Colonial Downs opens Thursday with all-turf card

Live thoroughbred racing returns to Virginia with the start of the 27-day season at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va. on Thursday, July 13, with live racing offered every Thursday, Friday and Saturday through September 9. Post time is 1:30 p.m. EDT daily.

Bettors around the country will be happy to see Colonial Downs is bringing back the Pick 6. Called the Old Dominion 6, it is a classic $1 Pick 6 wager with a 15 percent takeout on the final six races daily. There is no jackpot provision. If there is no wager correctly selecting all six winners, 25 percent of the net pool will be paid out to those selecting the most winners while 75 percent will be carried over to the following program.

Other highlights of the 2023 wagering lineup include the 50-cent Pick 5 now twice daily. Offered with a player-friendly 12 percent takeout rate, the early Pick 5 covers the first five races while the late Pick 5 includes the final five races.

The betting lineup also features rolling daily doubles and rolling Pick 3 wagers starting with the first race and continuing throughout the day. Each wager has a $1 minimum base.

Travis Stone, the voice of the Kentucky Derby, is on the microphone to start the season. Regular track announcer Jason Beem resumes his duties starting in week 2. Joining the Colonial Downs racing team is Kaitlin Free. Kaitlin will be the paddock analyst and provide handicapping selections throughout the season.

Thursday’s nine-race all-turf opening day program features an average field size of 9.22. Colonial’s Secretariat turf course, one of the widest in North America, will be the new home for the Arlington Million (G1), $500,000 Beverly D. (G1) and $500,000 Secretariat (G2) on Saturday, August 12 for the Colonial Downs Festival of Racing.