Located halfway between Richmond and Williamsburg, Colonial Downs hosts world-class thoroughbred horse racing and simulcast wagering. Rich History Bright Future
The road to the 2025 Kentucky Derby happens at Colonial Downs on Saturday, March 15, 2025! ๐๐ผ Be part of history as the 2025 Virginia Derby will be a prep race for the 151st Kentucky Derby.
#ColonialDownsRacing
Tickets on sale now:
Very emotional last race
@ColonialRosies
today for jockey Rosario Montanez who reached the winners circle for the first time since breaking his neck and back in a spill almost two years ago to the day. He led Lady Olivia at Northcliffโs Osa to victory in the finale!
We're staying on track with a controlled burn on the Secretariat Turf Course with the New Kent Fire-Rescue and Virginia Department of Forestry.
This annual burn helps prepare and nurture the countryโs widest grass racing surface for a six-week summer thoroughbred season.
What a day for jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
@ColonialRosies
today on Virginia Derby Day โ- 5 big wins including scores in the Virginia Oaks with Spirit And Glory and in the Virginia Derby with Capensis.
Congratulations to jockey Madeline Rowland who reached the winners circle in her first start ever
@ColonialRosies
this afternoon! The apprentice rider, who had a solid winter meet at Tampa, led Feminista to her first careet victory in the $25,000 fourth race for maiden claimers.
Jockeys Trevor McCarthy and Katie Davis just checked in to
@ColonialRosies
and are set to compete in this evening's opening night card which begin at 6:30 PM.
We're excited to welcome veteran race caller Jason Beem as the official track announcer for the 2019 Colonial Downs races!
#FindYourLuck
Read more here:
Beemerball took on a whole new meaning in Virginia tonite as
@ColonialDowns
race caller Jason Beem threw out the first pitch at tonite's Richmond Flying Sqiirrels game! He'll be back on mic Thursday calling races at 1:30 PM.
Virginia Derby winning jockey Jorge Vargas Jr. โwalks from the winners circleโ Wednesday after prevailing with Muchmorethanthis
@ColonialRosies
. Vargas rode English Bee to victory in the Derby Saturday for trainer Graham Motion!
Kelsey Danner's 4-year-old gelding Scarab was the first horse to arrive in the New Kent stable area this afternoon in anticipation of the thoroughbred season opener July 13! Training begins later this week.
How about 111 horses in 9 races for
@ColonialRosies
opening day card on Monday? Five 14 horse fields and one with 13. A four-pack of $100,000 stakes. Post time is 1:45 PM in New Kent, Virginia!
Barns and groom quarters in the Colonial Downs backstretch await an influx of equine and human participants that will move in beginning next Monday in anticipation of the thoroughbred racing season! The 9-week meet begins July 11 and continues thru September 7.
Be on the lookout for Colonial Downs on air handicapper Jessica Paquette to call races at the Texas-based oval this week while current announcer Nick Tammaro is out. "I'm more than happy to pinch-hit," she said.
The safety of our equine & human athletes is always a top a priority
@ColonialRosies
. With excessive temps and heat indexes predicted, live racing on Monday July 25 has been cancelled. The $150,000 Colonial Cup, scheduled Monday, will now be raced as originally drawn on Wednesday
Congrats to
@ColonialRosies
2022 jockey champ Jevian Toledo who received a trophy today from Director of Racing Surfaces Harrison Young. Great to see all the other riders celebrating Jevianโs success in New Kent!
Big Red is on the grounds
@ColonialDowns
just in time for today's G2 Secretariat Stakes! The magnificent bronze statue is based in front of the main entrance for fans to enjoy. The $500,000 stakes itself is the 8th of 11 races on the card.
The first of the horses have arrived here in New Kent! The first in the barns are a group from Mark Casseโs Stable.
Training begins June 27th and racing begins July 11!
Tickets available at
Best wishes to trainer Bret Calhoun and his stellar horse By My Standards, who will ship out from
@ColonialRosies
Tuesday night for Saratoga and compete in Saturday's Grade 1 Whitney Stakes! Hope we can welcome them both back to the New Kent barn area after a win in the Whitney!
2022 Colonial Downs leading jockey Jevian Toledo is back in New Kent to defend his title --- and is named in all 9 opening day races Thursday! Post time is 1:30 PM, general admission is free and the first 1,000 fans get a free baseball cap.
Meet the
@ColonialRosies
stall/stable team of Carlos Garcia, Tony Reinstedler & Steve Moyer, who roll out the red carpet for horsemen shipping in for the summer meet and help make sure they settle in seamlessly. All three are long-time trainers & are a big asset to the team here.
Here's lookin' at you kid! Jockey Carol Cedeno points Exculpatory --- winner of today's $75,000 Overnight Handicap
@ColonialRosies
--- towards the infield jumbotron so the 3-year-old Mineshaft colt could enjoy his moment to shine. 9 races are on tap Wednesday at 1:45 PM.
Opening day of the summer racing season is tomorrow
@ColonialRosies
and temperatures will be in the low 80's --- a great day to come out and enjoy the festivities! Check out our YouTube preview show with
@BeemieAwards
&
@jmpaquette
.
Congrats to jockey Trevor McCarthy who reached the winners circle five times Sunday at Colonial Downs! The meet's leading rider has eight mounts today in New Kent with first post scheduled for 5:30 PM.
Leaders after week 2 of racing:
Jockey: Trevor McCarthy with 5 wins!
Trainers: Tied with 4 wins during meet so far.
Michael Trombetta
Brittany Russell
@BTRracingstable
Carlos Munoz
Meet the
@ColonialRosies
on-air broadcast team for the upcoming racing season in New Kent. Track announcer
@BeemieAwards
and on camera handicapper
@jmpaquette
will provide racing analysis and key insights beginning this Monday, July 19.
Great to welcome Steve Byk to Colonial Downs and Rosie's Gaming this morning where he is broadcasting his daily three hour "At The Races" radio show! Listen from 9 AM - 12 Noon on Sirius 219, XM 201, Online Sports Zone 964 and at .
Barn prep is underway at Colonial Downs as everyone prepares for the arrival of horses!
#ColonialDowns
Opening day is July 11th! Tickets are available now at
When the inner rail of the Secretariat Turf Course goes up, live racing must be right around the corner --- and it is! Opening day is Thursday July 13 at 1:30 PM.
Michelle Lovellโs Just Might can become thoroughbred racingโs newest million dollar earning horse with a win Monday in the $150,000 Van Clief Stakes
@ColonialRosies
! The 6-year-old Justin Phillip gelding enters the race with $958,100 from 37 starts.
Due to weather racing today, July 12th, has been cancelled- a plan for these races being rescheduled will be posted as soon as it is available. All ticket purchases will be refunded for today. We expect a full card of racing for tomorrow, July 13th.
Congrats to 8-year-old Pure Prize gelding Red Knight, winner of todayโs $150,000 Colonial Cup
@ColonialRosies
! The Michael Maker trainee was ridden by Horacio Karamanos. Pure Prize was coming off an 11-month layoff. โHe has a lot of zest for racing,โ said owner Tom Egan.
Congratulations to 6-year-old mare Didia who won her first two U.S. starts at Colonial Downs in 2022 and just captured the $750,000, Grade 1 New York Stakes! Didia won a turf allowance and the Old Nelson Stakes in New Kent that year.
Canadian Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will be competing in New Kent for the first time ever during the upcoming thoroughbred racing season which begins next Thursday, July 13 and continues every Thursday, Friday and Saturday through September 9. Post time is 1:30 PM.
Is
@jamessmurray
one of your favorite members from Impractical Jokers? (ours too) Don't miss Murr Live at Colonial Downs in New Kent on December 10 + 11! ๐ค
#FindYourLuck
Tickets on sale now:
Jockey Joe Rocco Jr. and trainer Kelsey Danner celebrate a win in the
@ColonialRosies
5th race with Queen of the Green! Danner is stabling in New Kent for the first time ever.
When Colonial Downs' Stall Superintendent Carlos Garcia meets with VP of Racing Operations Jill Byrne, it's an indication that the live horse racing season is right around the corner! Opening day is Monday, July 11 and tickets are on sale now:
The
@ColonialRosies
track opened for training and workouts this morning in anticipation of the July 11 season opener! First out was Woodberry Payne's Abstract Moment and rider Duston Morris.
Arlington Million probable Strong Quality and Beverly D propable Fev Rover, both from the Mark Casse barn, shipped into the
@ColonialDowns
backstretch late yesterday in advance of Saturday's "Festival of Racing" Day this Saturday!
Meet some of the talented and hard-working jockeys that compete at Colonial Downs!
#ColonialDownsRacing
Racing is Monday - Wednesday at 1:45 PM through September 7. General admission is free; reserved seating on sale now:
Presented by Woodford Reserve.
Colonial Downs will kick off every Friday card with a pair of NSA steeplechase races this summer and they will be part of the pari-mutuel card! Opening day in New Kent is just two weeks from today --- on Thursday July 13 at 1:30 PM.
Best wishes to Colonial Downs race caller Jason Beem, who began his first season announcing action at Tampa Bay Downs this past week! Weโll see and hear Jason again this coming summer in New Kent calling races at the thoroughbred race meet.
The Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes is being moved to Colonial Downs in 2023 just in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of "Big Red's" historic Triple Crown winning season! He will now be commemorated in the state where he was born, bred, and trained to be a champion.
Virginia-bred Ansel gets a shower and bath
@ColonialRosies
after winning a $60,000 maiden special weight in the 4th race. Congrats to breeder Morganโs Ford Farm for the big score!
The Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes, which will be held August 12 in New Kent, is officially part of the 2023 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series! The winner will advance to the fall "Cup" Series at Santa Anita. Colonial Downs' summer racing season begins July 13.
Move in days continue at
@ColonialRosies
in preparation for the summer racing season which begins July 11! Trainer Kelsey Danner had 22 of her 36 horses ship in from Kentucky Wednesday afternoon -- the remaining ones are due this week.
Bay Bridge and jockey Rebecca Grace LaBarre connected in the final leg of toniteโs early Pick-4
@ColonialRosies
and triggered a whopping payout of $32,957 for the .50 combo of 9-2-1-5!
Sad to hear about the passing of two-time Breeders' Cup Mile Champion Da Hoss at the age of 30. Colonial Downs has hosted the Da Hoss Stakes annually for years and will again this summer during the 9-week season that kicks off July 11.
2019 Virginia Derby champ English Bee returned to
@ColonialRosies
today and won a thriller in the featured $80,000 allowance! The '21 New Kent County Virginia Derby presented by Woodford Reserve is next Tuesday!
@jamessmurray
can't wait to see you for his show "Murr Live" on Friday, December 10 + Saturday, December 11 at 8PM at Colonial Downs in New Kent! He said so himself ๐๐ป
#FindYourLuck
Tickets on sale now:
Topped by a quartet of graded races, the 2024 stakes program consists of 27 races worth $5.7 million for the 27-day season which runs from Thursday, July 11 through Saturday, September 7.
#ColonialDownsRacing
Read the full article here:
Congratulations to apprentice jockey Yan Aviles who tied for the
@ColonialRosies
lead in the rider standings with a win atop Logico in todayโs first race! Aviles tied Jevian Toledo with 13 wins in a very tight race that has 2 jocks with 12 wins.
Gate training at Colonial Downs in preparation for the summer season opener one week from today! The 9-week meet runs from
July 13 - September 9 with racing every Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 1:30 PM.
15 live race days are in the books for 2019! We want to thank everyone that came out, we can't wait to hit the turf again next year! ๐๐ผ
#FindYourLuck
Congrats to trainer Shug McGaughey and jockey Forest Boyce for combining to win a pair of races early in the card today
@ColonialRosies
. Fourth race winner Flying Fortress is shown here while Breakwater prevailed in the first.