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.
Virginia’s horsemen and breeders will offer a 25 percent bonus to owners of Virginia-breds who win anywhere in the mid-Atlantic through December 31.
In this open letter, the Old Dominion horsemen’s group (ODTHA) calls on Virginia to allow two different horsemen groups to follow two different paths.
Colonial Downs today abandoned its plans for racing in 2015 and sued the state Racing Commission to win recognition of its dissident horsemen’s group.