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Record Purses for 2022 Colonial Downs Meet

Colonial Downs will offer a record of more than $600,000 in daily average purses and an expanded stakes schedule for the upcoming 2022 meet, starting July 11. The meet has six extra race days this year.

The stakes schedule is highlighted by the $300,000 GIII Virginia Derby and $200,000 Virginia Oaks Sept. 6. Maiden special weight races during the meeting will carry a $60,000 purse.

As a bonus, once again, all owners will be guaranteed $1,000 per start or their share of the purse money, and all trainers will receive $300 per start as recognition for participation every race, every day.

“In an ultra-competitive racing environment, we look forward to another season with bigger purses and greater incentives for our horsemen and industry stakeholders towards increased participation in the 2022 season,” said Jill Byrne, Colonial Downs Vice President of Racing Operations. “Our team is excited to present a wide-ranging program of racing opportunities on our outstanding racing surfaces.”

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Music Fest Forces Maryland Summer Dates Switch

A two-day electronic dance music festival at Pimlico Race Course has forced a dates reshuffling of the first regularly scheduled summer race meet at the Baltimore track in 17 years.

The Aug. 6 and 7 Moonrise, which is billed as one of the premier “rave” gatherings on the East Coast, drew about 30,000 people to the Pimlico infield each summer between 2014 and 2019 with no conflicts to the horse racing schedule. That's because the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) at that time chose to race during the summer months at Pimlico's sister track, Laurel Park.

According to an approval unanimously voted in by the Maryland Racing Commission (MRC) at its monthly meeting Tuesday, the nine race dates spanning Aug. 5-21 that were previously assigned to Pimlico will now revert to Laurel. After the seven-date Maryland State Fair meet at Timonium Aug. 26-Sept. 5, the circuit will move to Pimlico to run nine dates between Sept. 9 and 25. Then Laurel starts up again to race through the fall and winter.

In 2020, the Moonrise event was canceled because of COVID-19 restrictions. In 2021, Pimlico had to host racing from April through August because of the emergency closure at Laurel to install a new main track, but there was no conflict with the concert because it still couldn't be held under pandemic precautions.

In October of 2021, when the MRC approved a schedule of '22 race dates that included a regularly scheduled August meet at Pimlico for the first time since 2005, the status of the concert had not been known.

One of the intentions of moving the mid-summer meet from Laurel to Pimlico this year was to give Laurel's turf course a break during the hottest time of the year in Maryland.

Instead, Laurel will be running from June through August without a rest while going up against neighboring Colonial Downs in Virginia, which hosts a grass-centric summer meet spanning July 11-Sept. 7.

Moonrise will feature 50+ artists over two days, highlighted by Zedd, Rezz, Adventure Club, Excision, Chris Lake, Zeds Dead, FISHER, Moore Kismet, and Dom Dolla. Two-day general admission tickets start at $130.

Racing enthusiasts scanning the list of performers will note that one solo artist goes by the stage name “Trivecta.”

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MATCH Series Returns in 2022

The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) returns for a 9th season with a $2.2 million stakes schedule that spans April 16 through Oct. 3 and more than $400,000 in bonus money for owners, trainers and breeders. The Series, a competition among horses in four divisions, is designed to identify the best horses, and their owners and trainers, in the Mid-Atlantic region. It will be contested this year at Laurel Park, Hollywood at Penn Gaming, Colonial Downs and Parx, with Parx hosting this year's Championship Day.

Horses competing in MATCH earn points based on participation and order of finish in each series race, and the leading point-earners in each of the series divisions, as well as the owner and trainer of the overall points leader, win lucrative bonuses. The four divisions are 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt; Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt; 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Turf; and Filly and Mare Long—Turf. There will be five stakes in each division for a total of 20.

“MATCH is very popular with the horsemen in the Mid-Atlantic and we are grateful for the horsemen's organizations and tracks who continue to support and promote the Series,” said Alan Foreman, creator of MATCH and Chairman of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.

“The stakes program at Parx in recent years has grown in monetary value, stature and interest, and we continue to look for opportunities to create event days for our on-track patrons and our growing simulcast audience,” said Joe Wilson, Chief Operating Officer of Parx Racing. “Hosting the MATCH Series Championship Day on a Monday afternoon this year fits in with those objectives.”

“We are very excited to participate this year and host Championship Day,” Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association President Sal DeBunda said.

“Colonial Downs is honored to host four MATCH Series stakes worth a total of $600,000 for 2022,” said Jill Byrne, Vice President of Racing Operations for Colonial. “The value of these races was certainly recognized again last season with top multiple stakes winners such as Cordmaker and Just Might providing popular victories here in Virginia.

The bonus money distribution for 2022 offers up to $92,500 per division and $30,000 for the overall champion by points. For each division, first place pays $30,000 to the owner and $15,000 to the trainer; for second, $20,000/$10,000; and for third, $10,000/$7,500. For the overall champion, the owner receives an additional $20,000 and the trainer $10,000.

The 2021 champion was Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker, who competed in all six legs of the Series. The gelding won three MATCH stakes, collected 49 points and earned his connections $60,000 in bonus funds.

The Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association and Virginia Thoroughbred Association have each agreed to offer $5,000 bonuses to breeders based on the performances of horses in the series for a potential total of $30,000. Pennsylvania and Virginia will recognize the top male and female state-bred runners by overall points earned, while Maryland will award bonuses to the top Maryland-bred and Maryland-sired runners by overall points earned.

The 2022 participating organizations are the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Pennsylvania THA, Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, Parx Racing, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, 1/ST Racing, Maryland THA, Laurel Park, Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Colonial Downs, Virginia HBPA and Virginia Thoroughbred Association.

For further information, contact Alan Foreman at 410-336-0525; David Richardson at 410-984-2770; or Tom LaMarra at 859-492-8365

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Colonial Downs Announces $3.5-Million Stakes Schedule

Colonial Downs Racing presented by Woodford Reserve, which kicks off its 27-day “More Racing, More Money and More Fun” Thoroughbred racing season July 11, has unveiled a $3.5-million stakes schedule highlighted by the 19th running of the GIII Virginia Derby.

In all, 24 stakes will be contested over the nine-week campaign, 20 of which are scheduled for the Secretariat Turf Course, the widest grass racing surface in the country. Purses for the 2022 stakes program will increase by $850,000 over 2021 totaling over $3.5 million in stakes dollars up for grabs. Racing will take place every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. (EDT) through Sep. 7.

Daily average purse monies will rise to $600,000 for the summer from $522,000 in 2021. Maiden special weight races will carry a $60,000 purse. The highly successful 2021 meet awarded a total of $10.4 million in purse monies and average field size was a healthy 8.36 starters per race.

“With increased purses, an expanded stakes schedule and more race days, we are looking forward to hosting horsemen and women, players and patrons from across the country again this season,” said Jill Byrne, Vice President Racing Operations. “Colonial Downs offers a fantastic facility for horses and staff and two of the best surfaces known for safety and sound returns to the barn.”

The $300,000 Virginia Derby headlines a showcase day on Tuesday, Sept. 6 which also includes four undercard turf stakes. The Mid Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series returns for a second straight year Aug. 16 with a quartet of stakes worth a combined $600,000.

“Our horsemen are chomping at the bit for more summer racing with great purses at Colonial,” said Frank Petramalo, Virginia HBPA Executive Director. “To help horsemen get good stable help, the VHBPA is sponsoring formal training programs for hot walkers and grooms. The VHBPA will also offer its usual benevolence programs, including medical/dental benefits, recreational programs, and our chaplaincy.”

The complete stakes schedule, along with stall applications for the upcoming meet, can be found at www.colonialdowns.com/horsemen.

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