Colonial Downs
Encyclopedia
| Horse Race Track | |
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| Colonial Downs | |
| Location | New Kent County New Kent County, Virginia At the 2000 census, there were 13,462 people, 4,925 households and 3,895 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 per square mile . There were 5,203 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile... , Virginia, USA Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... |
| Owned by | |
| Race type | Thoroughbred Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed... - Flat racing Flat racing Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles... |
| Principal Races – Colonial Downs | |
| Virginia Derby Virginia Derby The Virginia Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1998 at Colonial Downs race track in New Kent County, Virginia. A Grade II event, it is raced on turf at a distance of 10 Furlongs and is open to three-year-old horses.... (G2) |
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| Colonial Turf Cup Colonial Turf Cup The Colonial Turf Cup is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 2005 at Colonial Downs race track in New Kent County, Virginia... (G2) |
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| Virginia Oaks Virginia Oaks The Virginia Oaks Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid July at Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia open to three-year-old fillies.First run in 2004, the Grade III event is contested on the Secretariat Turf Course.... (G3) |
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| All Along Stakes All Along Stakes The All Along Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia. Open to fillies and mares, age three and older, it is raced on turf at a distance of 1⅛ miles. The race currently offers a purse of $200,000.The race is named for the great... (G3) |
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Colonial Downs is a racetrack
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
for Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
flat racing
Flat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
and Standardbred harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
located in New Kent County, Virginia
New Kent County, Virginia
At the 2000 census, there were 13,462 people, 4,925 households and 3,895 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 per square mile . There were 5,203 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
adjacent to Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
, halfway between Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
.
History and information
The track opened on September 1, 1997. More than 13,000 attended the track on opening day. The track used several unconventional construction and business approaches. They constructed one of the largest tracks in size in the country but built a relatively small clubhouse. They also built OTBOff-track betting
Off-track betting refers to sanctioned gambling on horse racing outside a race track.-US history:...
's prior to the opening of the track. The track also struck a deal with Maryland to stop Maryland racing during Colonial Downs thoroughbred meet, although this later ended. The tract of land on which the track is built was obtained through an immenent domain suit brought by the State of Virginia against an African American/Native American family(Tero Johnson) that had owned the majority of the land since 1863.
Until 2005, the track was managed by the Maryland Jockey Club under a complicated agreement with Virginia and Maryland regulators and the Maryland-Virginia Racing Circuit. The track has been fairly successful and has offered good summertime turf racing in the traditionally poor three-year-old turf division. Since 2005, the track has run two legs of the
annual Jacobs Investments Grand Slam of Grass
Grand Slam of Grass
The Grand Slam of Grass is a series of American Thoroughbred horse races made up of four turf events for three-year-old horses.The series offers a $5 million bonus for any horse who wins all four races...
. This event consisted of the Colonial Turf Cup and the Virginia Derby from Colonial Downs, the Secretariat Stakes from Arlington Park
Arlington Park
Arlington Park is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks than any other major metropolitan area...
and the Breeders' Cup Turf
Breeders' Cup Turf
The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current title sponsor is Emirates Airlines.The forerunner...
.
The track requested 25 thoroughbred dates in 2009, down from 45 in 2008. After negotiations with the track's horsemen and the Commonwealth of Virginia, the track will run 40 thoroughbred dates. The schedule originally ran from June 12 to August 4, 2009, but was later moved up one week. This allows the track to run live racing on Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
day, June 6. The fall harness meet will run 36 dates. from September 8 through November 7. The harness meet is timed to end on Breeders' Cup
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...
weekend.
During the summer thoroughbred meet, the track runs three steeplechase
Steeplechase
Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...
races on Sunday afternoons. The track also hosts the Strawberry Hill Races, a day of steeplechase racing, in April, as well as an additional card in September. All of these races are sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association
National Steeplechase Association
The National Steeplechase Association is the official sanctioning body of American steeplechase horse racing.The National Steeplechase Association was founded on February 15, 1895 by August Belmont, Jr., the first president of The Jockey Club and chairman of the New York State Racing Commission,...
.
Physical attributes
The track has a one and one-quarter mile dirt oval, a seven and one half furlong inner turf oval and a one and one-eighth mile outer turf oval.Harness races start from a chute on the back stretch of the dirt oval.
Racing
The track features an autumn harness racing meet. Colonial Downs is the only 1 and 1/4 mile track in North America with harness racing and features a one turn mile. The horses start from a chute on the backstretch. Harness racing times at Colonial Downs are the fastest in racing. On October 11, 2008, the world trotting record was set during the $100,000 Patriot Invitational. It was set by Enough Talk. The trotter became the first in harness racing history to break the 1:50 barrier with 1:49.3.The following graded stakes are run at Colonial Downs:
- Grade 2 Virginia DerbyVirginia DerbyThe Virginia Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1998 at Colonial Downs race track in New Kent County, Virginia. A Grade II event, it is raced on turf at a distance of 10 Furlongs and is open to three-year-old horses....
- Grade 3 All Along StakesAll Along StakesThe All Along Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia. Open to fillies and mares, age three and older, it is raced on turf at a distance of 1⅛ miles. The race currently offers a purse of $200,000.The race is named for the great...
- Grade 3 Virginia OaksVirginia OaksThe Virginia Oaks Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid July at Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia open to three-year-old fillies.First run in 2004, the Grade III event is contested on the Secretariat Turf Course....
The Colonial Turf Cup and the Virginia Derby make up two legs of the Grand Slam of Grass.