ARLINGTON MILLION AT COLONIAL DOWNS SOLIDIFIES VIRGINIA’S PLACE IN INTERNATIONAL RACING SCENE
Posted on July 31st, 2026
~ Iconic race anchors Saturday’s Festival of Racing which has drawn high-profile horses, trainers, and jockeys from around the world since Churchill Downs Incorporated brought the race to Virginia in 2023 ~
NEW KENT, Va. (July 31, 2026)—This Saturday, August 1, the Colonial Downs Festival of Racing will be headlined by the iconic Arlington Million, one of the sport’s most legendary and lucrative races for 43 years. The Arlington Million, which draws its name from its original home at Illinois’s Arlington Park racetrack, was the first horse race to ever offer a $1 million purse. After 40 years at Arlington Park, Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) brought the race and its rich purse to Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent County as part of its commitment to expanding and enhancing Virginia’s thoroughbred racing industry. The race now serves as one of the track’s signature races and the only Grade 1 thoroughbred race run in Virginia.
Tickets are required for this Saturday’s Festival of Racing and are available for purchase at www.ColonialDowns.com including $5 General Admission (free for children 5 and under), as well as limited indoor, covered, and reserved seating.
“The addition of the Arlington Million brought instant credibility, stature, and attention to the Virginia racing program as CDI worked to reenergize the industry after the six-year break in thoroughbred racing at Colonial Downs from 2013 to 2019,” said Frank Hopf, Senior Director of Racing Operations at Colonial Downs. “The Million has a found a real home in Virginia with fans and race teams from around the world embracing the opportunity and building their summer schedules around their trip to Colonial Downs. This year’s race will feature incredible talent and great storylines, including Fort Washington’s attempt to become the first back-to-back winner. Get your tickets today to be part of this incredible day of racing in the Commonwealth!”
This year’s Arlington Million has drawn a field of eight top horses who will compete in the million-dollar race. This includes defending champion Fort Washington who seeks to become the first horse to win the race in consecutive years and just the second horse to ever claim the Arlington Million crown twice. John Henry claimed the million-dollar race twice in 1981 and again in 1984 on his way to being named one of the Top 25 racehorses of the 20thCentury by Blood Horse magazine.
The 2026 Colonial Downs Festival of Racing will feature special recognition for the winningest jockey, trainer, and stable in the rich history of the Festival, including the presentation of resolutions of commendation from the New Kent County Board of Supervisors for:
- Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux who has seven victories in the Festival Races including one in the Arlington Million, three in the Beverly D. Stakes, and three in the Secretariat Stakes showcasing his world-class talent with unforgettable rides.
- Trainer Chad Brown, who holds an incredible record of 13 total wins across the Festival’s marquee races.
- Juddmonte Farms, whose bred and owned horses hold a record 6 wins across the Festival.
In addition to the Arlington Million, the Festival of Racing features the $500,000 Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes and $500,000 Grade 2 Beverly D. The prestige of these races has elevated Colonial Downs to be one of the most lucrative and attractive destinations for top-tier stables, worldwide race fans, and sharp bettors during the incredibly competitive summer racing season.
This year’s Secretariat Stakes, now run just miles from the legendary horse’s home farm on Colonial Downs’ signature Secretariat Turf Course, will feature Supercharger, an entrant from Cherie DeVaux who made history earlier this year as the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby with Golden Tempo, before following the victory up with a win at the Belmont Stakes to claim two of the three legs of the Triple Crown.
The Beverly D. will feature some of the nation’s top fillies and mares on the Secretariat Turf Course including international entrants Gimme a Nother, a South African-bred Grade 1 winning filly who has won 9 of her 13 career starts, and Irish horse Storm Miami. The race will feature rides from well-known jockeys Tyler Gaffalione, Brian Hernandez, Jr., John Velazquez, and 2025 Virginia Derby winning jockey Nik Juarez.
Beyond the exciting racing and worldclass talent on the track, the 2026 Festival of Racing will feature live music from the Jack Leon Band, family friendly fun including a petting zoo, and much more.
Tickets are required for this premium racing event. General Admission is just $5 with free admission for children five and under. All tickets, including reserved, indoor, and covered seating, are available for purchase at www.ColonialDowns.com.
