Horses arrive in preparation for 2023 meet at Colonial Downs
Horse vans began arriving in earnest this week as the stable area at Colonial Downs opened in advance of the New Kent, Va., racetrack’s 2023 season, which spans 27 days from July 13 through Sept. 9.
A record $5.25 million in stakes purses and an average daily purse distribution of $700,000 ensures the 2023 meet will offer some of the best Thoroughbred racing ever seen in the state, topped by the Grade 1 Arlington Million, the Beverly D. (G1) and the Secretariat Stakes (G2) on Aug. 12. The Virginia Derby (G3) and Virginia Oaks highlight the Sept. 9 card.
Weekend racing returns for the first time since 2019 with cards scheduled every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and a first post time of 1:30 p.m. EDT.
Colonial Downs again will have a full complement of 850 horses on its backstretch. Among the first horses to arrive Monday were those from the barn of Kelsey Danner, shipping in from Kentucky; Virginia mainstay Karen Godsey; and Angel Rodriguez, arriving from his Florida home base.
“People remember when I was 16 and hot-walking, learning the ropes around here. The quality from what used to be here compared to what is here now is unreal. It is so nice to see bigger outfits, nice quality horses and big stakes race days in New Kent,” Godsey said.
“I have a lot of turf horses and the purses there are great,” said trainer Mark Casse, a member of both the U.S. and Canada halls of fame who will have a full contingent at Colonial Downs. “Seeing the opportunities there, it just made sense.”
Casse mentioned that he is considering the Arlington Million for Strong Quality, who was fifth in the Manhattan (G1) at Belmont on June 10. Other trainers expected for the 2023 meet include Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, 2019 and 2021 Virginia Derby winner Graham Motion, last year’s leader Mike Stidham, Jonathan Thomas, Mike Trombetta and Michelle Lovell.
Colonial has added an early 50-cent Pick 5 with a 12 percent takeout. It covers the first five flat races daily. A new $1 Pick 6 with a 15 percent takeout will cover the final six races each day.