Colonial Downs today abandoned its plans for racing in 2015 and sued the state Racing Commission to win recognition of its dissident horsemen’s group.
At issue before the Virginia Racing Commission: Colonial Downs’s proposals to run 1 day of live racing 2015 and 4 in ’16, and its request to reopen 2 OTBs.
Saturday’s Commonwealth Oaks and state-bred races at Laurel Park were a huge success. But what, if anything, does that say about Virginia’s future racing?
Two champs will look to defend their crowns in Virginia-bred and -sired stakes supporting Saturday’s G3 Commonwealth Oaks at Laurel Park.
Onus, a Shug McGaughey trainee, will make her stakes debut Saturday in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Oaks at Laurel Park.
Saturday’s Virginia Derby — err, Commonwealth Derby — finally belonged to a Virginia horse, after being run in Maryland. Confused?
The Virginia Equine Alliance’s “Virginia Downs” will kick off its first of six days of live parimutuel racing Sunday at Great Meadow with a six-race card.
A pair of Grade 2 races usually contested in Virginia — the Commonwealth Derby and Turf Cup — will take place at Laurel Park next Saturday.
Horse racing in Virginia will likely turn back to the future with a “country fair” style; proposed venue Morven Park, near Leesburg, fits that perfectly.
Virginia horsemen are moving forward with a plan for racing in the Commonwealth. But a new move by Colonial Downs may keep state OTBs shuttered.