Colonial Downs announces summer stakes schedule
An expanded live racing schedule, featuring higher overnight purses and more stakes races, is on tap when Colonial Downs kicks off its 41-day meet, which runs from July 9 through Sept. 13.
The summer 2025 stakes program, highlighted by a quartet of graded races, includes 31 races worth a total of $5.85 million. Overnight races will offer $70,000 for open maiden special weight contests and $87,500 for Virginia-restricted races. Allowance races will feature purses up to $80,000 for open runners and $90,000 for their Virginia-restricted counterparts.
The Colonial Downs festival of racing, scheduled for Aug. 9, is highlighted by the Grade 1, $1 million Arlington Million, the $500,000 Beverly D. (G2) and the $500,000 Secretariat Stakes (G2). The Million will be run at 1 1/4 miles, the Beverly D. will be contested at 1 3/16 miles and the Secretariat covers one mile.
Four additional stakes races pepper the festival day program: the $100,000 Petramalo Mile, a one-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds; its sister race, the $100,000 Tyson Gilpin at seven furlongs; the $150,000 Van Clief for 3-year-olds and up at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf and its distaff companion event, the $150,000 Andy Guest.
On Sept. 6, the $500,000 Old Dominion Derby (G3) and the $250,000 Old Dominion Oaks take the place on the stakes schedule previously occupied by the Virginia Derby and Virginia Oaks, which were moved to the dirt track and held in March.
The Old Dominion Derby and Old Dominion Oaks are 1 1/8-mile grass races and headline a card with $1.3 million in stakes purses including four other turf stakes: the $150,000 Da Hoss Stakes for older horses at 5 1/2 furlongs, the $150,000 Colonial Cup at 1 1/2-miles for 3-year-olds & up, the $125,000 Rosie’s Stakes for 2-year-olds sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs and the $125,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes for 2-year-olds over a two-turn 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Notable stakes winners at Colonial in 2024 included Beverly D. victress Moira, who went on to capture the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf en route to voted 2024 champion turf female; Grade 1 stakes winner Nations Pride, who captured the Arlington Million and was the recent winner of the Group 2 Singspiel in Dubai; and Belmont Derby (G1) hero Trikari, who added the Secretariat to his win ledger.
Two other $100,000 open-company stakes are slated for the season. Those include the Reigh Count for older horses travelling seven furlongs and the Love Sign, a six-furlong dash for fillies and mares. Both are to be held Saturday, July 26.
Virginia runners get plenty of opportunities throughout the summer starting the second weekend of the meet with four $125,000 events for Virginia-bred or sired horses. Those begin with the Punch Line, a 5 1/2 furlong turf dash and the Edward P. Evans, a two-turn 1 1/16 miles grass route on July 18. The distaff versions of the same races, the Glenn Petty Stakes and Brookmeade Stakes respectively, will be raced the following day.
A pair of 2-year-old races for Virginia-restricted runners, the $100,000 Hickory Tree and its sister race the $100,000 Keswick, headline the Aug. 2 program. Each race offers $50,000 in additional money for Virginia-bred or sired horses and will be run over 5 1/2 furlongs on the dirt.
Later in the meet older Virginia-restricted horses are featured in the $100,000 Meadow Stable Handicap and its female counterpart, the $100,000 Camptown Handicap both at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf. Like the Keswick and Hickory Tree, each race offers $50,000 in additional money for Virginia-bred or sired horses.
The final races restricted to Virginia runners, the $100,000 Bert Allen Handicap and the $100,000 Nellie Mae Fox Handicap, top the closing day card on Saturday, September 13. The races, each of which offer $50,000 in additional purses for Virginia bred or sired participants, are 1 1/16 miles turf events with the latter restricted to fillies and mares.
With continued collaboration between Virginia and Maryland stakes holders, six stakes races are restricted to Maryland- and Virginia-bred or sired horses beginning the first Saturday of the meet with the $125,000 Star De Naskra for 3-year-olds and $125,000 the Miss Disco for sophomore fillies with each race slated for seven furlongs on the dirt. Two more are slated for Aug. 16, the $125,000 Find for older horses at 1 1/16 miles on the turf and its distaff counterpart, $125,000 All Brandy also at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The remaining two are 5 1/2-furlong turf races for 2-year-olds: the $125,000 Jamestown its sister race, the $125,000 Dolley Madison scheduled for Aug. 23.
Additionally, there will be two $100,000 stakes races for fillies and mares presented by the National Steeplechase Association, the Randolph D. Rouse on Aug. 7 and the Life’s Illusion on Sept. 4.
Although not technically stakes races, Colonial Downs also will host eight Claiming Crown qualifying races on Aug. 23. Run under starter-allowance conditions, the top two finishers in each race will automatically qualify for the Claiming Crown, which will be held at Churchill Downs on Nov. 15.