Colonial Downs
Colonial Downs is a horse racing track in New Kent, Virginia adjacent to Interstate 64, halfway between Richmond, Virginia and Williamsburg, Virginia.
History and information
The track opened on September 1, 1997. More than 13,000 attended the track on opening day. The track used several unconventional construction and business approaches. They constructed one of the largest tracks in size in the country but built a relatively small clubhouse. They also built OTB’s prior to the opening of the track.
The track also struck a deal with Maryland to stop Maryland racing during Colonial Down’s thoroughbred meet, although this later ended.
Until 2005, the track was managed by the Maryland Jockey Club under a complicated agreement with Virginia and Maryland regulators and the Maryland-Virginia Racing Circuit. The track has been fairly successful and has offered good summertime turf racing in the traditionally poor three-year-old turf division. In 2005, the track ran two legs of the Jacobs Investment’s Grand Slam of Grass. This event consisted of the Colonial Turf Cup and the Virginia Derby from Colonial Downs, the Secretariat Stakes from Arlington Park and the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Physical attributes
The track has a one and one-quarter mile dirt oval, a seven and one half furlong inner turf oval and a one and one-eighth mile outer turf oval.
Harness races start from a chute on the back stretch of the dirt oval.
