Virginia Business
Colonial Downs awarded 44 live days for 2025
Colonial Downs will race 44 days in 2025, starting with a 3-day spring meet and then continuing with 41 summer racing days.
Colonial Downs to add spring meet, host Derby points race
Colonial Downs will expand its footprint to include a spring meet in 2025, with the meet anchored by a Virginia Derby 2.0 worth 50 Kentucky Derby points.
Colonial Downs moves Million card to Aug. 11
Colonial Downs has shifted its scheduled August 10 Arlington Million card to Sunday, August 11 because of forecasted rain.
Colonial Downs announces delays, could delay Aug. 10 card
Colonial Downs will delay its August 8 and 9 cards to August 12 and 13, the track announced, and might delay its August 10 Arlington Million card.
VEA commercial wins “Telly Award”
A television commercial produced for the Virginia Equine Alliance (VEA) titled “Virginia wins with horses” has won a Telly Award.
Colonial Downs adds makeup race day
Colonial Downs will add a day of live racing in its final week of the meet to make up for a day earlier lost to bad weather.
Colonial Downs cancels July 12 card
Citing “severe weather and excessive rainfall,” Colonial Downs has canceled its card for Friday, July 12.
Tall order: Ralph Sampson coming to Colonial Downs
Virginia native and basketball Hall of Famer Ralph Sampson will visit Colonial Downs for a special day July 13.
Youngkin’s gray games veto right for racing
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a bill that would have permitted so-called “gray games’ with few restrictions: it was the right call for racing.
Gigante tabbed Va-bred Horse of the Year
On the strength of the biggest-ever win by a Virginia-bred at Colonial Downs, Gigante has been named state-bred Horse of the Year.
Colonial Downs unveils 2024 stakes schedule
Colonial Downs on May 7 unveiled a stakes schedule worth $5.7 million topped by the Grade 1 Arlington Milloin.
Study: Virginia certified program has major impact
Every dollar invested in the Virginia-Certified Residency Program generates nearly six dollars in economic impact, a new study says.
In Virginia, “gray games” need more clarity
In Virginia legislation that would permit “gray games” slot machines to proliferate needs much more thought, argues Nick Hahn.
Colonial Downs releases promotional schedule
Colonial Downs has announced a robust promotional schedule to support the 2024 live racing season in New Kent, VA.
VTA stallion season auction set for Feb. 14-15
The Virginia Thoroughbred Association’s (VTA) annual stallion season auction will take place Feb. 14 and 15 and features dozens of exciting stallions.
After long career, Frank Petramalo steps away
Longtime Virginia HBPA chief Frank Petramalo is retiring after a career that’s seen the racing rollercoaster and says it’s the people that have driven him.
For Colonial Downs, more of the same sounds good
The Virginia Racing Commission this week approved a 2024 Colonial Downs schedule that looks like 2023 – but it’s what may come next that’s most interesting.
Colonial Downs will race 27 days in ’24
Colonial Downs will race 27 days from July 11 through September 7 in 2024, with daily average purses expected to approach $700,000.
Mares bred figs continue steady decline
The Jockey Club’s report of mares bred indicates that for the eighth straight year, fewer mares were bred than in the previous year.
Colonial Downs-Arlington Park connection lives on
The Grand Slam of Grass once connected Colonial Downs and Arlington Park. With the Secretariat Stakes now moved to Colonial, the connection lives on.
