Frank Hopf

Colonial Downs will host an expanded 44 days of live racing in 2025, led off by a special three-day Virginia Derby meet from Mar. 13 through Mar. 15, followed by the track's traditional summer meet from July 9 through Sept. 13. The $500,000 Virginia Derby, a points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, will transition to the dirt and be held Mar. 15, anchoring a new three-day spring meet which will also include the $250,000 Virginia Oaks, a Kentucky Oaks points race. The winning horse in each race...

The 27-day live racing season at Colonial Downs for 2024 will be held over nine weeks from Thursday, July 11 through Saturday, Sept. 7 as approved by the Virginia Racing Commission, the track said in a release Wednesday. Like last season, the New Kent site will race three days per week, Thursday through Saturday. "The success of the 2023 meet, which brought weekend racing back to Colonial Downs, was a credit to the tremendous support here in Virginia from the owners, trainers, horseplayers, hard-working staff and partners," said Senior Director...

When the 2019 meet at Sam Houston Race Park came to an end there wasn't much cause for enthusiasm or confidence going forward. The total handle for the night barely cracked the $1-million mark and the purses were some of the worst in the sport. Fast forward to Saturday's card at Sam Houston, the last of the 2021 Thoroughbred meet, and the handle was nearly $3 million and the allowance races that were going for $20,500 in 2019 were now worth more than double, $42,500. As impressive as those numbers...

Sam Houston Race Park is raising overnight purses for the second time at its current meet. Beginning Mar. 17, all main track overnight purses will be increased by $6,000 and turf purses will be boosted by $1,000. The Texas track, which also announced a purse increase Feb. 17, has produced a 40% increase in handle during the first five weeks of the season and set a $5.3-million handle record on its Houston Racing Festival card Jan. 31. Sam Houston has also added Mar. 31 to its racing calendar Mar. 31....

Sam Houston Race Park set a record for handle during its 10-race Houston Racing Festival card Sunday, Jan. 31. Besides the $300,000 GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. and $200,000 GIII John B. Connally Turf Cup S., the fixture also featured the $200,000 Texas Turf Mil S., $100,000 Pulse Power Turf Sprint S., the $75,000 Stonerside Sprint S. and the $75,000 Jersey Lilly Turf S. A record total of $5.3 million was wagered at the Houston-area track. "We are thrilled with the success of this year's Houston Racing Festival and setting...

Beginning Friday, Jan. 8, Sam Houston Race Park will offer an expanded live racing season with additional stakes added to its 2021 meet. The 46-day meet will offer $2.4 million in purses, up from $1.8 million in 2020. The highlight of the meet, the Houston Racing Festival, will take place Sunday, Jan. 31, and will feature the GIII Houston Ladies Classic and the GIII John B. Connally Turf, as well as four other black-type races. The 2021 season will also feature 14 Texas-bred stakes. In addition, the purses for all...