Summer offers horse players plenty of big stakes races to enjoy every weekend and with high level meets at Saratoga and Del Mar both opening in July, there is no shortage of big events to choose from.
Colonial Downs ushers in its third season of thoroughbred racing under ownership of the Colonial Downs Group on July 19 and will continue thru September 1 every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 1:45 PM. The 7-week meet features $500,000 in average daily purses and a stakes schedule worth $2.7 million. With a full barn area and an ideal weekday afternoon race schedule geared for success in the simulcast market, the season in New Kent looks to have great promise.
Fans can wager all the action at Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent and the other four Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums in Hampton, Richmond, Vinton and Dumfries, at VA-Horseplay OTBs in Henrico (Breakers Sports Grille) and Chesapeake (Buckets Bar & Grill), and online at TVG.com, Xpressbet.com, Twinspires.com and NYRABets.com. The VA-Horseplay OTB in Collinsville is closed temporarily as it undergoes renovations. It is expected to reopen some time in July.
KEY COLONIAL DOWNS STAKES DAYS:
Mon. July 19 – Opening Day! Four $100,000 Virginia Restricted/Bred Stakes
Mon. July 26 – Trio of open stakes: $150,000 Buckland, $100,000 Da Hoss & $100,000 Andy Guest
Mon. Aug 23 – MATCH Series Day – Four $100,000 dirt stakes (Victory Gallop, Love Sign, Chesapeake, Seeking The Pearl)
Tues. Aug. 31 – New Kent County VIRGINIA DERBY DAY! Enjoy 5 stakes including the 18th annual Derby!
Wed. Sept. 1 – Virginia-Bred Stakes Day with five $100,000 stakes for VA-Bred horses
WATCH & WAGER THESE OTHER MAJOR SUMMER EVENTS
Sat. June 26 – Stephen Foster Night (Gr. 2) at Churchill Downs
Sat. July 10 – Belmont Derby Invitational Day (Gr. I) at Belmont
Sat. July 17 – Haskell Invitational (Gr. I) Day at Monmouth
Sat. July 24 – Coaching Club American Oaks (Gr. I) at Saratoga
Sat. July 31 – Alfred Vanderbilt Stakes (Gr. I) & Jim Dandy Stakes (Gr. 2) at Saratoga
Sat. Aug. 7 – Saratoga Derby Invitational (Gr. I), $1 Million Whitney & Test Stakes (Gr. I) at Saratoga
Sat. Aug. 21 – Pacific Classic (Gr. I) Day at Del Mar/Alabama Stakes (Gr. I) at Saratoga
Sat. Aug. 28 – Travers Day at Saratoga with six Grade I Stakes – Travers, Sword Dancer, Personal Ensign, Forego, Ballerina & Jerkens Memorial
Sat. Sept. 4 – Jockey Club Gold Cup (Gr. I) & Flower Bowl Invitational (Gr. I) at Saratoga
