-Parishioners at Hurley’s Samaria Baptist Church in Providence Forge, VA Purchase & Bag Hygiene Items for the Initiative (NEW KENT, VA — 7/14/2025) —- Racetrack Chaplain Jay Hurley, who is a pastor at the Samaria Baptist Church in Providence Forge, Virginia, recently began his seventh season at Colonial Downs sharing the love of Christ by ministering […]
Author: Darrell Wood
Tickets on sale now for Foxfield Fall Races October 5 in Charlottesville
Traditionally a day for friends and families, the Fall Races feature a Vendor Village, Children’s Tent and more with portion of proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville A timeless tradition and Albemarle County’s signature steeplechase racing event, the historic Foxfield Races return with its Fall Races event on Sunday, October 5. The Fall Races […]
Winfinity, Slam Motion Prevail in $125,000 Dirt Stakes July 12 at Colonial Downs
Two stakes for both Virginia-bred/sired & Maryland-bred/sired horses highlight opening weekend festivities in New Kent Dream Big Racing’s Winfinity captured the $125,000 Miss Disco Stakes for three-year-old fillies at Colonial Downs Saturday, just before a thunderstorm rolled into the New Kent track and triggered a thirty-minute delay. She finished the 7-furlong dirt stakes, which was […]
Ingleside Training’s Woodberry Payne is Optimistic about Summer Steeplechase Races at Colonial Downs
Thoroughbred horse trainer Woodberry Payne’s lifelong interest in steeplechase racing — as a trainer initially — led him to switch gears 17 years ago and attend stewards school at the request of the National Steeplechase Association (NSA). He embraced the coursework, got certified and from that point, gave up training jumpers and became a racing […]
Full, High Quality Fields Pepper Opening Week Cards at Colonial Downs
With the first three draws in the books, entries have started strong at Colonial Downs for the first week of the 2025 summer season. Phones in the racing office, under the direction of new racing secretary Dan Bork, were steadily ringing. The expanded 41-day summer session runs from July 9 through Sept. 13. The 2025 […]
Meet New Colonial Downs Seasonal Dirt Track Superintendent Roy Smith
Meet new Colonial Downs Seasonal Dirt Track Superintendent Roy Smith — who was coaxed of retirement after he and his wife relocated to Providence Forge, VA — of all places ironically — from Indiana. Yes, that Providence Forge which is just four miles down the road from Colonial Downs. “The world works in strange ways,” […]
Virginia-Certified Standardbred Call Me Goo Gains Millionaire Status at The Meadowlands
By Frank Cotolo, for Meadowlands Media Relations (Lisa photo) How about two Virginia-Certified harness horses reaching millionaire status within two weeks of each other! Three-year-old colt pacer Louprint became the very first Virginia-Certified million dollar earning standardbred June 14 after capturing the Pepsi North American Cup then on June 28, 5-year-old trotting mare Call Me […]
Camels, Ostriches & Zebras to Take the Track On First Friday at Colonial Downs
Central Virginia personalities will race exotic animals on Friday, July 11 between live thoroughbred racing; Kids and guests can meet and pet the animals prior to racing~ On Friday, July 11—the first Friday of the 2025 summer meet—Colonial Downs will welcome some very unusual competitors as camels, ostriches, and zebras compete in live races at […]
Colonial Downs Barn Area Opens & Training Begins; 41-Day Summer Meet Set to Kick Off July 9
The Colonial Downs stable area opened June 23rd and training will begin two days later on Wednesday June 25 as preparations continue for a ten-week thoroughbred meet in New Kent — the longest in years — which begins July 9 and continues thru September 13. A four-day race week will be in place this meet […]
Virginia Horsemen Incentive Programs Mirror Rise of Racing Dates & Purse Monies
The Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA) is riding a wave of momentum as the state’s horse racing scene continues to grow, triggered by the success of Historical Horse Racing wagering handle at seven different Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums spread across the Commonwealth. That success has led to 44 days of racing at Colonial Downs in 2025, up from […]
