Colonial Downs’s 2020 meet came to an end today, when the track, and the state’s horsemen, decided to end the 2020 meet in the face of Covid-19 positives.
After intending to race with limited spectators permitted, Colonial Downs has shifted gears and decided its 2020 meet will be fan-free.
The Virginia Racing Commission heard Thursday that Colonial Downs purses would be lower than in 2019 but that the horse population will be up.
With the racing world in flux, Colonial Downs and Virginia horsemen are considering a schedule shift to grab the evening market.
Fresh off its first season in six years, Colonial Downs will race 18 days – up from 15 – in 2020 and include MATCH Series races for the first time.
Colonial Downs on Saturday concluded an upbeat return to the racing landscape with, ending a meet with huge purses, good field size, and no fatalities.
The minimum fee earned by a jockey at Colonial Downs will be the highest in the Mid-Atlantic at $125.
Colonial Downs announced its stakes schedule and released its condition book Thursday.
Colonial Downs and the Virginia HBPA horsemen’s group have agreed to contribute $15 per start to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
Colonial Downs has not hosted Thoroughbred racing since 2013, but sources say a deal being discussed could lead to its sale and revitalization.