Colonial Downs will open its 14th annual harness racing season next Saturday (September 17) and will continue a seven-week campaign through November 5
.
The track will conduct racing strictly in the afternoon this year, on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays with 1:00 p.m. first-race post times. In the past, Colonial had run a 5:00 p.m. Saturday program, but the track has now chosen to race earlier in the day to take advantage of the nice fall weather.
Although the final stall list is not complete, the track's director of Racing, Craig Andow, anticipates that close to 550 horses will be stabled in the New Kent barn area to compete this fall.
Andow has put together an impressive slate of late closer racing series for both pacers and trotters. Most of the multi-leg events feature two preliminary legs and a final. Seven of the 11 late closers feature odd distance races, as well, from a three-quarter-mile dash to one and a quarter-mile finales. Two of the series have been named in honour of deceased horsemen --- Hal Belote, and Todd and Doug Parker. Nominations close on September 10 for the first five late closers. A listing is available at colonialdowns.com.
The New Kent barn area is now open and the track opened for training this morning (Tuesday, September 6) as well.
Highlights of the meet will include a mixed-breed card on Sunday, September 18 and the annual Virginia Harness 'Day of Champions' on November 5.
The opening weekend's events will be held in conjunction with the New Kent County Fair, and a mixed-breed card consisting of a thoroughbred race, two steeplechase events and 10 harness races will highlight the fair on Sunday. The annual $300,000 (estimated) Day of Champions will again coincide with the Breeders' Cup simulcast, and feature top Virginia-bred freshman, and sophomore pacers and trotters of both sexes that will compete in eight divisional championships that afternoon.
(With files from Colonial Downs)