By Nick Hahn
January 2, 2022

The year just completed, 2021, really felt like a breakthrough for Virginia racing in many ways. Colonial Downs completed a banner meet, local horsemen were able to thrive, and racing stakeholders planted some seeds that should bear fruit in the years to come.

Here are 10 stories that mattered in 2021:

10) HOME IN THE COMMONWEALTH
The Virginia Certified Residency Program has become a huge boon to horsemen located on numerous small farms throughout Virginia. One example: Braeburn Farm located in Crozet, was toiling during Colonial’s six-year absence from racing but has been resurrected through the benefits of the VEA’s program. To start the 2021 meet, Braeburn training center alumni collected three wins and three seconds in eight starts. Trainer Sarah Nagle and her Big Lick Farm operation, who train at Braeburn, scored twice on Colonial’s opening day, with a maiden breaker for Cavalier Cupid, who would also win the $100,000 Keswick Stakes later during the meet, and a score by Puppymonkeybaby, who won the $100,000 M. Tyson Gilpin Stakes. Trainer Patrick Nuesch, the proprietor of Braeburn, also won twice himself during the Colonial meet. The best news: Braeburn is just one of many farms to benefit from the rebirth of Colonial and the arrival of the residency program.

9) THE RETURN OF THE “MAD GENIUS”
After 14 years without a start at Colonial Downs, trainer Michael Dickinson roused the echoes of Colonial’s past when he won with Search for Truth and Belle Belisa on the same day, August 10. Those were the first horses he’d saddled in New Kent since July 30, 2007. Dickinson, best known for employing innovative techniques in his horsemanship, famously saddled Da Hoss in an allowance race during Colonial’s second season, his only start between Breeder’s Cup wins in 1996 and 1998. Da Hoss won the allowance over a horse who himself would go on to be a multiple Grade 1 winner, John’s Call. Both Search for Truth and Belle Belisa broke their maidens on the Colonial turf, and it was good to see the “Mad Genius” back in New Kent.

8) CASINO DOINGS
The Urban One Richmond casino venture, which included Colonial, failed. Voters in Richmond rejected, by a 51-49 margin, a referendum that would have brought a casino to the southside of Richmond. Voters living close to the proposed casino location backed the proposal but not in the numbers needed to overcome opposition from other parts of the city. Meanwhile, the Colonial Rosie’s facilities continued their growth; there are now six, including the newest one in Dumfries. In 2022 the company plans to turn its Dumfries location into a gaming and entertainment resort while also opening a new location in Emporia following a successful referendum there. Colonial Downs also teamed up with PointsBet, an Australian company, and will enter Virginia’s sports betting marketplace.

7) EXTRAVAGANT!
The voyage of David Ross’s (DARRS, Inc) Extravagant Kid continued in 2021 highlighted by a March 27 win in the $1 million, Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai. The 2019 Da Hoss stakes winner at Colonial Downs then turned his quest to stakes races in England, where he finished third in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. The journeyhorse has recorded stakes wins at Saratoga, Churchill Downs, Gulfstream Park, and Colonial Downs, and has finished in the money in 40 of his 55 career starts, most recently finishing second in the Janus Stakes at Gulfstream Park on New Year’s Eve.

6) A THROWBACK IN THE SHENANDOAH
Shenandoah Downs casts a little “Shenatoga” harness meet to Woodstock’s leg of the Shenandoah Valley, welcoming back fans and participants to fill its hotels, restaurants, and shops. People like this meet. The nearby town center offers live music, microbrews, farmers’ markets, and shops over a five-weekend meet that follows its four-day opening festival of racing with its longstanding Shenandoah County Fair. The venue, set between two mountain ranges in the comfortable autumn air, is a complete throwback to harness racing of yore, yet provides plenty of potential upward appeal to the future of Virginia racing.

5) IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!
The Virginia Equine Alliance Economic Impact Study released earlier this year sized up the widespread contributions of Virginia’s racing and breeding program to the state’s economy. The report provides a better identity of the industry that was previously difficult to measure. The study estimates the racehorse population to be about 5,500, generating 5,300 jobs with a total economic impact of nearly $550 million. This was a tool the industry has needed for some time.

4) AN UNCONVENTIONAL TRIPLE IN THE VIRGINIA DERBY
Wootton Asset gave trainer Graham Motion an unconventional triple in the Virginia Derby. Motion has won the last three runnings of Colonial’s signature event, though they have occurred over the last five years. The Derby was run at Laurel Park in 2017, when Motion won it with Just Howard, took 2018 off, and returned to Virginia with live racing in 2019, when Motion scored again with English Bee. The cancellation of the ’20 meet also meant the cancellation of that year’s Virginia Derby before Wootton Asset kept the streak going this year. Delivering the win on the French-bred colt for Madaket Stables was jockey Jose Ortiz. who came out of the gate last but relished the firm going that Motion had been seeking. Handle for the Virginia Derby set an all-time Colonial mark of $4,875,792.

3) SAFETY FIRST
Colonial’s 2021 meeting once again attained a perfect safety record. On a subject where only bad news is usually reported after an incident, the good news on the 2021 meet at Colonial Downs is that there were no equine fatalities during racing or training.

2) DOWNS AND DIRTY
Colonial had run more races on the dirt than the turf before, but on the August 23 page of the condition book, it was by design. All of Colonial’s races the first year of its existence in 1997 were on the dirt, but since the turf course was added in 1998, the grass always was greener. The August 23 card, featuring four MATCH Series contests, included five races on the dirt and four on the turf.

And those dirt races were fast: three of them set track records for the distance, and the other two were less than a fifth off the track mark. Colonial hadn’t had so many quality horses at this level of racing on the dirt, so perhaps it was no surprise.

Larimar opened up the dirt blitz breaking a 12-year record at 6 & ½ furlongs (1:16.43) in an optional allowance/claiming race. In the $100,000 Victory Gallop that followed, Cordmaker (1:40.45) at 1 & 1/16 reset a 23-year-old record, that would last for only two races before Saracosa zipped the distance in 1:39.72 in the $100,000 Love Sign Stakes. Cheetara and Just Might just missed the marks at seven and six furlongs, respectively, on a day when the public was re-introduced to “the other Colonial.”

1) A BANNER MEET
Colonial’s 2021 summer meet rebounded strongly after a plagued 2020 session that faced natural disasters, utility disruptions and of course, Covid. Everything that went wrong for Colonial Downs in 2020 went right in 2021. With no turf racing in Kentucky, horsemen and fans looked for a new venue, and both liked what they saw at Colonial Downs. The usual Colonial loyalists didn’t have the backstretch to themselves as much this year, welcoming trainers such Bret Calhoun, Dallas Stewart and John Ortiz to hang a shingle for the first time in New Kent. It wasn’t unusual to see former Triple Crown race competitors like By My Standards, Long Range Toddy or Mr. Big News step out on the track in the mornings or the afternoons. The 21-day meet saw several wagering records fall as horsemen competed for purse money that exceeded $500,000 a day.

With the calendar now turned to 2022, it’s time to look forward to some of winter’s big racing events, many of which lead up to the Kentucky Derby on May 7. Most weekends include a slate of Derby prep races for 3-year-old horses who hope to fill one of the 20 starting gate spots at Churchill Downs in the “Run for the Roses”.

Gulfstream hosts January’s showstopping event though — the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (Gr. I) — on Saturday the 29th. In addition to hosting some of the world’s best horses in the “Cup”, the card features seven additional graded stakes including the $1 million, Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes and a four-pack of Grade 3’s — the $500,000 Pegasus Filly/Mare Turf along with the William McKnight, Fred W. Hooper and La Prevoyante Stakes.

Derby prep action kicks off earlier in the month with the $125,000 Pasco Stakes January 15 at Tampa Bay Downs. Also on the card is the $125,000 Casparilla Stakes. Santa Anita chips in with a handful of California-bred stakes the same day including the $200,000 Cal Cup Derby.

Fair Grounds hosts a graded Derby prep the next Saturday (Jan. 22) and a stakes-filled under card. The $200,000 Lecomte (Gr. 3) is a prep for their Risen Star Stakes and then the Louisiana Derby. The Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes, Silverbulletday and three other stakes complement the big race.

Stakes for 3-year-olds continue in a big way in the coming weeks. On Pegasus Day, the $750,000 Southwest (Gr. 3) and $200,000 San Vincente (Gr. 2) will go to post at Oaklawn and Santa Anita respectively followed by the the $250,000 Withers (Gr. 3) and $250,000 Holy Bull (Gr. 3) Feb. 5 at Aqueduct and Gulfstream, and the Robert B. Lewis (Gr. 3) Feb. 6 at Santa Anita.

The quality of Derby preps really picks up in February and fans should circle these dates to continue pursuit of who will advance to the 2022 “Roses” field — the Sam Davis Stakes at Tampa (Feb. 12), the Risen Star at Fair Grounds (Feb. 19), the Rebel at Oaklawn (Feb. 26) and a can’t miss day on March 5 with a stellar four-pack that includes the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct, Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream, Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita and John Battaglia Stakes at Turfway.

Fans can watch and wager all the action a number of ways. Virginia residents can bet online from the comfort of their home. Just open an account, fund it, then begin wagering and winning.

Feeling a desire to venture out? Every Rosie’s Gaming Emporium has a live racing simulcast area where you can wager via live tellers or self-bet terminals. Rosie’s has locations in New Kent (at Colonial Downs Racetrack), Richmond, Hampton, Dumfries, Collinsville and the newly expanded site in Vinton. Wagers can also be placed at VA-Horseplay Off Track Betting (OTB) Centers in Chesapeake (Buckets Bar & Grill) and Henrico (Breakers Sports Grille).

Groundbreaking Events Slated in Dumfries and Emporia

 RICHMOND – December 17, 2021 – Colonial Downs Group is gearing up for another exciting year in Virginia with two major groundbreaking events in Dumfries on January 11 and Emporia during the first quarter of 2022. Local and civic leaders in both communities will join Colonial Downs Group team members to launch game-changing economic development projects that will spark construction spending, significantly increase tax revenues, and create over 700 well-paying permanent jobs.

Aaron Gomes, Chief Operating Officer of Colonial Downs Group, stated, “We came to Virginia four years ago promising to help spawn a revitalization of the state’s horse industry, deliver a new form of fun entertainment, provide a consistent source of tax revenues for the Commonwealth and localities where we operate, grow the state’s workforce, and build-up communities through charitable investments of time and money. We have delivered on all of those promises and are proud to be part of the fabric of Virginia.”

Colonial Downs Group will invest more than $429 million developing a new gaming and entertainment destination in Dumfries with The Rose Gaming Resort project. Helping the town close an industrial landfill ahead of schedule, The Rose Gaming Resort, when fully built, will include up to a 350-room hotel, eight bars and restaurants, a cultural venue, a space for meetings and events, and over 80 acres of green space with miles of bike and fitness trails, athletic fields, and a playground. The Rose Gaming Resort will generate an estimated $59 million in annual tax revenues and have more than 600 team members.

Colonial Downs Group will invest more than $20 million developing a Rosie’s Gaming Emporium^® in Emporia following a successful voter referendum in November. The Emporia Rosie’s will have 150 gaming machines with the latest technology and state-of-the-art graphics. When fully built, Rosie’s Gaming Emporium will generate an estimated $600,000 in annual tax revenue for the City of Emporia and have more than 100 team members.

Colonial Downs Group has successful operations in New Kent, Richmond, Hampton, Vinton, Dumfries and Collinsville. Colonial Downs Group and Rosie’s are proud to have made direct monetary and in-kind donations of more than $1,410,000 and have logged over 2,500 service hours in Virginia communities.

Holiday season is already upon us and the month’s biggest race event is just days away — Santa Anita’s big day after Christmas stakes-filled card with a trio of Grade I events on tap. And that also means Derby prep race season is about to commence — 3-year-old horses will compete in a series of preps most every weekend through April that leads up to the annual “Run for the Roses” at Churchill Downs on Saturday May 7.

In the meanwhile, there is still plenty to get excited about with some key pre-holiday stakes. On Saturday December 11, Fair Grounds hosts the $750,000 Louisiana Champions Day with seven state-bred events including the $150,000 Classic. Los Alamitos hosts the $300,000 Futurity (Gr. 2) the same day.

On Friday December 17, Remington presents their $400,000 Springboard Mile for 2-year-olds along with a four-pack of other stakes. The next day, Gulfstream really picks it up with four graded stakes including the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (Gr. 2), $150,000 Harlan’s Holiday  (Gr. 3), $100,000 Sugar Swirl (Gr. 3) and $100,000 Suwanee River (Gr. 3). The same afternoon, Aqueduct hosts a pair of $500,000 stakes in their New York Stallion Series — the 5th Avenue division for 2-year-old fillies and the Great White Way division for 2-year-old colts/geldings.

On December 26, Santa Anita hosts the most anticipated card of the month featuring a trio of Grade I stakes — the $300,000 La Brea, $300,000 Runhappy Malibu and $300,000 American Oaks. A trio of Grade 2’s complement the star-studded affair — the $200,000 San Antonio, $200,000 San Gabriel and $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile.

Laurel chips in with their own set of Boxing Day stakes — a six-pack of $100,000 bell ringers that include the Carousel, Dave’s Friend, Gin Talking, Heft, Robert Manfuso and the Willa On The Move stakes. Gulfstream adds a pair with the $100,000 Tropical Park Derby and Tropical Park Oaks.

On New Years Day, a four-pack of sophomore stakes kick off 2022 from tracks around the country — the $250,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn, $150,000 Jerome at Aqueduct, $100,000 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream and the $100,000 Sham Stakes (Gr. 3) at Santa Anita.

Looking ahead into January, Gulfstream hosts the month’s showstopper — the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (Gr. I) on Saturday January 29. The card features 7 additional graded stakes including the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (Gr. I).

Derby preps populate the calendar in coming weeks starting with the $125,000 Pasco Jan. 15 at Tampa Bay Downs, the $200,000 Lecomte (Gr. 3) Jan. 22 at Fair Grounds, the $750,000 Southwest (Gr. 3) and $200,000 San Vincente (Gr. 2) Jan. 29 at Oaklawn and Santa Anita respectively, the $250,000 Withers (Gr. 3) and $250,000 Holy Bull (Gr. 3)  Feb. 5 at Aqueduct and Gulfstream respectively, and the Robert B. Lewis (Gr. 3) Feb. 6 at Santa Anita.

The quality of Derby preps really picks up in February and fans should circle these dates to continue pursuit of who will advance to the 2023 “Roses” field — the Sam Davis Stakes at Tampa (Feb. 12), the Risen Star at Fair Grounds (Feb. 19), the Rebel at Oaklawn (Feb. 26) and a can’t miss day on March 5 with a stellar four-pack that includes the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct, Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream, Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita and John Battaglia Stakes at Turfway.

Fans can watch and wager all the action a number of ways. Wager online from the comfort of home over the holiday season.

Feeling a desire to venture out? Every Rosie’s Gaming Emporium has a live racing simulcast area where you can wager via live tellers or self-bet terminals. Rosie’s has locations in New Kent (at Colonial Downs Racetrack), Richmond, Hampton, Vinton, Dumfries and Collinsville. Wagers can also be placed at VA-Horseplay Off Track Betting (OTB) Centers in Chesapeake (Buckets Bar & Grill) and Henrico (Breakers Sports Grille).

Happy Holidays!

Rosie’s is adding to the fun and entertainment in Vinton with 350 new, never seen before, games (bringing the total to 500), an updated and remodeled high limit gaming area, a new stage for hosting local and national entertainment acts, more than doubling overall space from 15,000 square feet to 33,000 square feet and adding a parking garage with 280 well-lit spaces.

Colonial Downs Group is making a $28 million investment in the Vinton community with the expansion project, which includes increasing tax payments to the Town. We will also be hiring more team members to operate the expanded space. To show our ongoing commitment to community partnerships, Rosie’s will be making the following check presentations on Wednesday:

• Vinton First Aid Crew – $25,000
• Marine Toys for Tots – $5,000
• Vinton Historical Society – $5,000
• Children’s Assistive Technology Services – $1,000
• Mill Mountain Zoo – $1,000

Colonial Downs Group and Rosie’s are proud to have made direct monetary and in-kind donations of more than $1,375,000 and have logged over 2,500 service hours in Virginia communities.

Never Forget Mobile Exhibit on Display in Richmond in October

Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums^® will recognize the 20^th anniversary of 9/11 at all locations on Saturday and will provide free commemorative Rosie’s Reward Cards to patrons. In addition, to honor 9/11 victims and the families who survive them, Rosie’s will welcome the 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit to Richmond from Wednesday, October 20 through Monday, October 25, 2021. The public exhibit is a tribute to all those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, including the 343 members of the Fire Department of New York City (FDNY) who made the ultimate sacrifice. Rosie’s will display the exhibit in the parking lot located on Midlothian Turnpike. Admission to the exhibit is free of charge. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation created the 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit in 2013. The foundation honors the sacrifice of Brooklyn’s Squad 1 firefighter Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. It also honors our military and first responders who continue to make the supreme sacrifice of life and limb for our country.

WHAT: A high-tech, 83-foot tractor-trailer, which transforms into a 1,100 square foot exhibit. The memorial provides interactive education; including artifacts such as steel beams from the towers, documentary videos, and recordings of first responder radio transmissions. The 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit is a tool to further educate people across the country about the events of that tragic day.

WHO: Interactive guided tours conducted by FDNY firefighters providing firsthand accounts of the day and its aftermath. The 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit, which has traveled to nearly 50 states and Canada, has welcomed over 500,000 visitors to date.

WHEN:
October 20, 21, & 22 | 9AM – 2PM & 4PM – 8PM
October 23 | 11AM – 7PM
October 24 | 12PM – 6PM
October 25 | 9AM – 2PM & 4PM – 8P

WHERE: Rosie’s Gaming Emporium, 6807 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23225

About the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation: The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Tower Foundation’s mission is to honor the sacrifice of Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation honors and supports our first responders and service members who continue to make the supreme sacrifice of life and limb for our country. For more information, please visit www.tunnel2towers.org

$159,500 to be Donated to Charitable Organizations – Checks Presented after each Race

Colonial Downs Group is hosting Community Day today, Wednesday, August 11. Community groups from New Kent, Richmond, Hampton & Dumfries will be at the track in New Kent enjoying a relaxed and fun afternoon of thoroughbred horse racing and community giving. Checks will be presented to individual charitable organizations following each of eight races on the card – totaling 28 checks and $159,500! Recipients range from Virginia Community Food Connections (Dumfries) to the New Kent County Community Foundation, from the Youth Aeronautics Education Foundation (Hampton) to the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation.

Acting Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Kathleen Jabs will be on hand for the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation check presentation. Jabs stated, “We appreciate all efforts in the Commonwealth to recognize and honor our veterans and their families. They have given so much for us and it is heartwarming to see others give back to them.”

Aaron Gomes, chief operating officer of Colonial Downs Group, stated, “We are extremely fortunate to be operating Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums® in communities across Virginia. Giving back and helping those communities is at the core of our operational philosophy. We truly believe that sharing our resources and time adds value to the communities in which we live and operate.”

Community Day is in addition to the ongoing Rosie’s Gives Back program. Colonial Downs Group has made monetary and in-kind donations of more than $1.34 million and has logged over 1,100 service hours in Virginia communities through its Rosie’s Gives Back program.

First “Rosie’s Game Room” Opens This Week

Colonial Downs Group is excited to announce a new gaming option in Virginia and an expansion of its Off-Track-Betting (OTB) operation located at 2360 Virginia Avenue in Collinsville. Rosie’s Game Room will offer a hybrid of the newest gaming technology available along with a sampling of the best menu items from Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums across Virginia and the traditional OTB that has been located in Collinsville for many years. Rosie’s Game Room will include the same “slots-like” Historical Horse Racing gaming machines currently available at Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums in Richmond, Hampton, Vinton, New Kent & Dumfries as well as Rosie’s renowned R’ Burgers and the world’s greatest fries! The upgraded facility opening on Thursday, July 22 has been expanded to more than 3,500 square feet and will have 130 parking spaces.

“Our five Rosie’s locations have delivered great entertainment to their communities while providing good jobs and important tax revenues to the localities and to the Commonwealth,” said Chief Operating Officer at Colonial Downs Group, Aaron Gomes. “We are proud to bring this same community partnership to Collinsville and we look forward to many years of fun, safe and successful operations.”