The Virginia Racing Commission (VRC) announced today that it has appointed Waqas Ahmed to serve as its Executive Secretary, effective August 10th. Ahmed brings a wealth of knowledge to the Commission. Most recently, Ahmed served as the Deputy Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, the agency charged with promoting and regulating horse racing, […]
Author: Darrell Wood
“Virginia Wins With Horses” TV Commercial Wins Prestigious Telly Award
Richmond, VA-based BES Studios and its client, the Virginia Equine Alliance (VEA), were awarded a prestigious Telly Award this past week in recognition of a sixty second TV commercial titled “Virginia Wins With Horses” that was submitted in the annual competition which honors excellence in video and television across all screens. BES Studios and the […]
Virginia Trainers, Owners Score Big Early On at Colonial Downs Summer Meet
With Colonial Downs at the one-third mark of its 2024 summer season — and major events like the Festival of Racing Day and Virginia Derby Day still to come — Virginia trainers and connections have made their presence felt often during the first three weeks. Even beyond a four-pack of $125,000 stakes for Virginia-Bred/Sired horses […]
Nominations Set for Colonial Downs’ Festival of Racing Day Card on August 10
New Kent, Va (July 26, 2024) — With purse money totaling $2.5 million over seven stakes, nominations closed Wednesday for the 2024 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, the Festival of Racing is slated for […]
Virginia-Breds Shine on a Rainy Saturday at Colonial Downs; 4 Stakes Contested Worth $500,000
Susan Moulton’s Tufani topped the field of four in Saturday’s (July 20) $125,000 Brookmeade Stakes at Colonial Downs, capturing the Virginia-bred distaff race by 1¾ lengths. Trained by Mike Stidham and ridden by Ben Curtis, Tufani completed 1 1/16 miles on a Secretariat Turf Course labeled as firm in 1:43.26. “Very keen to give her […]
Schoenthal’s Punch Line Stakes Pair Led by Determined Kingdom; VA-Bred Showcase Day is Sat. July 20
A recent star of Colonial Downs’ Virginia-bred or -sired stakes days returns on Saturday as Determined Kingdom seeks his third straight $125,000 Punch Line Stakes, a 5½ -furlong turf sprint. Owned by Determined Stables and Kingdom Bloodstock Inc., trainer Phil Schoenthal will saddle the 5-year-old who was tabbed at 4-5, the shortest price morning-line favorite […]
Multiple Graded Stakes Winner Repo Rocks Headlines Quartet of Virginia-Focused Stakes at Colonial Downs
New Kent, Va (July 16, 2024)—Virginia’s breeding program takes center stage at Colonial Downs onSaturday, July 20 as a quartet of turf races for Virginia-bred or -sired 3-year-olds and up have been drawn. With two graded stakes victories on his resume, Double B Racing Stables’ Repo Rocks headlines theadded money action, as the 6-year-old looms […]
Key Tips and Trends for Winning at the 2024 Colonial Downs Meet
The following appeared at americasbestracing.net July 2 and was written by Noel Michaels Colonial Downs is hosting another season of high-quality live racing and wagering in 2024. (Eclipse Sportswire) Live Thoroughbred racing is enjoying a renaissance in Virginia and Colonial Downs is leading the way. The track located in New Kent, County, Va., about a half an hour […]
Colonial Downs Opening Day Card (July 11) Features Full Fields and Top Barns
Casse, DeVaux, Stidham, McCaughey, Trombetta and more enter multiple runners Opening Day of the 2024 Colonial Downs live racing season is Thursday, July 11, and the card has been drawn. The 12-race program features an average field size of 10.4, as 125 entries were taken with six of those sitting on the also-eligible list. Beginning […]
Shenandoah Downs Fall Meet Harness Racing Applications Now Available Online
Racing applications for the ninth annual fall pari-mutuel harness racing season at Virginia’s Shenandoah Downs are now available online. Trainers can access and submit applications at shenandoahdowns.com under the “Horsemen” header. Deadline to submit an application is August 5. The 7-week meet in Woodstock will run from September 14 – October 27 with racing every […]
