Racing FAQ's

Colonial Downs has plenty of options to suit everyone. General admission, which allows access to ground level outdoor trackside viewing, is free. There are plenty of reserved seating options as well, both outdoors and indoors. Outdoor grandstand seats and viewing boxes, under cover, are available for purchase. Indoor seats, in air-conditioned dining areas, are also available. Choose from a reserved table or lounge seats in the third floor Jockey Club, or a reserved table one level higher in the fourth floor’s 1609 dining room. Private Sky Suites, each with a balcony overlooking the track, are available as well. Seats for all levels can be purchased at colonialdowns.com. For questions, call 804-557-5684.

Yes. Wagers on Colonial Downs races can be placed at all Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums in Richmond, Hampton, Vinton, Collinsville, Dumfries, Emporia and of course New Kent, and at VA-Horseplay Off Track Betting Centers in Henrico (at Breakers Sports Grille) and Chesapeake (Buckets Bar & Grill). All Colonial races will be broadcast on FanDuel TV or FanDuel Racing.

Horse racing wagers placed in person at a Rosie’s Gaming Emporium or VA-Horseplay OTB must be placed with cash, either at a manned betting station or at a self-service betting terminal. To wager with any of the four online providers, an account must be set up with a credit or debit card.

Generally, there are between 9 -10 races each day (Thursday, Friday & Saturday) and they run about 30 minutes apart. Races start Thursday and Saturday at 1:30PM and the last race would go off at 5:45PM. On Friday, races start at 4:30PM and the last race would go off at 8:45PM.

Yes, Colonial Downs is home of the Secretariat Turf Course, the widest grass racing surface in the country. As a result, over 80% of the races here are held on turf. The highly regarded dirt track is 1 1/4 miles round and is the second largest in the country next to Belmont’s, which is 1 1/2 miles around.

The following bets are offered each race — Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double and Pick-3. Two Pick-4’s are offered daily. Two Pick-5’s are offered daily as well with a low 12% takeout rate — the early Pick-5 covers the day’s first five flat races and the late Pick-5 covers the afternoon’s final five races. The Old Dominion 6, offered at a low 15% takeout rate, covers the day’s final six races. More information can be found at colonialdowns.com/wagering.

A winning ticket can be cashed up to 180 days after it was purchased. Tickets can be cashed at any Rosie’s Gaming Emporium or at a VA-Horseplay OTB.

Yes. All Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums and VA-Horseplay OTBs offer live simulcast wagering seven days/evenings per week.

Both can be found at www.colonialdowns.com/wagering and at www.equibase.com. Entries are generally available four days in advance.

Yes, all Colonial Downs races are broadcast on either FanDuel TV or FanDuel. Refer to your local provider for specific channels.

18% for Win-Place-Show bets, and 22% for most other exotic wagers. Colonial Downs is offering two Pick-5 wagers daily in 2024 with a low 12% takeout rate — and a carryover aspect —- and an “Old Dominion 6” wager with a low 15% takeout and a similar carryover aspect.