Live Racing is Back as Colonial Downs Shatters Records!
Posted on September 13th, 2022
2022 Results Establish Virginia Track as an Elite Facility
NEW KENT, Va. (September 13, 2022) – Buoyed by record-breaking betting of more than $6.5 million on New Kent County Virginia Derby Day® last week, Colonial Downs® shattered all wagering marks this racing season, the fourth under the management of Colonial Downs Group and ownership of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment. The success of Colonial Downs creates hundreds of jobs and has a direct impact on Virginia’s agriculture and tourism industries.
Total bets for the 26-day live racing meet (one race day was lost to weather conditions) was $74,940,840 for a daily average of $2,882,340, up more than 29% from the 2021 average daily of $2,231,765 (during that season’s 21-day session). This race meet marked an all-time wagering high in the history of Colonial Downs.
“Virginia racing is stronger than ever,” said John Marshall, Colonial Downs Group Executive Vice President, Operations. “It is gratifying to see Colonial Downs evolve into one of the nation’s elite destinations for thoroughbred racing. We congratulate all of those who worked so hard to place Virginia racing in such an admirable position.”
Colonial Downs paid out $15,918,538 in purses for the season, attracting the best horses, trainers, and riders in the industry to the Commonwealth. The average daily purse of $612,000 set a Virginia record. A total of 1,382 individual horses representing 321 trainers made a combined 2,179 starts for the season.
“The 2022 Colonial Downs race meet was such a great success on all levels thanks to the support of so many. We are grateful to all the horsemen, patrons, fans, and industry stakeholders for being a part of this fabulous summer of racing in Virginia,” said Jill Byrne, Colonial Downs Vice President of Racing Operations. “Agriculture and tourism in Virginia have both been bolstered by our collective efforts.”
Governor Glenn Youngkin also noted the tremendous positive impacts the return of world class horse racing to Virginia has had on agriculture and tourism in the Commonwealth, telling Horse Racing Nation during his appearance at the Virginia Derby, “Colonial is hugely important to Virginia. It’s agriculture, it’s jobs, it’s tourism.” (https://twitter.com/hr_nation/status/1567262853945516032?s=10&t=7Hetei8QlfQRFz6uqysBSA)
