pari-mutuel races getting underway at 5:30 PM (EDT). There will be two […]

Timing Morning Workouts – Behind the Scenes at Colonial Downs with George Horner

When handicappers seek out a horse to wager in hopes of generating a return on their investment, most rely on past performance statistics to help make their decision. Available data includes charted lines from its most recent races, jockey and trainer stats, comparative speed figures along with other variables. At the very end of […]

COLONIAL DOWNS ADJUSTS TO “SPECTATOR-FREE” RACING

2020 Meeting to Open July 27 In light of the unprecedented pandemic impacting all walks of life and industries, Colonial Downs Group, a subsidiary of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, announced today that it will alter course from hosting limited spectators to a “spectator-free” racing program for the 2020 race meet, which opens Monday, July 27. The […]

VIRGINIA RUNNERS HEADLINE OPENING WEEK AT COLONIAL DOWNS

Embolden wins the 2019 Jamestown Stakes at Colonial Downs. (photos courtesy of Coady Photography)- Virginia-bred, -sired and/or -certified horses will be spotlighted in the first three evenings of racing at Colonial Downs – Monday, July 27 through Wednesday, July 29 – with six stakes races. Three of the events are for registered Virginia bred/sired runners […]

TRAINING BEGINS AT COLONIAL DOWNS AHEAD OF 18-DAY SEASON THAT STARTS JULY 27

With the return of live racing to Colonial Downs just two weeks away, trainers from Tampa Bay Downs were amongst the initial conditioners to arrive on the backstretch which recently opened. As a light rain shower passed through the area, the first horses made their way onto the mile and a quarter main track signaling […]