Author: Aidan Turnage-Barney

KENWOOD RACING, BREEN AND LOPEZ SWEEPCLAIMING CROWN PREVIEW DAY HEADLINERS Kenwood Racing and trainer Kelly Breen swept the headliners on Claiming Crown Preview Day at Colonial Downs with Cadet Corps in the $100,000 Jewel Qualifier and One Time Willard in the $87,500 Emerald Qualifier. Paco Lopez was aboard for both victories as the jockey won […]

Colonial Downs will host Claiming Crown Preview Day on Thursday, Aug. 21, and trainer Brendan Walsh will participate with eyes on earning a spot in the 27th Annual Claiming Crown, as Kitodan ships to New Kent for the $87,500 Claiming Crown Emerald Qualifier. Run under starter allowance conditions, the eight Preview Day races will offer a […]

The fields are set for Claiming Crown Preview Day on Thursday, Aug. 21 at Colonial Downs, with Kenwood Racing and Kelly Breen’s 14-time winner Cadet Corps headlining the $100,000 Claiming Crown Jewel Qualifier. Pocket Aces Racing’s graded-stakes winner Kitodan looms as a major contender in the oversubscribed $87,500 Claiming Crown Emerald Qualifier. Run under starter-allowance […]

Poised for repeat titles, jockey Ben Curtis and trainer Mike Trombetta lead their respective standings halfway through the summer meet at Colonial Downs. Through 20 days of the 41-day meet, Curtis leads all riders with 24 wins from 90 mounts, a 27% win rate. He capped a six-win week by giving Giocoso a perfect trip […]

A pair of sibling stakes are scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 16 at Colonial Downs, headlined by the return of L and N Racing and Clark Brewster’s millionaire Gigante to New Kent for the $125,000 Find. He will face five older male foes. Along with the $125,000 All Brandy, which drew eight older fillies and mares, […]

Written by Nick Hahn, originally posted on theracingbiz.com on 8/4/2025 Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne Youngkin handed out a Spirit of Virginia Award to the James River Horse Foundation on July 31. The awards recognize Virginians’ uncommon contributions to their fields. Only six are given out each year. In the spirit of the […]

Robert J. Hunt’s Runaway Storm has been aiming for the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs for more than a year, and assuming all goes well between now and the Aug. 9 Festival of Racing headline event, the Ethan West trainee who won the 2023 Bryan Station (G3) will get his shot at his […]

Saturday’s pair of sibling stakes going 5½ furlongs on the dirt at Colonial Downs will showcase Virginia-bred, -sired, or -certified juveniles. Trendsetter and Just Philtored, the morning line favorites in the $100,000 Hickory Tree and $100,000 Keswick, respectively, will look to stay perfect after proving their heart and talent in their debut wins. When debuting […]

At Colonial Downs on Saturday, two 4-year-olds offered impressive efforts in the $100,000 Reigh Count and the $100,000 Love Sign. In the open company, sibling dirt sprint stakes, the 2024 Illinois Derby winner Patriot Spirit proved much the best over seven rivals in the Reigh Count, while Alani took to the front early against six […]

Defending champion Nations Pride tops 30 nominated to the Arlington Million With purse money totaling $2.5 million over seven stakes, nominations closed Wednesday for the 2025 Colonial Downs Festival of Racing program. Highlighted by the Grade 1 Arlington Million, the Grade 2 $500,000 Beverly D. and the Grade 2 $500,000 Secretariat Stakes, each scheduled for […]