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Colonial Downs Meeting Shatters Records

Buoyed by a record-breaking handle of more than $6.5 million on New Kent County Virginia Derby Day, Colonial Downs shattered all wagering marks this racing season, the fourth under the management of Colonial Downs Group and ownership of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment.

Total handle for the 26-day live racing meet was $74,940,840 for a daily average of $2,882,340, up more than 29% from the 2021 average daily handle mark of $2,231,765 during that season's 21-day session. This race meet marked an all-time wagering high in the history of Colonial Downs.

“The revival of Virginia racing continues to grow as we once again set new all-time handle marks,” said John Marshall, Colonial Downs Group Executive Vice President, Operations. “It is gratifying to see Colonial Downs evolve into one of the nation's elite meets which is what our team set out to accomplish just four years ago. We congratulate all of those who aimed and worked at placing Virginia racing in such an admirable position.”

Purses for the season averaged a Virginia record of $612,000 up from 2021's $521,000 per day in purse distribution. A total of 1382 individual horses representing 321 trainers made a combined 2,179 starts for the season. Field size averaged 8.35 runners per race compared to the 7.17 national per race average.

Mike Stidham took home leading trainer honors with 13 victories. The owners' race ended in a dead-heat between David Ross's DARRS, Inc. and R. Larry Johnson each of whom visited the winner's circle on six occasions. Jevian Toledo won his first Colonial riding crown with 25 victories.

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Mare In Foal To Gun Runner Tops Mixed Sale Session

De la Soul, a 3-year-old daughter of More Than Ready carrying her first foal by leading first-crop sire Gun Runner, sold to Jon Marshall for $205,000 to top Tuesday's seventh session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in Lexington, Ky.

Consigned by Indian Creek, agent, De la Soul is from the family of Grade 1 winner Harmony Lodge and Grade 2 winners Diligence and Sparky Ville.

On Tuesday, Keeneland sold 299 horses for $9,455,500, marking an 80.61 percent increase from the corresponding session last year when 265 horses sold for $5,235,300. The average of $31,623 rose 60.07 percent from $19,756 in 2020, and the median of $23,000 was 91.67 percent higher than $12,000.

Through seven sessions of the 10-day November Sale, cumulative sales for 1,690 horses are $186,168,500, which is 32.77 percent higher than the same period last year when 1,512 horses grossed $140,214,700. The average of $110,159 is 18.79 percent above last year's $92,735, while the median of $60,000 is 42.86 percent above the $42,000 recorded in 2020.

Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, was the leading consignor Tuesday, selling 25 horses for $1,257,000.

Two horses consigned by Taylor Made brought $150,000 each.

Stony Pointe Farm paid the amount for the session's top-priced weanling, a colt by Not This Time who is a half-brother to stakes winner Wildcat Kate. Out of the winning Wildcat Heir mare Kombat Kitty, he also is from the family of Grade 3 winner Lance and stakes winners Katy Kat, Katy Now, Yaddo Cat and Dingdingdingding.

La Luna Latte, a 3-year-old daughter of Candy Ride (ARG) from the family of Grade 1 winner and sire Colonel John, sold to Jody Huckabay, agent, for $150,000. In foal to Dialed In, she is out of the Tiznow mare Kayce Ace and is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Comical.

Taylor Made also consigned Motown Girl, a 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo in foal to Practical Joke who sold to Spring Ridge for $145,000. From the family of classic winner and sire Afleet Alex, Motown Girl is a full sister to Grade 3 winner Name Changer. She is out of the stakes-winning Northern Afleet mare Cash's Girl.

Leading buyer Wark Bloodstock spent $215,000 on two horses.

The November Sale resumes Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET with the eighth session, the first day of Book 5.

Friday's final session will conclude with a single dedicated portion of horses of racing age following the conclusion of breeding stock. A total of 290 horses of racing age have been cataloged to the closing day and will follow the total of 148 head of breeding stock in the catalog.

Click here for the online catalog for the horses of racing age in Session 10 of the November Sale.

The entire auction is streamed live on Keeneland.com.

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Colonial Downs, Virginia HBPA Donate $50,000 To Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

Another successful Colonial Downs race meet was highlighted by a dedication to Thoroughbred Aftercare. After the sixth race on the Virginia Derby card Aug. 31 at Colonial Downs, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accepted a check for $50,000 from Colonial Downs and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.

Initiated in 2019, Colonial Downs and the Virginia HBPA have each pledged $15 per start at the Colonial Downs meet to the TAA.

“It is with gratitude to the majestic horses that we proudly support TAA aftercare jointly with the VHBPA,” said Colonial Downs President of Racing Operations John Marshall. “Colonial Downs believes in doing our part to help retired horses that have given so much to provide entertainment, employment, and passion to so many.”

The TAA also hosted the Best Turned Out Horse Awards on Virginia Derby Day, sponsored by the Virginia HBPA, providing a cash prize and gift bag to the winning groom of the Best Turned Out Horse for each of the five stakes races on the card: the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes, the Woodford Reserve Kitten's Joy Stakes, the Exacta Systems Rosie's Stakes, the Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks, and the New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3T).

The winning horse and groom for the best turned out awards are as follows:

R6 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes: BRAMBLE QUEEN and groom Luis Quintero

R7 Woodford Reserve Kitten's Joy Stakes: EPIC LUCK and groom Valentin Fonseca

R8 Exacta Systems Rosie's Stakes: TEJANO TWIST and groom Ivan Morales

R9 Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks: ZEYARAAT and groom Oscar Cardona

R10 New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3T): DOUBLEOSEVEN and groom Francisco Oscura

“Colonial Downs is once again proud to support the TAA throughout our 2021 racing season,” said Jill Byrne vice president of racing operations Colonial Downs. “The care of horses during and after their racing careers is of the upmost importance, and the work the TAA does to ensure that this is accomplished, is extraordinary. We were delighted to have the TAA at Colonial Downs for Virginia Derby Day.”

“Like so many tracks across the country, Colonial Downs and Virginia HBPA is doing their part to not only bring awareness to aftercare but support it financially,” said TAA President Jimmy Bell. “What better day than Virginia Derby Day to highlight this important endeavor and their collaborative efforts in helping Thoroughbreds transition into their second careers.”

In addition to the Best Turned Out Horse Awards, the TAA presented the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Old Nelson Stakes, won by Graham Motion trainee Tuned (GB) for owner Al Shaqab Racing.

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Colonial Season Ends on a High

Colonial Downs concluded its 21-day season this week, highlighted by a new all-time daily average handle and over $10-million in purse distribution. In all, total handle was $46,867,078, a record average daily handle of $2,231,765. The 2019 meet–which was 15 days over five weeks–produced an average handle of $1,166,666, for a more that 91% increase.

“It is so gratifying to see the continued revival of Virginia racing as we mark new all-time handle heights,” said John Marshall, Colonial Downs Group Executive Vice President, Operations. “We have held true to our promise of building Colonial Downs into one of the country's elite boutique meets. We thank our horsemen, fans and team for doing their part in making it so.”

The Colonial racing program generated a total of 1,713 starters for the 205 races conducted this year, for an average of 8.36 runners per race. A total of 148 races were contested over Colonial's Secretariat Turf Course. A total of 1,325 horses competed over turf, an average of 8.85 starters per race; and 388 horses participated in 57 dirt races for an average of 6.81 per race.

The Aug. 31 GIII Virginia Derby established a new all-sources handle single-day record of $4,890,704, 10% higher than the previous best of $4.4 million which was set on Virginia Derby Day in 2008.

In the battle for meeting titles, leading jockey Horacio Karamanos and Joe Rocco Jr. finished on par with 20 wins apiece, while Hamilton Smith led all trainers with 10 wins. Mike Trombetta, with eight wins, was the leading money earning trainer with $491,650.

Larry Johnson, owner of Legacy Farm in Bluemont, Virginia, was the leading owner with six wins, besting PTK, LLC who had five.

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