The Virginia Racing Commission endorsed a proposal to run nine stakes — including the G2 Virginia Derby — in Maryland this year. But hurdles remain.
For racing and breeding in Virginia and Maryland, only one thing about the future is certain: the only way forward is change.
For Keswick Stables, Stellar Wind is the end of the line: the last horse out of the last mare. “Nice to go out with a bang,” says Keswick’s owner.
Quirky, stubborn, and flighty are words to describe Virginia-bred Stellar Wind, who has deep mid-Atlantic roots. Also: Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks winner.
The future remains murky, the Virginia Racing Commission learned, with the present characterized by shuttered facilities, withheld payments, and failed negotiations.
Colonial Downs announced today it would close all of its off-track betting facilities and its advance deposit wagering company, EZ Horseplay.
With the clock ticking and no 2015 race meeting scheduled, the Virginia Racing Commission will meet tomorrow in Richmond.
Flat racers will share the spotlight with steeplechase runners on Virginia Gold Cup day, May 2, when three flat races will be run in addition to the jump races.
Secretariat’s 45th birthday celebration will take place this weekend at The Meadow, his birthplace, which was recently placed on the state historic register.
With legislation to govern Virginia racing now passed, new questions abound: Where and when will racing take place? And who will run it?