Colonial Downs

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This column is highlighted by the victory of Godolphin's Cinderella's Dream in the Belmont Oaks.   Slipper Fits For Godolphin Miss Flawless in her first four starts in England and Dubai prior to a seventh in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas, Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal) handed breeder Godolphin and Charlie Appleby a victory in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes during the final days of the Belmont at the Big A meeting...

With severe weather and excessive rainfall expected to continue to make its way through the New Kent area, Colonial Downs has cancelled live racing for Friday, July 12. A plan for rescheduling the missed races will be provided by Colonial Downs as soon as it is available and all ticket purchases for Friday will be refunded. The track does expect a full card of live racing for Saturday, July 13.

In 1981, Arlington Park's president Joe Joyce created the Arlington Million, a mile-and-a-quarter race on turf intended to raise the focus on Chicago racing. Soon after, in 1983, highly-decorated U.S. Army WWII veteran and businessman Richard L Duchossois purchased the track and substantially raised its profile. At the time, European-based racing connections were mostly strangers to American shores. Aside from the successful exploits of American oil company executive Nelson Bunker Hunt and his illustrious France-based trainer Maurice Zilber, European racehorses had cut little ice Stateside since 1969, the year in...

During its nine-week 2024 meet, Colonial Downs will offer more than $2.4 million in non-stakes purses to horses who are Virginia Certified and the track's first condition book features 46 Virginia-restricted races. Any horse that maintained residency in Virginia for at least a six-month consecutive period prior to Dec. 31 of its 2-year-old year qualifies. "We often hear from owners and trainers who did not know their horse qualifies for our Virginia Restricted races," said Gary Palmisano, Executive Director of Racing for Churchill Downs. "The rules are unique to what...

The Boiling Springs Stakes at Monmouth, scheduled to be run Sunday, is contested annually at a mile-and-one-sixteenth on the turf and is for 3-year-old fillies. With those conditions, it should be an easy race to fill. Not this year. The racing office did not get enough entries and the race was scrapped. Not that any of this should come as a surprise. There is a glut of racing in the Mid-Atlantic states. When Colonial Downs opens on July 11, there will be eight Mid-Atlantic tracks running within a range of...

Signaling the beginning of the 2024 Thoroughbred season, Colonial Downs's barn area will open on Monday, June 24 with training scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 27, the track said in a press release on Friday. Multiple leading trainer Mike Stidham and Hall of Fame conditioner Mark Casse are among the trainers preparing to return to the Tidewater track. The latter put in a successful debut meet where he won 10 races, which included Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}). The Canadian Horse of the Year took home the GI Beverly...

The Virginia-Certified Residency Program generated an estimated economic impact of $86.2 million between 2017 and 2023, according to a study commissioned by the Virginia Equine Alliance. "This is a significant total, especially taking into consideration that the program is still relatively new," said Debbie Easter, president of the Virginia Equine Alliance. "The program didn't begin until 2017, yet already is demonstrating its value." The program requires horses to reside at least six consecutive months at a Virginia farm during his or her first two years to receive a certification as...

Headed by a quartet of graded races, Colonial Downs unveiled its 2024 stakes program consisting of 27 races worth $5.7 million for the 27-day season which runs from Thursday, July 11 through Saturday, Sept. 7. The Colonial Downs Festival of Racing, slated for Saturday, Aug. 10 is highlighted by the GI Arlington Million, the GII Beverly D. S. and the GII Secretariat S. The Beverly D. returns as a 'Breeders' Cup Challenge Win and You're In' race for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf to be held at...

Turfway Park Racing & Gaming will once again be open for year-round training, track officials announced Wednesday. Summer stall applications are due Mar. 15. "There is once again significant interest from trainers to remain based at Turfway Park for year-round training," said Gary Palmisano, Jr., vice president of racing for Churchill Downs, Inc. "Turfway is conveniently located within a reasonable van drive to both Churchill Downs and Ellis Park. Any trainer that ships a horse from Turfway to compete at either of those two tracks, along with Colonial Downs and...

'The Week in Review', by T.D. Thornton A few items that stand out after sifting through Friday's "Pimlico Plus" report issued by the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA). The ambitious $400-million plan, which is subject to legislative approval, re-imagines the state's racing consolidated at one publicly funded track in Baltimore, the closure of Laurel Park, the construction of a new training facility in the state, and 1/ST Racing and Gaming ceding control of day-to-day Maryland racing to a non-profit entity. Triple Crown traditionalists who are already in a tizzy...

As 2023 draws to a close, the TDN is asking industry members to name their favorite moment of the year. Send yours to suefinley@thetdn.com After all summer fighting in Saratoga with so much competition there, I think my biggest win was the GIII Virginia Derby with Integration for Shug McGaughey. That brightened up my summer and he got to come do it again at Aqueduct [in the GII Hill Prince S.] and I'm looking forward to staying on that horse in the future. --Kendrick Carmouche, jockey

A pair of runners competing during Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, will be offered wild card entries for Epsom's 3-year-old Classics contested four weeks later. The winner of Churchill's $500,000 GII Edgewood S., contested on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 3, will receive an entry and travel incentive to run in the G1 Betfred Oaks at Epsom May 31. In the colt's division, a runner from the $500,000 GII American Turf S., scheduled for Kentucky Derby Day May 4, will receive an entry...